AFL Recap: Jacob Reimer Homers, Jett Williams Reaches Base Four Times

The Scottsdale Scorpions pulled out an 8-6 win against the Salt River Rafters with a big hand from Jacob Reimer hitting his first Arizona Fall League home run. The triumvirate of Mets position prospects all performed well on Tuesday with Jett Williams and Drew Gilbert contributing for the Scorpions.

Jett Williams has gotten into a groove as of late, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, his first stolen base of the AFL season and two walks, which both came on Williams’ challenges. Jacob Reimer went 1-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, his first AFL home run, two RBI, yet another walk and a strikeout. Reimer has shown a very advanced eye, walking nine times with five strikeouts so far this season. In addition, Reimer made two difficult plays at third base, which bodes well for the 20-year-old who missed almost all of the 2024 season with a hamstring injury.

In an interesting new addition, the ability for hitters to challenge a check swing has been implemented for part of 2024 AFL season. Drew Gilbert successfully challenged a called strike three on a checked swing that led to a walk. Gilbert would wind up going 1-for-4 with a run scored and a walk. He is still struggling at the plate with quality contact, with an OPS of .444.

For the first time ever in a game setting, MLB is trying out check swing challenges at Salt River Fields today.

Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert just got a call overturned.

This illustration showed on the center field scoreboard: pic.twitter.com/qzBYTddFw3

— Jesse Friedman (@JesseNFriedman) October 23, 2024

While the batting averages may not be strong for the prospects, Jett Williams has an .803 OPS and Jacob Reimer has an .855 OPS despite a .188 batting average. Williams has almost exclusively played shortstop for Scottsdale.

SS Jett Williams: 2-for-3, 3 R, SB (1), 2 BB (.803 OPS)
CF Drew Gilbert: 1-for-4, R, BB (.444 OPS)
3B Jacob Reimer: 1-for-3, R, HR (1), 2 RBI (6), BB, K (.855 OPS)

Dylan Ross pitched a clean seventh inning, allowing no hits and no runs while walking and striking out none. After a rough start, it is good to see Ross, who only pitched one inning the entire 2024 season recovering from Tommy John surgery start to put things together.