Reds affiliate wins 2023 Arizona Fall League Championship

Surprise! The 2023 Arizona Fall League Champions are the Surprise Saguaros. This is the second straight year the Saguaros have taken home the AFL trophy.

The Cincinnati Reds sent several of their top prospects to the desert this fall in order to gain some valuable experience. In the past, players like Tyler Stephenson, Jonathan India, and Noelvi Marte all spent some time in the Arizona Fall League.

While no one from the Reds organization made much of an impact during the championship game, there was a lot to like from the group of young players who descended upon Arizona this fall.

Reds affiliate wins 2023 Arizona Fall League Championship

Among those Cincinnati Reds players who saw the field for Surprise Saguaros during the championship game were Andrew Moore, Zach Maxwell, and Jacob Hurtibise.

Moore and Maxwell each worked one full inning in relief. Each pitcher put zeroes on the board and combined to allow just two hits and two walks while punching out four batters. Hurtibise went 1-for-2 with two walks.

There is a very good chance that Reds fans could see both Maxwell and Hurtibise make their major league debut in 2024, and Moore could join the big league club as well.

Joining Maxwell, Moore, and Hurtibise on the Saguaros this year were Bryce Hubbart, Carson Spiers, Michael Trautwein, and Austin Callahan. Players from the Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Milwaukee Brewers were all part of the Surprise roster as well.

Zach Maxwell may well have been the most impressive Cincinnati Reds player to take the field during AFL play this fall. The hulking right-handed reliever posted a 2.19 ERA in nine appearances with 22 punch outs to lead all Arizona Fall League relievers this year.