The Arizona Fall League is supposed to be a proving ground, but for the Diamondbacks it’s also a planning room. This year’s group is less about chasing a Rafters finish and more about building toward 2027, with farm director Chris Slivka saying the organization is using the fall to stack reps and clean up specific mechanical issues before winter.
That’s the lens the D-backs are using on every player in Salt River, whether the assignment is about defense, swing work, or simply getting healthy enough to log meaningful innings again.
Demetrio Crisantes is the headliner. Arizona’s No. 1 prospect and No. 84 overall came into the fall after missing significant time last season with a left shoulder injury, and the Diamondbacks are using the AFL to give him more work at second base while also sharpening his offense.
"He's such a high-quality hitter, [but] he does need to continue to fine-tune his approach a little bit," Slivka said. "But really having him focus on that second-base defense, we're seeing him progress pretty well. So we just want to make sure that he continues to get reps at second base and becomes the best defender he can possibly be."
Yassel Soler, Arizona’s No. 30 prospect, is in a different stage of the climb. He reached Double-A Amarillo at the end of the regular season and helped the Sod Poodles during their playoff run. In the AFL, the emphasis is on more at-bats and a swing tune-up.
"We wanted him to clean some things up with his lower half and his path, and we're seeing him work on that on a daily basis," Slivka said. "He's seeing some growing pains, but we know there's a real focus there on continuing to tighten up the swing mechanics and set him up for 2027."
Nathan Hall’s fall assignment is about volume, plain and simple. Injuries - hamstring problems and a right arm injury - have limited him badly since Arizona took him in the fifth round of the 2025 Draft, so the AFL gives him a chance to show his power and his defense over a longer stretch.
"He's done a really good job of improving his contact quality since coming into pro ball, even though he's had limited reps," Slivka said. "I think it's a testament to the work that he did when he was coming back from those injuries, because the swing quality and contact quality are much better than they were in college."
On the pitching side, Patrick Forbes has already given the Diamondbacks something to evaluate. Arizona’s No. 11 prospect has shown progress in the early going, with a sweeper and a better changeup joining a mid-90s fastball.
"I'm really happy with how he's attacked the strike zone and continued to build out the secondary stuff, which is going to be big for his future as a starter," Slivka said.
The organization is also trying to stretch out a reliever with starter traits. Armed with a mid-to-upper 90s mph fastball, a sharp slider and an above-average changeup, Foley has worked in shorter relief stints for Salt River after dealing with health issues during the regular season. The next step is length.
"He's going to be looking to build up to multiple innings this last month so we can give him a little more flexibility and developmental reps out of the bullpen," Slivka said.
Joe Ariola’s focus is more about command than raw stuff. After finishing his Double-A Amarillo season strongly, the left-hander brought a north-south curveball and an explosive high fastball to the AFL, where the job is to sharpen execution.
"We're just trying to tighten up his strike quality and his execution," Slivka said. "Putting him in the best position to leverage the swing-and-miss stuff by getting ahead in counts."
West has spent the first month of the fall working on mechanical adjustments, with the Diamondbacks wanting better strike-zone control and a more aggressive approach.
"We really want him to do a better job of controlling the strike zone and attacking hitters," Slivka said. "We really need him to continue to attack hitters and gain count leverage."
Luke Craig is in the AFL for a different reason entirely. After Tommy John surgery, the left-hander’s assignment is about shaking off rust after barely pitching during the regular season, and Slivka said the organization expects the recovery arc to take time.
"We're more worried about just how he's bouncing back and his process versus the actual results here in the Fall League," Slivka said.
Justin Martinez is also being handled carefully, with the Diamondbacks looking to build up his workload after a limited regular season in 2026 ahead of next spring.
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