This Reds Prospect Could Take Home a Major Arizona Fall League Award

He's been fantastic.

Aug 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; On field hats of the Cincinnati Reds are seen on the dugout steps during the game against the San Diego Padres at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2026 Arizona Fall League is in full swing. They are also approaching the Arizona Fall Stars Game this weekend, where they will highlight the top players in the AFL. MLB Pipeline highlighted the players who could win awards this AFL season. And one Cincinnati Reds pitcher could win the AFL pitcher of the year.

Luke Holman's Fall League

Luke Holman was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League to pitch more competitive innings after recovering from 2025 Tommy John surgery. Before the Fall League, Holman made his 2026 season debut late in the season in the Arizona Complex League, pitching 6.2 innings over four appearances. So this fall is a great opportunity to continue to hone his craft.

And Holman is taking advantage of his opportunity. He has easily been one of the best pitchers in the AFL and has earned praise from Fangraphs for his strong performances. So far, Holman has pitched 13.0 innings and has a 0.69 ERA.

Holman has been getting more praise for his AFL performance so far.

"Holman made only four starts this season in the Arizona Complex League after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2025, but he doesn’t look like he’s lost a step with a north-south profile that can produce whiffs, particularly with an upper-70s curveball and mid-80s slider." MLB Pipeline's Sam Dykstra wrote.

Holman does not have an overpowering fastball, but his curveball is a complementary pitch that gets plenty of whiffs. So far, in 13.0 innings, Holman has 20 strikeouts. Not bad.

Dykstra continued.

"Holman hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of his four appearances for Peoria, and he owns a 0.82 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts over 11 innings. He’s one of only three qualifiers with an ERA below 1, and his .111 average-against tops the Fall League leaderboard."

Holman is starting to figure it out and is stacking up good performances this fall, which bodes well for him in 2027.

Yerlin Confidan Participating in the Fall Stars Home Run Derby

Daytona Tortugas outfielder Yerlin Confidan (40) hits a home run against Palm Beach Cardinals on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Another Cincinnati Reds prospect who has been playing well this fall is Yerlin Confidan.

So far in 13 games, Confidan is hitting .352 with two home runs and ten RBIs. He is slugging .667 and has an OPS of 1.052.

Confidan has also been among the Arizona Fall League leaders in exit velocity, showcasing his impressive power at the plate. His strong performance this fall has earned him a spot in the Fall Stars Home Run Derby, which will take place on Saturday, November 7.