Drew Lugbauer, C / 1B, Braves – Power, especially on the left side, is one of the most beloved raw materials in the game. Lugbauer has it in spades. It was clear on Friday when he put up a superlative effort against Scottsdale. In that game, Lugbauer, who was recalled from vacation to Hawaii to replace Shea Langeliers on Peoria’s roster, had four hits in five trips, including two impressive homers. The former went to the opposite court, was slightly touched with the tip of the bat, and served as a perfect showcase for the enormous Lugbauer’s brute force. The second home run was pulled into the gap in right center field and disappeared the moment he was hit. Lugbauer’s other two hits that day were hit hard. Overall, the day provided a glimpse into the kind of power Lugbauer can deliver and why he will have a lot of chances for success.

Kameron Misner, OF, Marlins – Speaking of the impressive power on the left side, Kam Misner also collected two home runs over the weekend. The second, against Surprise, left no doubt. The explosion came against Royals prospect Alec Marsh and made its way to the right field pen in a flash. Misner showed a lot of juice as an amateur to Mizzou. As a pro, he works to get there more often. Concretely, the Marlins are working with Misner to find swing mechanics that will allow him to keep the barrel of the bat in the zone as long as possible. If it can do that, then it will fit perfectly as a medium order mash in a corner of the outfield.

Nelson Velazquez, OF, Cubs – There’s no two ways about it: Nelson Velazquez has been one of the most impressive players in the Arizona Fall League this year. The Cubs outfielder featured a shorter swing than in previous years and keeps him on time for the ball while still allowing the cannon to explode into the zone with a lot of authority. His seven home runs are the biggest in the league, the last a rocket to left field from right-hander Surprise Alec Marsh. Perhaps even more impressive than his power, however, is the way Velazquez appears to command the bats. Earlier in the week against Dodgers’ best prospect Bobby Miller, Velazquez confidently took an off-speed throw after an off-speed throw without even flinching. Velazquez batting command. Now he commands your attention as well.

Gabriel Moreno, C, Blue Jays – Before breaking his thumb in the regular season, Moreno had become one of the game’s top prospects. In Arizona, he solidified that reputation and is clearly the league’s best prospect. Despite a swing with loud movements at the top, Moreno has always shown his ability to be on time and manipulate the barrel not only to reach locations in all sectors of the strike zone, but also to hit them with authority. . He whipped the balls line-to-line against velocity and spin, and starts AFL’s week five with a score of 0.373 / 0.469 0.588 with eight doubles, one home run and more goals ( 11) than strikeouts (8). Lest you think his exit was a fluke fueled by pitching that can primarily be described as highly flammable, Moreno reached .373 / .471 / .508 in 2020 in the Venezuelan Winter League. Perhaps even more interesting than his offense is where Moreno played defensively on Saturday. Against Surprise, the Blue Jays’ best prospect came out from behind the plate and continued to dabble at third base. He’s only had one chance – a slow roll that would have been a 50-50 ball for many more experienced players in this position – but the fact that Toronto gives Moreno experience in the hot corner will help open another path to the time of the big league on a club flush with young wrestlers like Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen.

STRIKERS

Gabriel Moreno develops his leadership skills and versatility

The 21-year-old has missed most of the season with a hand injury, but what he did early in the season made him an important part of Toronto’s future.

PITCHERS