Welbyn Francisca keeps finding ways to top himself in Arizona. The Cleveland Guardians shortstop prospect was already leading the Arizona Fall League in several major categories when he was named to Sunday’s Fall Stars Game. On Thursday night, he added another loud performance to his résumé, and the conversation around him has shifted from breakout to award favorite.
“MVP of the Arizona Fall League to date and not even close… AFL ranks: 1) OPS 1.198 1) AVG .420 1) SLG .710 1) Hits 29 1) RBI 28 3) Runs 20 3) 2B 6 5) HR 4 5) XBH 11 6) OBP .488,” Guardians Prospective wrote.
MVP of the Arizona Fall League to date and not even close…
AFL ranks:
1) OPS 1.198
1) AVG .420
1) SLG .710
1) Hits 29
1) RBI 28
3) Runs 20
3) 2B 6
5) HR 4
5) XBH 11
6) OBP .488 https://t.co/pT2aT1uCrk— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) November 6, 2026
Thursday was a perfect example of why. Francisca reached base four times, going 2-3 with two walks, two runs scored, a stolen base and four RBIs. The highlight was a two-run homer that left the bat at 101.1 mph and traveled 399 feet, his fourth home run of the fall.
That performance pushed him to the top of nearly every leaderboard. Through 15 games, Francisca leads the AFL with a .420 batting average, a .710 slugging percentage, a 1.198 OPS, 29 hits and 28 RBIs. He also ranks third in runs scored with 20 and doubles with six, fifth in home runs and extra base hits and sixth in on-base percentage at .488.
The RBI total is especially wild. Driving in 28 runs in 15 games works out to almost two per game, a pace that would be impressive at any level. He is doing it against some of the top prospects in baseball, and he is younger than most of them. Francisca does not turn 21 until May.
All of this comes after a regular season that already put him on the map. The switch-hitter from La Romana, Dominican Republic, hit 19 home runs across three levels in 2026 after hitting just two the year before. He finished the year with an .879 OPS and reached Double-A Akron in September. His fall performance suggests that power surge was not a fluke.
The AFL has been a launching pad for plenty of future stars, and a strong showing there often leads to a big jump in prospect rankings. Francisca currently sits at No. 19 on MLB Pipeline’s list of Cleveland’s top prospects, a spot that looks outdated after the last few months. Do not be surprised if he moves into the top 10 when rankings are updated this winter.
There is still about a week left in the AFL season, and Francisca will get a national spotlight in the Fall Stars Game on Sunday night. If he finishes strong, he should be the clear favorite for the league’s top honor. Either way, the Guardians have a fast-rising middle infielder who looks ready to test himself at Double-A next spring.
NEXT: One Free Agent Slugger Would Be Perfect Fit For Guardians
