CINCINNATI -- If a player is invited to play in the Arizona Fall League, it's a sign that his big league dream has come within grasping-reach.
Major League rosters are loaded with alumni that played in the AFL, which began play this week. The six-team league consists mainly of top-end prospects from the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
Among Reds players with AFL experience are pitchers Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo, second baseman Brandon Phillips and first baseman Joey Votto.
Major League superstars like Derek Jeter and Ryan Howard also played in the league.
The former Lookouts playing in the AFL this year are pitchers Pedro Viola, Sean Watson, Robert Manuel and Carlos Fisher, outfielder
Drew Stubbs and infielders Chris Valaika, Justin Turner and Sean Henry.
The most familiar name to Reds fans among this year's AFL group will be Stubbs, Cincinnati's 2006 first-round Draft pick out of the Univ. of Texas. The 24-year-old reached Triple-A Louisville by the end of this season.
Louisville wasn't the intended target, originally. Stubbs began 2008 at Class A Sarasota and batted .261 over 86 games before making the move to Double-A Chattanooga. The stay only lasted 26 games while he batted .315 with a .400 on-base percentage.
In August, injuries and an outfield shortage at Louisville necessitated another promotion. Like Jay Bruce a year ago, it was supposed to be short stay before returning to Chattanooga. Instead, it became permanent.
Stubbs played center field exclusively at Louisville. There are plans to improve his versatility next season at the other two outfield spots. The decision hasn't been made yet whether to invite him to big league camp as a non-roster player next spring.
In 19 games with Louisville, Stubbs batted .293. Overall at the three levels, he batted .277 with seven homers, 57 RBIs, 33 doubles, 33 steals and a .371 OBP. He walked 67 times with 123 strikeouts.
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Adapted from MLB.com
Chris Valaika played shortstop for the Chattanooga Lookouts.
- Photo2 by Tim Evearitt