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The Arizona Independent League (AFL) season is coming to an end.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, each organization sends a few prospects to Arizona to form six teams, which compete against each other for a few weeks.
This provides valuable playing time for players who need more quality at-bats to further their development or make up for time lost due to injuries.
Among them? Aaron Parker of the Blue Jays. The catcher was sent to Arizona to transition to the outfield position.
As my colleague Sébastien Berrouard recently mentioned, things were going well for him in the Fall League.
But yesterday, he made headlines by winning the home run derby—even though he was added to the event just yesterday morning.
Aaron Parker is the 2026 @MLBazFallLeague Home Run Derby champion
The @BlueJays prospect smashed 19 home runs in total and crushed the title-clinching shot 477 feet! pic.twitter.com/AfXXpRwtr6
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 8, 2026
Parker, who hit 19 home runs in 87 games at the AA level this season, hit two home runs in 12 games in Arizona this fall.
So he already had some power. And yesterday, he hit 19 home runs in the contest—in a format that doesn't allow for as many as in the MLB Home Run Derby.
The Blue Jays have two excellent catchers in the majors, and four of the team's top-30 prospects are catchers.
That includes Will Brick, whom the club likes.
Parker isn't among the club's top 30 prospects. He needs to stand out in other ways, which likely explains his time in the outfield during the AFL.
We might see him in Triple-A in 2027, and who knows—a call-up to the majors might be in the cards for him at some point during the season.
Created by humans, assisted by AI.
