Tracking the Performance of Texas Rangers Prospects at the Arizona Fall League

The Arizona Fall League is underway and the Texas Rangers prospects are looking to prove their worth to the organization.

The club has seven players in the league, including four pitchers and three position players. They get the chance to compete in one of the hottest leagues in the country, one that the league’s website says is easily accessed and allows players to receive better treatment.

The league is more than halfway through its season, and all of the Rangers representatives are off to a rough start.

And while it isn’t mandatory to send the best prospects from the organization, Texas has just one player ranked in the team’s top-10 prospects list playing in Arizona. They are affiliated with the Surprise Saguaros who took home the league title last season.

Here is how the Rangers are doing so far in the AFL entering play on Oct. 30.

OF Nick Williams

Nick Williams has played in all but two games for the Saguaros this year and is taking as many hacks at the plate as possible.

The 21-year-old has yet to draw a walk in the league and has struck out 18 times in 69 at-bats. And while he is hitting just .246 so far, he has been the Rangers’ top performer in the AFL.

One of the things Williams does well is hit for extra bases, which is something he has continued in the offseason. He has one triple, one homer and four doubles out of his 17 total hits. He has scored five times and driven in nine runs.

Williams has a lot of talent but still needs to show he can work counts and get on base with a free pass.

SS Michael De Leon

Michael De Leon is by far the youngest player on the Surprise roster this year at just 17 years of age.

"

De Leon is thriving in Arizona Fall League, despite his age - http://t.co/fvMdSaRQn1 #Rangers

—  Texas Rangers (@RangersAllNews) October 30, 2014"

The Dominican Republic native has just eight games under his belt, hitting .233 without an extra-base hit in 30 at-bats. While he is getting an opportunity to play with some of the best young talent in Major League Baseball, he hasn’t exactly gotten the reps that Williams or other players are getting.

However, De Leon seems to have a bright future ahead of him regardless of his playing time this offseason. He will be 18 years old next January and will most likely start the season at High-A High Desert.

C Pat Cantwell

Pat Cantwell has been quiet in the AFL mostly due to the fact that he has played in fewer than half of Surprise’s games.

He has four hits in 23 at-bats and has drawn four walks during the seven games he has played. After a fairly productive year with Double-A Frisco in 2014, Cantwell got the invite to play in Arizona this fall but has been overpowered by the talented crop of pitching in this league.

With just over a week left in the AFL, there is little room for improvement for the 24-year-old. He and the two other catchers on the squad have had nearly the same amount of opportunities, and that should continue until the league ends in November.

RHP Lisalverto Bonilla

Lisalverto Bonilla put up some of the best numbers of his career when he made his debut with the Rangers in 2014 but has struggled in the AFL.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

He has started three games thus far and gone 11.2 innings. Although he’s posted 11 strikeouts, the 24-year-old has allowed 10 hits and seven earned runs. Bonilla has also walked six batters, which is tied for the second-most on the team.

Bonilla has bounced around the minors as both a reliever and a starter. The trend has continued this fall with two of his five appearances coming in the relief variety, offering little indication of which way the club may be leaning toward for next season.

RHP Cody Kendall

Cody Kendall was practically untouchable during the 2014 season with Hickory and Myrtle Beach but has been roughed up in Arizona.

"

Cody Kendall named to Arizona Fall League All-Star team http://t.co/N0a4KalwEA #Rangers #mlb

— Texas Rangers (@RangersTex) October 29, 2014"

The 24-year-old has made seven appearances in the AFL and has allowed four runs in 8.1 innings. While he's not awful against some of the best names in the minor leagues, his opponents are hitting .303 off the right-hander, including two homers.

Kendall does have five strikeouts and only one walk. However, he has not been locating his pitches well this fall, something that made him difficult to hit off of during the 2014 campaign.

RHP Josh McElwee

Josh McElwee has been the best performer for the Rangers this fall by far.

He has made as many appearances as Kendall (7) but has yet to allow an earned run in eight full innings. The 25-year-old has issued three walks and given up only four hits for a .160 batting average against. He has also struck out 10 hitters, the second-highest total for the Saguaros.

McElwee has been on fire since getting promoted to High-A Myrtle Beach. He was also successful in his short stint with Double-A Frisco and has continued his dominant performances into the fall.

RHP Sam Wolff

Sam Wolff had a good season in 2014 as a starter with Myrtle Beach in 2014 but hasn’t gotten the same type of work in the AFL.

The former New Mexico Lobo did make one start this fall, lasting two innings without allowing an earned run or a hit. However, his other six appearances have come as a reliever, and the results have been far from good. He has allowed seven earned runs, 10 hits and five walks in 6.2 innings out of the pen.

Wolff is one of the better starting options in the Rangers’ system, and time in the AFL obviously forces starters to pitch later in games. He should be OK when next season comes around.

All stats courtesy of MiLB.com.

You can follow Trey on Twitter @treydwarren.