Cubs Arizona Fall League Primer: Roster, Schedule, TV, Players To Watch

The Chicago Cubs are sending nine prospects to get a head start on development for the 2026 season during the Arizona Fall League, which starts on Monday.

The Cubs are among the lucky few teams that get to stay at their own spring training facility in Mesa, Ariz. The site hosts one of the six teams. Each AFL team is made up of players from five MLB franchises. The Mesa Solar Sox won’t play their first game of the AFL until Tuesday.

The AFL will play for a month this year, with triple-headers set for Tucson on Oct. 11 and for Goodyear on Oct. 18. At the end of the season, the AFL will hold its Fall Stars Game on Nov. 9, a game that will be broadcast live on the MLB Network. That is preceded by the home run derby on Nov. 8.

The AFL expanded its postseason to include all six teams. The top two teams in the league will receive byes into the second round. The championship game will be broadcast on MLB Network, MLB.com and the MLB app. The playoffs will be Nov. 13-15.

Chicago Cubs AFL Players, Team, Schedule

Knoxville Smokies infielder Ed Howard fields a baseball in a white uniform — Knoxville Smokies infielder Ed Howard (11) fields the ball during the Minor League Baseball game against the Biloxi Shuckers on August 5, 2025, Knoxville, Tennessee. | Saul Young/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Team: The Cubs will play with the Mesa Solar Sox, alongside players from the Athletics, the Miami Marlins, the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees

Players (MLB Pipeline Top 30 ranking in parentheses): Cole Mathis, 1B/3B (No. 17); Owen Ayers, C; Ed Howard, SS; Thomas Mangus, RHP; Luis Martinez-Gomez, RHP; Koen Moreno, RHP; Mathew Peters, RHP; Logan Poteet, C; JP Wheat, RHP

Top 30 Prospect to Watch: Cole Mathis is the only Top 30 prospect the Cubs are sending to the Arizona Fall League. The corner infielder was the Cubs’ second-round pick in the 2024 MLB draft, and he played the season at Class-A Myrtle Beach. He slashed .215/.336/.402 with three home runs and 14 RBI in 25 games. He missed nearly four months with an injury. This is a chance for him to get more at-bats and get his development back on track. An assignment to High-A South Bend in 2026 would be ideal.

Under-The-Radar Prospect to Watch: Ed Howard had become a forgotten prospect. Chicago’s first-round pick in 2020 out of Mount Carmel High School in Lynwood, Ill., he’s struggled to get a foothold in the system. He played just 25 games in 2025 due to injuries and slashed .108/.205/.138. He’s played a handful of games at Triple-A Iowa. No Cubs prospect in Arizona needs a better month than Howard.

2025 Mesa Solar Sox Schedule

(Times local to Arizona and subject to change)

Oct. 7: vs. Surprise, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 8: vs. Peoria, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 9: at Salt River, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 10: at Scottsdale, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 11: vs. Peoria, 3:30 p.m. (tripleheader at Kino Sports Complex)

Oct. 12: vs. Salt River, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 14: vs. Surprise, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 15: at Surprise, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 16: vs. Peoria, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 17: vs. Scottsdale, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 18: vs. Glendale, 12:30 p.m. (tripleheader at Goodyear Park)

Oct. 19: at Peoria, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 21: vs. Salt River, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 22: at Salt River, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 23: vs. Surprise, 6:30 p.m.

Oct. 25: at Surprise, 12:30 p.m.

Oct. 26: at Scottsdale, 5 p.m.

Oct. 28: vs. Glendale, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 29: at Glendale, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 30: at Salt River, 1:30 p.m.

Oct. 31: at Surprise, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 1: vs. Glendale, 12:30 p.m.

Nov. 2: vs. Salt River, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 4: vs Scottsdale, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 5: vs. Glendale, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 6: vs. Scottsdale, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 7: at Peoria, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 8: Home Run Derby, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 9: Fall Stars Game, 6 p.m.

Nov. 10: at Glendale, 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 11: vs. Peoria, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 12: at Scottsdale, 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 13: Quarterfinals (1:30/6:30 p.m.)

Nov. 14: Semifinals (1:30/6:30 p.m.)

Nov. 15: Championship, 6 p.m.

The Latest Chicago Cubs News