Hunt and Peck: Fall Ball Begins and the LDS Draw to a Close

While the MLB’s postseason is at the halfway mark, the Arizona desert the Arizona Fall League officially began on Monday and the Cardinals have eight prospects taking part in baseball’s “finishing school.”

The Cards have five righty pitchers at the AFL: Chen-Wei Lin (No. 16 in the organization), Tyler Bradt, D.J. Carpenter, Randel Clemente, and Darlin Saladin; the other three prospects are outfielders Travis Honeymoon and Miguel Ugueto, and catcher Graysen Tarlow. That octet is grouped with prospects from the Blue Jays, Braves, Dodgers, and White Sox, and will compete for the Glendale Desert Dogs.

Lately the AFL has turned into a who’s who event for MiLB prospects. There were 10 top-100 prospects competing in 2022 and 2023, but last year was the high water-mark with 14 of the top-100. Th