Nationals Sending Jarlin Susana to Arizona Fall League, Here's Their Other Selections

One of the best offseason events across Major League Baseball is the Arizona Fall League, where top prospects from every organization compete with and against each other.

It's a great way for young players to get more reps, and the Washington Nationals know just how beneficial this showcase circuit can be after both infielder Seaver King and left-handed pitcher Jake Bennett turned heads out in the desert last year.

King, who was coming off a disappointing showing during the minor league season, flashed the tools that made him a first-round pick. And Bennett, who was a top prospect with some backend-starting potential, broke out and allowed the Nationals to send him out in a trade for high-upside right-hander Luis Perales.

Washington is hoping history repeats itself this year, as Jarlin Susana will compete in the AFL later this fall after he returned to the mound following an extended absence due to lat surgery.

Jarlin Susana Set to Compete in Arizona Fall League

Washington Nationals prospect Jarlin Susana | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The flamethrowing right-hander is someone who absolutely should have competed in the Arizona Fall League, and that's exactly what's going to happen.

He has been dominant since returning on Aug. 11, as he's racked up an eye-popping 34 strikeouts across 17 2/3 innings over his seven combined starts with High-A Wilmington and Double-A Harrisburg. While his ERA is up at 5.09, the fact that his fastball is sitting in the triple-digit range and his slider is still a wipeout pitch coming off his injury is a great sign.

The Nationals also reportedly promoted him to Triple-A Rochester to close out the season. That is a good sign for his MLB timeline, as he could find himself pitching in The Show at some point next year depending on how everything goes this winter and during spring training.

In the meantime, Susana will try to show why he is considered to be one of the best prospects in the sport when he heads out to the desert.

MLB Pipeline revealed the rosters for the 2026 Arizona Fall League, and Susana is considered the eighth-best prospect competing in this event, as he is ranked No. 67, per MLB Pipeline's rankings, which puts him behind outfielder Eduardo Quintero (No. 19 - Los Angeles Dodgers), outfielder Zyhir Hope (No. 27 - Detroit Tigers), outfielder Caleb Bonemer (No. 29 - Chicago White Sox), shortstop Arjun Nimmala (No. 37 - Los Angeles Angels), shortstop Bryce Rainer (No. 47 - Tigers), shortstop Tate Southisene (No. 59 - Atlanta Braves) and catcher Nathan Flewelling (No. 64 - Tampa Bay Rays).

In total, 12 top-100 prospects are set to compete in the AFL this year.

Five Other Nationals Prospects Getting Sent to Arizona Fall League

Washington Nationals prospect Nolan Hughes | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The Nationals are paired up with the Arizona Diamondbacks, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees. That quintet will make up the team known as the Salt River Rafters.

Alongside Susana, Washington is sending five more prospects out to the desert. But none of them are considered to be top 30 prospects in their farm system, which means this is a massive opportunity for those individuals to make a name for themselves.

Here are the other five:

-OF Teo Banks
-LHP Noah Dean
-LHP Nolan Hughes
-OF/INF Jorgelys Mota
-RHP R.J. Sales

Banks was an 18th-round pick in 2024 out of Tulane. He's had a solid showing this season with High-A Wilmington, as he slashed .251/.333/.375 across 92 games. But it's evident he's missing the power element from his game with only six homers and 21 extra-base hits. He's also been on the developmental list twice in his career thus far, so this is a big fall for him when it comes to his future with the organization.

Dean is someone who president of baseball operations Paul Toboni is familiar with. Back when Toboni was with the Boston Red Sox, he selected Dean in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. Unfortunately, the lefty has not had a good career to date, and that caused the Red Sox to released him before the start of this season. Toboni scooped him up, but Dean didn't show well with his new club, as he posted an ERA of 9.00 across 10 appearances (two starts) with Double-A Harrisburg before getting put on the injured list that turned into a 60-day designation back on Sept. 8.

Hughes will try to make up for lost time in the Arizona Fall League. The lefty started this season well with an ERA of 2.57 across four appearances (two starts). He had an eye-catching 17 K's over seven innings pitched, and although he also walked 10 batters during that time, that strikeout number combined with a batting average against of .087 was noticeable. However, those were the only four outings he got to make all year, as he was placed on the injured list on May 7 and hasn't pitched again.

Mota is another one who has battled injuries throughout the season, as he was limited to just 36 games this year. The 21-year-old has a long way to go in his development, so getting crucial reps in the AFL will hopefully allow him to build momentum for next season.

Finally, Sales is hoping he can utilize the Arizona Fall League this year to get his career on track. Acquired from Detroit in 2025 as part of the return for Kyle Finnegan, the 23-year-old missed the majority of the season due to an arm injury. But he came back on Aug. 9, and he made five total appearances (four starts) with Single-A Fredericksburg and High-A Wilmington where he posted a cumulative ERA of 4.61 with 16 strikeouts to four walks over 13 2/3 innings pitched. Now, he's trying to build upon that with a good showing in the AFL

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