The Arizona Fall League is already in its fifth week and the White Sox have nine players in action, headlined by OF Braden Montgomery (White Sox No. 1/MLB No. 35) and LHP Hagen Smith (No. 5/No. 88). Rounding out the crew: IF Sam Antonacci (No. 11), RHP Tyler Davis, IF Ryan Galanie, RHP Carson Jacobs, OF Caden Connor, RHP Connor McCullough and RHP Jarold Rosado.
The White Sox hopefuls play for the Glendale Desert Dogs and share the dugout with players from the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals and Toronto Blue Jays.
With just three games left before the AFL play-offs, the Dogs finally found their feet. They went 4-0 this week with a lot of help from Chicago’s prospects.
Tuesday, November 4, 2025: Desert Dogs 7, Peoria Javelinas 0
Chicago’s bats produced six of 11 hits and were responsible for five of the team’s seven games. Montgomery (2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBIs), Antonacci (3-for-4, BB, RBI), Connor (1-for-4, RBI, BB) and Galanie (0-for-5, RBI) all contributed to the win. Montgomery has knocked the ball away and his 1.124 OPS screams for a ticket to Chicago in 2026.
I feel like I’m on repeat here every week when I talk about Smith. The left-hander took the mound again with two perfect innings and four Ks. He threw 23 pitches, 16 of which were for strikes. His excellent performance over the past month is notable as the AFL is widely recognized as a batter’s playground. Granted, he’s pitched a maximum of three innings per outing, but the outcome is encouraging, to say the least.
Rosado, Jacobs and Davis made the outs and strung together four more scoreless innings. Rosado threw himself out of a jam after issuing a bases-loaded walk with no one out in the third. He caused a force out, followed by a double play. Only Davis gave up a hit.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025: Desert Dogs 15, Solar Sox 9
This one was a slugfest, with only Antonacci (0-for-2, RBI, BB) providing the fun. Despite putting up a goose egg, he literally grabbed one for the team after being drilled with the bases loaded.
Thursday, November 6, 2025: Desert Dogs 11, Peoria Javelinas 0 (7 innings)
Connor had three hits (3-for-4, RBI) and swiped his eighth bag of the fall. Montgomery, meanwhile, couldn’t get anything on the plate (0-for-3, 3 Ks), but he did manage to score a run via a walk.
Friday, November 7, 2025: Desert Dogs 9, Scottsdale Scorpions 3
Montgomery (1-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB) and Antonacci (3-for-5, RBI, HR) showed exactly why they are part of the AFL Fall Stars team. Antonacci crushed his third dinger and raised his OPS to an impressive 1.074.
Curious to see Montgomery in right field at a guaranteed rate? Looks like it’s coming, and soon. The top prospect has jumped every hurdle this year, broken foot and all. Nothing seems to slow this boy down.
Galanie’s bat remained cold (0-for-2), but he walked three times. Take your victories where you can get them.
Davis finished the game with a hitless and scoreless frame, although he did allow a single baserunner to walk.
Saturday 8 November 2025: AFL Home Run Derby
Galanie was an interesting choice. However, he combined for 25 home runs over the past two seasons. So the power is certainly there, but he hasn’t hit a single one yet in the regular fall game.
In the Derby, he hit only three dingers and bowed out in the first round, being defeated by Parks Harber of the San Francisco Giants, who launched six four-baggers.
Sunday November 9, 2025: AL Fall Stars 5, NL Fall Stars 4
The Fall Stars players were chosen by major league farm directors, AFL staff and writers. That group selected Smith and Antonacci, while Montgomery had to win the Fall Stars Final 2 Vote to sneak in. I can only guess that Montgomery didn’t make the original cut because he had a late start to his AFL stint due to recovery from the foot fracture. So far, his fall numbers are incredible.
The switch-hitting Montgomery patrolled center field and became the two-hole hitter. Antonacci, who can play any infield position, was at second and batted seventh. On the mound, Smith threw the second frame.
Antonacci (0-for-2, 2 RBI, BB) played hero and lifted the winning fly ball in the bottom of the ninth. He also drove in a run in the fifth, walking with the bases loaded.
While Montgomery (0-for-1, 2 BB) didn’t get a hit, the one ball he straightened left the bat at 90 mph for a catch.
Smith danced around some traffic as he gave up a walk and a single to open the second. After the nerves cooled, he induced a fielder’s choice and got back-to-back strikeouts, fanning both batters on his nasty signature slider.
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