Three Make or Break Top 100 Prospects in the Arizona Fall League 2025

Chase DeLauter, Jonny Farmelo, and Ethan Salas are three Top 100 prospects who most need a strong Arizona Fall League showing in 2025, with career momentum and prospect hype hanging in the balance.

Chase DeLauter (Guardians, OF)

DeLauter’s injury saga has defined his pro career—he missed significant time in the last two seasons with a broken foot, sports hernia, and most recently, surgery for a fractured hamate bone in his right wrist which sidelined him for 6-8 weeks and halted what seemed like an imminent MLB call-up. He put up strong numbers in Triple-A when healthy, but questions linger about durability and consistency. A productive and healthy AFL would help shake that injury-prone reputation and reassure both the Guardians and the prospect community that his advanced hit/power combo remains intact.

Jonny Farmelo (Mariners, OF)

Farmelo, a former first-round pick, dealt with a torn ACL and rib injury that limited his reps to just a handful of games over two seasons. He is considered a high-upside, five-tool talent, but has never had the chance to showcase those skills at full strength for any extended period. Arizona Fall League is crucial: if Farmelo shows the athleticism and offensive polish that made him a first-rounder, he will rejoin the conversation as one of Seattle's most promising young outfielders.

Ethan Salas (Padres, C)

Salas, once billed as a generational catching prospect, has seen his ascent stall due to injuries and brief struggles above A-ball—a lower back injury in 2025 limited him to just 10 upper-minors games. His bat and maturity behind the plate were once his calling cards, but missed reps and declining production have led to skepticism. A strong fall against advanced pitching would help prevent a dramatic slide in prospect rankings and restore faith in his superstar trajectory.

Hobby Outlook

The stakes for these three are high. DeLauter: proving he can stay healthy. Farmelo: showing he belongs after so many missed reps. Salas: keeping belief alive in his star upside as he faces adversity for the first time.

Their PSA 10 1st Bowman card markets reflect it DeLauter: Under $90, Down from $175 in March 2025 Farmelo: $100, and a Gold Shimmer PSA 10 did around $400. Unlike his counterparts however, Farmelo has never drawn too much hobby hype despite the consistent top 100 prospect ranking. The scouts have had a longer view than the hobby, which is not surprising. Ethan Salas: Under $100, with peak sales anywhere from $250 up to $400(!) according to Fanatics Collect.

There's some potential upside for any 3 of these players. The talent has come out at times if they can all remain healthy. That said, this is as much a cautionary tale on the harder side of prospect collecting.