Scaling the Rocks: Crazy things are happening in the outfield at Salt River Fields

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Jared Thomas #2 of the Salt River Rafters runs the bases during the game between the Saguaros and the River Rafters at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, October 24, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Steve Chadwick/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images) Good morning, Purple

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Good morning, Purple Row!

Here’s what’s going on with the Colorado Rockies and the rest of Major League Baseball.

Rockies News & Links

Here are 2026’s Minor League Gold Glove winners | MLB.com

While TJ Rumfield did not end up winning the MLB Gold Glove at first base (that honor went to Matt Olson), third base prospect Ethan Hedges (HM PuRP) won a minor league Gold Glove for his work with the High-A Spokane Indians.

Arizona Fall League Week 4 top performers | MLB.com

Jared Thomas continues to perform well in his second AFL

stint. He went 9-for-18 with 7 runs scored, a double, three triples, four RBI, four walks, six strikeouts and two stolen bases. Fall Star Game rosters will be announced tomorrow — Jack O’Dowd is reportedly participating in the Home Run Derby on Saturday, will Thomas join him?

Around MLB

MLB’s New Outfield Positioning Rules Are Producing Dramatic Results In The AFL | Baseball America ($)

MLB is continuing its tradition of experimentation in the Arizona Fall League. This year, they are experimenting with defensive positioning of both the infielders (with nobody on base) and outfielders. The outfield positioning rules are creating dramatic results. Ian Cundall writes that through October 26 at Salt River Fields — the only park where the positioning rules are being used due to technology infrastructure — runs per game are up 34%, hits per game are up 32%, doubles per game are up 81% and triples per game are up 236%.

A lot of that is due to the corner outfielders in particular playing both shallower and closer to the line, which means they have to cover a lot more ground and makes for more balls in the gap. This also means teams might not be able to hide defensive liabilites in the corners anymore.

As Jared Thomas said, “Everybody in center, right, left… they’re all going to be center fielders at the end of the day. You’re going to have to have some speed and have good reads on the ball.”

Sunday Notes: Matthew Wood Caught Jacob Misiorowski in the Minors | FanGraphs

David Laurilla provides his notes column from the Arizona Fall League this week. While the main focus is on Wood the Misiorowski, he also asks Rafters pitching coach Jerry Sullivan about Sean Sullivan (No. 21 PuRP) and his own AFL plan.