After the minor league season comes to a close for Double-A and Triple-A at the end of September, the baseball season doesn’t necessarily end for minor league players whom teams deem as candidates for additional development. The Arizona Fall League allows six teams made up of prospects from all 30 clubs to compete with one another and showcase their skills to their respective teams.
It had previously been reported that the White Sox were sending three players to the AFL – Jacob Burke, Colson Montgomery, and Josimar Cousin. Today, five more names were announced: 3B Bryan Ramos, RHP Adisyn Coffey, LHP Jake Eder, LHP Fraser Ellard, and RHP Jordan Leasure.
Here are the full league statistics for each of the team’s eight representatives:
- 3B Bryan Ramos (A, AA): 81 G, 359 PA, .264/.358/.450, 15 HR, 50 RBI, .929 Fld%
- SS Colson Montgomery (Rk, A+, AA): 64 G, 294 PA, .287/.456/.484, 8 HR, 37 RBI, .932 Fld%
- OF Jacob Burke (A, A+): 85 G, 385 PA, .294/.392/.439, 6 HR, 40 RBI, .977 Fld%
- RHP Josimar Cousin (RK, A+, AA): 15 G (15 GS), 55 IP, 2-2, 5.56 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 2.5 BB/9
- RHP Adisyn Coffey (A+, AA): 40 G (0 GS), 46.2 IP, 1-2, 4.82 ERA, 10.2 K/9, 4.2 BB/9
- LHP Jake Eder (A, AA): 14 G (14 GS), 56.2 IP, 2-6, 6.35 ERA, 11.1 K/9, 5.7 BB/9
- LHP Fraser Ellard (Rk, AA): 21 G (0 GS), 21.1 IP, 0-1, 7.17 ERA, 12.7 K/9, 5.1 BB/9
- RHP Jordan Leasure (AA, AAA): 43 G (0 GS), 47.1 IP, 2-4, 3.99 ERA, 14.8 K/9, 4.6 BB/9
Here is what MLB Pipeline’s write-up had to say about the White Sox’ selection:
“Montgomery was a prime AFL candidate after a back injury kept him from making his season debut until mid-June. The 2021 22nd overall pick still holds a reputation as a shortstop with the potential to be a plus hitter with 60-grade power, and after testing those skills at Double-A late in 2023, he could be primed for takeoff in Arizona. The Fall League will also offer an opportunity for the Sox to get a closer look at Eder, who was picked up from the Marlins for Jake Burger but posted an 11.42 ERA with 22 K’s and 15 walks in 17 1/3 Double-A innings after the deal. His fastball and slider have both flashed plus.”
– MLB Pipeline
Typically, the White Sox have not sent their top prospects to the AFL – this has changed this season, however. Players that typically end up in the AFL, as mentioned by MLB Pipeline, are players who haven’t gotten the at-bats or innings that their respective clubs would’ve liked them to receive throughout the minor league season to optimize their development. However, more specifically, each of the prospects in this league has some sort of identified talent that the White Sox would like to see further. For some, it’s an attempt to continue to get looks against advanced pitching, in the cases of Jacob Burke, Bryan Ramos, and the aforementioned Montgomery. It makes sense that Coffey, Cousin, and Ellard are all included due to a perceived lack of desired innings from the club, especially in the case of Cousin who joined the team mid-season. Eder and Leasure both get extended work with their new ballclubs.
For all, however, it’s an exciting additional opportunity to showcase their talents to the team.
The Arizona Fall League regular season begins on Monday, October 2, and runs through Thursday, November 9. The AFL Championship Game will be played on Saturday, November 11. The AFL Home Run Derby returns to Mesa’s Sloan Park on November 4 with the annual Fall Stars Game in the same place a day later.
Throughout the AFL season, we will make sure to provide updates on how the White Sox’s representatives are performing, so stay tuned for those updates.
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Featured Image: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
