Arizona Fall League announces 2026 award winners including Welbyn Francisca and Jarlin Susana

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

The Arizona Fall League has announced its 2026 award winners after six weeks of games at sites across Arizona, with top prospects recognized across hitting, pitching, defense, breakout performances, relievers, community impact and sportsmanship. The league’s awards include the Joe Black MVP Award, established as the circuit’s top performer honour, as well as categories that since 2021 have awarded “precious metal” to leading performers on both offense and the mound, including top pitcher, offensive player, reliever, breakout player and defensive player. The Dernell Stenson Sportsmanship Award, a league staple since 2004, completes the announced set of honours for 2026.

Welbyn Francisca, a shortstop and Guardians prospect, was named the Joe Black MVP Award winner. The league cited a season in which Francisca slashed .272/.366/.513 across three minor-league levels, followed by a brief stop at Double-A Akron, before carrying momentum into the Arizona Fall League. In Arizona, Francisca led the AFL in RBIs (29), while batting to a .427 average, posting a .733 slugging percentage and compiling a 1.227 OPS. The league also noted that he hit four home runs in 17 games and started at shortstop for the American League in the Fall Stars Game.

Tai Peete, an outfielder and Cardinals prospect, received the Offensive Player of the Year honour. The AFL’s announcement described Peete’s 2026 results across three levels, ending at Double-A Springfield, with a .908 OPS. In the Fall Stars Game, the league named him as the starting center fielder for the National League, citing a .351 batting average and a 1.103 OPS in that phase of the season. The award announcement also highlighted that Peete recorded 20 stolen bases in 19 AFL games, after 16 steals in 66 regular-season games.

Vance Honeycutt, an outfielder and Orioles prospect, was named Defensive Player of the Year. The AFL’s release pointed to his track record of defensive highlight moments dating back to his college days at North Carolina, emphasizing that his center-field glove remains elite and that he pairs it with a plus arm. The league further connected his defensive recognition to his performance in AFL play, noting a 1.029 OPS as a complement to his fielding.

The Breakout Player of the Year award went to Jack O’Dowd, a catcher and Rockies prospect. The league’s announcement described O’Dowd as having a “fall to remember,” including a Fall Stars Game crossover with his father, Dan. It also tied the breakthrough recognition to his ongoing offensive production, saying he hit 23 home runs with a .947 OPS in 107 games in the season before the AFL and that he continued to deliver in Arizona by leading the AFL in doubles (eight) and tying for the lead in home runs (six) during the awards period.

Jarlin Susana, a right-handed pitcher in the Nationals system, was named Pitcher of the Year. The AFL said Susana’s fastball topped out at 104 mph in 2026 and that he started the Fall Stars Game in a scoreless inning with a pair of strikeouts. The league’s summary included a 3.86 ERA across six AFL starts with 26 strikeouts over 18 2/3 innings. It also noted that Susana entered the AFL with momentum after rehab from a right lat tear limited him to eight starts in the regular season.

Kenya Huggins, a right-handed pitcher and Athletics prospect, received the Reliever of the Year honour. In the league’s accounting, Huggins produced 103 strikeouts in 91 innings during the broader season, then finished at Double-A Midland with a 6.63 ERA. In the AFL specifically, the league said he posted a 1.74 ERA with 13 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings, completing the reliever-focused recognition for 2026.

Teo Banks, an outfielder and Nationals prospect, was selected as the Dernell Stenson Award winner. The AFL’s announcement explained that the sportsmanship award was created in 2004 to honour the memory of former player Dernell Stenson, who was killed the previous year in Arizona during the AFL season. The league described the award as recognizing the player who best exemplifies unselfishness, hard work and leadership. For Banks, the league cited a hitting output that included 27 hits (second in the AFL), along with a .342 average in 24 games, four home runs and a .989 OPS.

Rounding out the 2026 recognitions, the Arizona Fall League named Maddox Long as the AFL Community Champion Award winner. Introduced in 2025, the AFL Community Champion Award is presented to an AFL player who demonstrates commitment to community service and positive impact beyond the game. The league’s criteria, as described in the announcement, includes charitable activities, volunteer work, mentorship and other acts of service, with recognition aimed at a player’s community dedication alongside on-field performance.

According to the league, Detroit Tigers right-handed pitcher Maddox Long earned the nomination following a rapid rise from an undrafted Division II background. The AFL cited a 3.74 ERA in 33 1/3 innings in Detroit’s organization in 2026, after an earlier stint in the Pioneer League, and then said his AFL performance included a 1.59 ERA in 17 innings. The league’s award release frames Long’s recognition as tied to both his community impact and his productivity within the Arizona Fall League season.

The full list of 2026 AFL award winners completes the league’s season awards for the fall circuit, with categories spanning MVP, offensive and defensive awards, pitching and bullpen roles, breakout performances, and sportsmanship and community service. The AFL’s announcements also referenced additional 2026 AFL events and coverage, including the Fall Stars Game and the Championship Game, in connection with its broader season recap.