The Fayetteville Woodpeckers had a historic year in 2026 with standout performances and a big time playoff push. Let’s take a look.
Woodpeckers 2026 Record: 71-58 (CAROLINA LEAGUE CHAMPIONS)
The Woodpeckers got off to a rough start going 3-12 over their first 15 games. They finished April going 10-14. In May, the Woodpeckers went 13-14. They turned things around in June going 14-10. They went 14-8 in July, finishing the first half of the season strong. They dominated the month of August going 20-6 as they took over first place in their division. They lost five in a row in September but went into the Carolina League playoffs.
They beat the Fredericksburg Nationals 2-0 in the three game series outscoring the Nats 12-3. In the Championship series, the Woodpeckers took on Charleston and had two dominant wins winning 14-4 and then 7-4 in the Championship game as they were crowned Carolina League Champions for the first time in team history.
Here are the team leaders (min 300 PA or 50 IP):
TEAM LEADERS
Hits – Kevin Alvarez (101)
2B – Kevin Alvarez (26)
3B – Anthony Huezo (4)
HR – Arturo Flores (17)
RBI – Arturo Flores (58)
BA – Josh Wakefield (.270)
SB – Josh Wakefield (37)
OPS – Xavier Neyens (.911)
wRC+ – Xavier Neyens (154)
IP – Aubrey Smith (90.0)
W – Ryan Mathiesen (8)
SV – Brandon Cassedy (4)
SO – Javier Perez (103)
ERA – Nick Potter (2.11)
NOTABLES
Kevin Alvarez, OF
Alvarez, the Astros top international signing in 2025, had a big year for the Woodpeckers. The 18-year-old played in 99 games and hit .261 with a team leading 26 doubles, 11 home runs and 17 stolen bases. He showed great bat to ball skills while spraying the ball to all fields. He was a main stay in the Woodpeckers lineup.
Nick Potter, RHP
Potter was drafted in 2025 and after being a college closer, the Astros converted him to starter. In Fayetteville, the right-hander dominated posting a 2.11 ERA while racking up 70 strikeouts over 59.2 innings. The Astros built him up throughout the season but he showed enough to really fly up the top 30 rankings.
Xavier Neyens, INF
Neyens was the Astros first round pick in 2025 and he had a big year as a teenager too. He started the year in Single-A and hit .240 with 14 home runs, 16 stolen bases and a ridiculous 79 walks in 68 games. He led the team in OPS (.911) and wRC+ (154). Neyens would finish the season in High-A Asheville.
Javier Perez, RHP
Perez was a choice of mine for breakout prospect and he did just that in Fayetteville. The 22-year-old led the team in strikeouts as he racked up 103 over 89.1 innings. He was dominant for a while and hit a snag mid way through but still finished with a 4.23 ERA while showing some of the best command in the Astros system.
Anthony Huezo, OF
Huezo was also on my list for breakout prospect and he may have been one of the biggest breakouts in baseball. Drafted back in 2023, he had a huge season. He played in 71 games for the Woodpeckers and had 20 doubles, 14 home runs, 30 stolen bases and a .856 OPS. He finished the year strong in Asheville posting a 20 HR/40 SB season.
Jagger Beck, RHP
Beck was signed as an undrafted free agent out of high school following the 2024 draft and was one of the best pitchers in the system in 2026. The 19-year-old posted a 2.80 ERA with 102 strikeouts over 86.2 innings for the Woodpeckers. He showcased a mid 90s fastball and elite breaking ball. He also flew up the rankings this season.
Josh Wakefield, OF
Wakefield had a couple injuries but when he was on the field, the outfielder was great. He played in 73 games for the Woodpckers and led the team in batting average (.270) and stolen bases (37). He also added 12 doubles and 4 home runs while posting strong walk and strikeout percentages too.
Arturo Flores, C
Flores was signed in September 2024 and had a historic season for the Woodpeckers. Not only did he lead the team with 17 home runs, that number also set a new franchise record. Flores also drove in 58 runs while posting a .817 OPS over 84 games. A good season for the 20-year-old catcher.
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