Cubs' rising prospects earn Arizona Fall League awards originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
A pair of rising Cubs prospects have been recognized for their impressive performances down in the Arizona Fall League.
Outfielder Nelson Velazquez was named the AFL Player of the Week, and Caleb Kilian the Pitcher of the Week, for the stretch of games from Oct. 25-30.
Velazquez hit .480/.552/1.000 with four home runs and nine RBIs in six games last week, continuing his torrid run at the plate for the Mesa Solar Sox.
In 14 AFL games entering Tuesday, he held a .397/.493/.741 slash line with five homers and 14 RBIs.
Velazquez, 23 in December, is the Cubs' No. 29 prospect, according to MLB.com. He finished the season strong with Double-A Tennessee following a promotion from high-A.
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Kilian came over from the Giants in the Kris Bryant trade and got off to a slow start in the AFL, his first game action since August with Tennessee.
He threw three scoreless innings in a relief appearance last week, allowing one hit while striking out six.
Kilian, 24, is the Cubs' No. 14 prospect, per MLB.com.
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The AFL is an important developmental step for prospects, especially this season following its cancelation along with the entire minor-league season in 2020.
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