Cole

Mathis

Mathis had a two-run single, a bases-loaded walk and an RBI groundout in addition to the homer, which left his bat at 108 mph and was projected at 424 feet. Mathis, a 2024 second-round pick, was the Mets’ return when they traded David Peterson to the Cubs in June. He was hurt at the time of the trade and ended up not playing much down the stretch, and he also struggled during the AFL regular season, hitting .160/.382/.240 in 68 plate appearances. He’s definitely ending on a high note, though. The AFL championship game will be played Saturday night, with the Saguaros taking on the Javelinas at 8 p.m. EST.

Mathis, 22, was a 2024 second-round pick who has performed well in 2026 with a .981 OPS and 10 homers over 39 games. It is worth noting that he turns 23 at the end of July but hasn’t played above High-A, but he does have the chance to hit for average and power at the highest level. He also is likely limited to first base, so he’s going to have to come close to maxing out offensively to have fantasy value.

The 54th overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Mathis tore his ACL at the end of the 2024 season and only played in 29 games in High-A this season. However, the 22-year-old has looked good in Arizona, going 12-for-33 (.364) with two home runs, 14 RBI, and a 7/6/ K/BB ratio in 10 games. He was a two-way player in college, but will play either corner infield spot as he rises through the Cubs’ minor league system.