How Seattle prospects fared at Arizona Fall League last week

Matthew Ellis powered Peoria’s offense with a homer-heavy week, Adam Smith delivered scoreless work against Scottsdale, and catching prospect Boston Smith leaned into the experience as he continued moving through Seattle’s system.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

Seattle’s player development group spent last week watching several of its Arizona Fall League assignments, with first baseman Matthew Ellis standing out as the league’s “hitter of the week.” Ellis went 4-for-11 for the Peoria Javelinas over three games, including two home runs. One of them traveled 104.5 mph off the bat, and his production came with five RBIs and two walks. His strikeout total was low for the output, and his slash line was.364/.462/.909 (1.371 OPS).

The run-production impact mattered in a specific game as well. Ellis drove a 13-5 Peoria win over the Scottsdale Scorpions, going 2-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and four RBIs. The biggest swing came in the fifth inning, when Peoria put up 11 runs.

On the pitching side, right-hander Adam Smith earned the “pitcher of the week” nod after striking out four of the five batters he faced across two outings, both against Scottsdale. He was scoreless in three of his four AFL appearances, allowing two hits and no walks, translating to a 0.55 WHIP through that stretch.

Smith’s path to the AFL reflects a quick stop-start climb. The release says he joined Seattle after a contract purchase in May from the Lancaster Stormers of the Atlantic League. It also notes prior time in the Padres’ organization and three seasons with the Red Sox’s lower-level affiliates, along with a 2021 14th-round selection out of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Another Seattle prospect drawing attention was catcher Boston Smith, listed by the team as the organization’s No. 13 prospect. The AFL experience is described as his first time at this level in 2026, and the Mariners’ recap highlights the unusual scope of his 2026 movement across five teams. While he struggled at the plate last week (2-for-12), the focus, at least from his own perspective as relayed in the release, has been learning and development among the league’s top young players.

Why It Matters

The Arizona Fall League offers a concentrated look at near-term development, and Seattle’s recap shows meaningful production from both its hitting and pitching prospects last week.
Ellis’ combination of extra-base power and strikeout suppression (two strikeouts in 11 at-bats) is a reminder of the kinds of tools Seattle is tracking in the run-up to the next roster cycle.
Smith’s control-focused outing (no walks) and run prevention are the type of repeatable pitching markers teams tend to monitor closely as prospects move toward higher-leverage roles.
Boston Smith’s struggles with the bat are tempered by the AFL context and his emphasis on adjustment, which can be important when a prospect is testing timing and pitch sequencing against top competition.

Sources

Key Facts

Matthew Ellis (Peoria Javelinas) was named AFL “hitter of the week,” going 4-for-11 with two homers, five RBIs, two walks and a.364/.462/.909 slash line (1.371 OPS) in three games.
Ellis’ power included a homer measured at 104.5 mph off the bat.
Ellis also helped fuel a 13-5 Peoria win over Scottsdale by going 2-for-4 with a homer, four RBIs, and a standout 11-run fifth inning.
Adam Smith (Peoria Javelinas) was named AFL “pitcher of the week,” striking out four of five batters across 1 2/3 innings in two outings, both vs. Scottsdale.
The recap says Smith was scoreless in three of four AFL outings with zero walks, two hits allowed and a 0.55 WHIP.
Catcher Boston Smith (No. 13 prospect) is described as playing his first AFL action in 2026; the recap says he went 2-for-12 last week but emphasized the learning experience.