Former Southern Miss Baseball Players to Compete in Arizona Fall League

HATTIESBURG, Miss. — Two former University of Southern Mississippi baseball players are set to participate in the 2026 Arizona Fall League, which begins Saturday, Oct. 3, and concludes with the league’s championship game on Nov. 14, according to league officials.

Outfielder Jake Cook, who was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays, will play for the Mesa Solar Sox. Infielder Nick Monistere, selected by the Houston Astros, will compete for the Scottsdale Scorpions. The six-team league features prospects from various organizations, with teams changing affiliations each year.

The Solar Sox include players from the Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, Oakland Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Boston Red Sox. The Scorpions feature prospects from the Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco Giants, Tampa Bay Rays, Detroit Tigers, and the Astros. The league, now in its 34th season, has produced hundreds of Major League All-Stars, MVPs, Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove winners.

The Arizona Fall League is often used by prospects to recover from injuries, try new positions, or prepare for Major League duty. The regular season wraps up Nov. 11, with playoffs starting the following day. The postseason is a single-elimination format involving all six teams, with the top two receiving a bye. The league championship will be televised on MLB Network, MLB.com, and the MLB app.

Both Cook and Monistere were selected in the 2026 MLB First-Year Player Draft. Cook was taken in the third round, 81st overall, while Monistere was drafted in the fourth round, 126th overall.

Source: Original Article