THE APEX TIMES
An 18th-round pick from Washington’s system, the right-handed-hitting outfielder has become one of the Salt River Rafters’ most reliable producers through the Fall League’s first stretch.
Teo Banks has quickly made the Arizona Fall League look smaller. In his AFL season with the Salt River Rafters, Washington’s 2024 18th-round pick is among the league’s most consistent hitters, ranking near the top in total hits and batting average.
Through 21 games, the 23-year-old has compiled a.366/.413/.620 slash line with a 1.033 OPS. He has 26 hits, 16 RBIs, and five stolen bases, giving him both run production and speed impact.
Banks’ power has shown up in spikes of quality contact. Of his 26 hits, nine have gone for extra bases, including four home runs, four doubles, and one triple.
His early AFL start came Oct. 3, when he went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a stolen base in Salt River’s 9-4 win over the Glendale Desert Dogs. He followed with another extra-base-heavy stretch, including a 3-for-5 game against Mesa on Oct. 15.
Over a recent stretch highlighted by the league’s weekly recognition, Banks went 7-for-17 with a home run, a double, two RBIs, and two stolen bases during the second week. The report also credits a 40% hard-hit rate and a max exit velocity of 109.5 mph.
The AFL surge continues a longer development arc. After moving up from Single-A Fredericksburg on June 7, 2025 and struggling for consistency with High-A Wilmington, Banks returned to Wilmington in 2026 and improved to a.251 average,.333 on-base percentage, and.708 OPS over 92 games, with 14 doubles, six home runs, 38 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases.
With the AFL postseason scheduled to begin Nov. 12, Banks still has games remaining to build on this production before looking ahead to 2027 in Washington’s system.