On Saturday night, the Salt River Rafters defeated the Surprise Saguaros 3 runs to 2 in the championship game of the 2024 Arizona Fall League. With players from the Diamondbacks, Twins, Rockies, Yankees, and Nationals, the Rafters claimed their sixth title in league history and their first in five years. Eight Nationals players helped comprise the team's roster, as the 16-14 squad managed a wild card berth, then defeated the Scottsdale Scorpions in the semifinal play-in to reach the title game. Here's how they did.
Matt Cronin
Once the team's 11th-ranked prospect, the 27-year-old lefty Cronin had first health, then command issues in his first couple years in the minors. He looks like a late bloomer, though, as a repeat of high-A this year then a promotion back to Double-A resulted in 44 and a third innings with a K/9 north of 10, serviceable walk rates, and nary a home run allowed. Cronin struggled a little this fall, getting into 8 games and walking six with just four strikeouts, a home run, and 8 runs overall. It's not a great first AFL look for the lefty, but he still figures to be potential depth for the Nationals' bullpen in 2025. Cronin did not pitch in either playoff game.
Final line: 8 G, 8 IP, 8 R/7 ER, 4 K, 6 BB, 1 HR, 2.25 WHIP
Michael Cuevas
Cuevas, a 2019 23rd-rounder out of high school in San Antonio, has been mostly used as a starter in his time in professional baseball. He struggles to get opposite-handed hitters out, of which he actually faced more than righties with Double-A Harrisburg this year. Come August, the Nationals moved him to a full-time relief role, and he thrived over the course of the month, making 10 appearances and posting a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings with 15 strikeouts and no home runs. That was how he continued to be used in the Fall League, pitching in 7 games but getting lit up with 18 hits, 13 runs, and three hit batsmen. Cuevas was not used in either playoff game.
Final line: 7 G, 7.1 IP, 13 R/8 ER, 8 K, 7 BB, 3 HBP, 0 HR, 3.41 WHIP
Dustin Saenz
A 2021 4th-rounder out of Texas A&M, Saenz made his Double-A debut this past season, and while his ERA was high, he was effective at keeping the ball in the yard. Keith Law ranked him 20th on his top 20 Nationals prospect list in February. With everything to prove and nothing to lose in the Arizona Fall League, the 5'11" lefty Saenz pitched the third-most innings of any pitcher on the Rafters and was useful at worst, pitching to a 5.52 ERA. Manager Tyler Smarslok gave him the ball for the championship game, and he delivered four innings of one-run ball. That was just what the doctor ordered in a low-scoring game for both sides that saw his team come out victorious by 1.
Final line: 6 G/3 GS, 14.2 IP, 9 ER, 12 K, 4 BB/1 HBP, 3 HR, 1.57 WHIP
Chase Solesky
We published a piece on Solesky on Friday, which you can find here. A 2019 draft pick of the White Sox, Solesky was released by the club in March after posting a 6.35 ERA in 78 innings at Triple-A Charlotte (which is, to be fair, consistently the worst team in the International League). Tapping into his scouting roots, Mike Rizzo's front office picked him up and assigned him to Double-A Harrisburg, where he recorded a 3.02 ERA and 3.92 FIP, though a .255 BABIP and good fly ball luck could have played into that. Regardless, he joined the Salt River Rafters and had a top-20 ERA among qualified pitchers. Not historically a strikeout threat, he lit up 20 batters in 13 innings, earning himself a selection to the Fall Stars Game, where he worked a perfect inning. Needing a win, Smarslok went to Solesky to start the semifinal play-in Friday evening and got what he ordered--four innings, two hits, three walks, two strikeouts, and no walks, as Chase left the game with a 6-0 lead in an eventual 13-4 Salt River win.
Final line: 6 G, 13 IP, 7 ER, 20 K, 1 BB, 3 HR, 1.38 WHIP
Luke Young
Young was an 11th round pick in 2022. The 23-year-old right-hander has been serviceable but not elite through two professional campaigns, pitching at Class-A Fredericksburg in 2023 and Advanced-A Wilmington this past year. Young was a full-time starter until mid-July when he was moved to the bullpen, and posted solid numbers in 8 appearances in August. He got into 10 games this Fall League and was excellent, finishing four games and converting his only save opportunity. His 1.13 WHIP was one of the best on the team. Young did not pitch in either playoff game.
Final line: 10 G, 10.2 IP, 4 ER, 7 K, 4 BB, 1 HR, 1.13 WHIP
Maxwell Romero Jr.
A 9th-rounder from '22, catcher Maxwell Romero had a fantastic junior year of college and was spectacular in 54 games at Class-A Fredericksburg in 2023, posting a .420 OBP and 140 wRC+. His walk rate plummeted upon a promotion to Advanced-A Wilmington, but despite underwhelming results, the batted ball data is still there--his line drive rate increased and ground ball rate decreased between levels. We don't have advanced fielding metrics at that level, but Romero has talked about valuing his defense behind the plate. Romero struggled with power this AFL season, slugging below his OBP, but that OBP was still .393 as he walked nearly as much as he struck out, potentially easing some concerns about his plate discipline. Despite an OPS 140 points higher than teammate and Yankees prospect Antonio Gómez, Gómez ended up being Tyler Smarslok's pick for playoff backstop, and Romero did not ultimately get into a game.
Final line: 61 PA, .234/.393/.383, 4 2B, 1 HR, 1/2 SB, 15/13 K/BB
Phillip Glasser
Glasser largely split time between second base and left field in the minors this year, starting the year at Fredericksburg, getting moved up to Wilmington in late April, and earning a promotion to Harrisburg in August. Along the way, he recorded a game in which he picked up four hits, drove in four runs, and stole three bases. Phillip played a little second, little left, and little third base in his 10 games, picking up 10 hits but struggling to find his power stroke. With the game already locked up in the 9th, Glasser got a pinch hit opportunity in the semifinal play-in game for Tommy Troy, but struck out against Marques Johnson. Glasser got off to a cold start at Harrisburg, but if he continues hitting like he did at the lower levels, he could soon see himself on the team's top 30 prospects list.
Final line: 42 PA, .270/.357/.324, 2 2B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 7 R, 5/10 K/BB
Robert Hassell III
Hassell is, of course, the man of the hour. I wrote about him last week, which you can read HERE, so I'll keep this a little more brief. Hassell finished the 2024 AFL campaign with the fifth-highest OPS among all qualified outfielders, hitting more home runs and driving in more runs than any of the four ahead of him, while also going 5-for-5 on stolen bases. In the semifinal game, he drove in two on a single up the middle and a forceout, before hitting a stand-up triple in the 2nd inning of the championship thanks to some fielding troubles by Astros' right fielder Quincy Hamilton. That triple would lead to a game-tying sac fly, preventing the Rafters from needing to play from behind for long. Two hours later, Hassell was celebrating on the field with teammates as a champion.
Final line: 100 PA, .281/.360/.517, 7 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 19 RBI, 17 R, 5/5 SB, 8/22 BB/K, 3 HBP
Could this taste of victory be a driving force for these Nationals prospects to push themselves even harder and try to bring a second championship to the Major League club? Time will tell. We're always looking for your thoughts, comments, and questions on our social media channels--we'd love to hear from you on our Twitter @DistrictOnDeck, or reach out to me directly on my Bluesky @theottspot.bsky.social.