Jul 13, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; World infielder
Javier Baez(left) celebrates with
Dalton Pompey(right) after hitting a two-run home run in the 6th inning during the All Star Futures Game at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
If you are a Minor League Baseball junkie like myself, you look very much forward to the MLB Futures Game. Every year at the MLB All Star Break, the Minor Leagues break up its best prospects and pit the best from the US versus the best from around the World.
The game originated in 1999 at Fenway Park where a young New York Yankees second baseman named Alfonso Soriano took him the first MLB Futures Game MVP Award. In the years since, household names like Grady Sizemore, Jose Reyes, Billy Butler, and Aaron Hill earned MVP honors as the US has racked up a 10-6 record in the event, winning the last five straight.
Last year, the newest Texas Ranger Joey Gallo launched a moon shot that, a year later, may not have landed yet. He took home MVP honors in Minnesota as his two-run bomb propelled the US to a 3-2 victory.
This year, 50 of baseball’s best prospects head to Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Will the World end their five-game skid? The US Team is stacked with many of the top prospects in baseball, but don’t sell the World team short. The US team holds the advantage in experience as they bring eight players at the Triple-A level whereas the World has four.
What should you keep an eye on in this years game?
Next: New York dominates US outfield
Oct. 14, 2014; Mesa, AZ, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge plays for the Scottsdale Scorpions against the Mesa Solar Sox during an Arizona Fall League game at Cubs Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
The starting outfield for the US team could certainly be packed with future stars of the Big Apple. Nearly every New York Mets fan knows the name Brandon Nimmo by now, and most are begging Terry Collins and the powers that be to call up Michael Conforto to the big league level right now. Aaron Judge, well, he just keeps racking.
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Conforto was drafted just last June and has done nothing but impress at each level of ball in which he has been promoted. Since his promotion to Double-A Binghamton he is arguably playing his best ball yet. The Mets offense needs a kick start, and despite the organization not wanting to rush him, should Conforto make some noise on the public stage in Cincinnati, he may be heading to NYC pretty quickly.
I think most New York Mets fans were hoping Brandon Nimmo would being in Las Vegas right now, but that isn’t the case just yet. He is coming off of a big 2014 in which he was an Florida State League All Star as well as part of the Rising Stars team in the Arizona Fall League. This will be Nimmo’s second Futures Game and perhaps a good showing will finally get him that promotion.
There is no doubt that the Yankees fans are eagerly awaiting Aaron Judge’s big league debut. Judge, the Yankees 2013 first round draft pick, was promoted to Triple-A last week and blasted his first RailRiders home run last night. The MiLB Giancarlo Stanton has the ability to grab attention with a Joey Gallo-esque shot in this year’s Futures Game, and could put himself on the national map with an MVP type performance.
Next: Top pitching prospects take the mound
Jul 13, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; World pitcher Jose Berrios throws a pitch in the first inning during the All Star Futures Game at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
ACES IN WAITNG
Eight future aces will be pitching at the MLB Futures Game this season. That is, eight teams will have their No. 1 overall pitching prospect represented on July 12th in Cincinnati.
Leading the way will be Washington Nationals top prospect Lucas Giolito. Giolito, who came in at No. 4 on the preseason Grading on the Curve Top 50, is now widely considered the top prospect in baseball with Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, Kris Bryant, Byron Buxton and Addison Russell all on MLB rosters.
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Giolito has had an up and down season, proving to be quite hittable with opponents tagging him for a .288 average. But the fireballer — whose fastball is known to hit 100 on the radar gun — does have 57 strikeouts over 43.2 innings. Will he be able to strike out the side in his inning of work, or will the World stars hit him around?
Jose Berrios, the Minnesota Twins No. 1 pitching prospect with the recent promotion of Alex Meyer to the bigs, will likely draw the start for the World team.
The only thing holding Berrios back from his big league debut in this Year of the Prospect is the fact that the Twins starting rotation is surprisingly succeeding this year. He is as Major League ready as it gets, and it will be fun to see how he competes with the top half of the US lineup.
The Chicago Cubs Carl Edwards, Jr. and the Philadelphia Phillies Aaron Nola seem to be getting really close to their Major League debuts as well. Will the Futures Game be their last hurrah as a Minor Leaguer?
A one time starter, Edwards has excelled since moving to the backend of the bullpen. Nola began his fast track to the Majors for the struggling Phillies when he was promoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. He is undefeated in his first two starts.
Mark Appel always draws interest, especially since he has now made it to Triple-A for the Astros. Frankie Montas, the White Sox top pitcher, put himself on the map by throwing a no-hitter this season. Sean Newcombe has become the No. 1 pitching prospect for the Angels with the recent promotion of Andrew Heaney and it will be interesting to see how a maturing Edwin Diaz — the Mariners top pitching prospect — handles a stacked lineup.
Next: Root, root, root for the home team
Oct. 14, 2014; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Cincinnati Reds infielder Kyle Waldrop plays for the Surprise Saguaros during an Arizona Fall League game against the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
ROOT, ROOT, ROOT FOR THE HOME TEAM
The host team Cincinnati Reds will not be sending their top pitching prospect (Robert Stephenson), nor their best offensive Minor League weapon (Jesse Winker) to the Futures Game. Instead it will be Amir Garrett and Kyle Waldrop.
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Garrett is the Reds No. 4 overall prospect, but thus far, it has been largely based on potential. He showed glimpses last season of why the Reds think so highly of him, especially in his two complete game shutout performances. That being said, both 2014 and 2015 have been nice seasons to date, but Garrett needs to show more to prove that the 23-year old lefty is finally ready to advance above A ball.
Waldrop, the Reds 12th round draft pick in 2010, is quickly becoming a name to consider in the Major Leagues. Though Winker will probably make it to Cincy before Waldrop, he is proving he can handle pitching at every level.
Waldrop is coming off of a monster 2014 he slashed .338/.385/.516 with 14 home runs and 67 RBI over two levels. He did strike out 100 times in 488 at bats, but has cut that down this season from a strikeout every 4.88 at bats to one every 3.96.
Waldrop recently got the call to Triple-A Louisville over Winker, so despite remaining behind him in the rankings, Waldrop may be proving to be the more ready for a promotion to the bigs. We will see how he responds performing in his own house.
Next: Best of the rest
Jun 17, 2015; Cleveland, OH, USA; Chicago Cubs designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) hits an RBI single in the third inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
BEST OF THE REST
Tony Kemp, the Houston Astros No. 14 prospect, has seen a lot of his farm system make the successful jump to the Major Leagues this season. It seems he is making a strong case that he is ready for his.
Kemp recently made headlines by putting together the best hit streak of the the season. The 23-year old second baseman who has been dabbling in the outfield with the presence of Jose Altuve in Houston, hit in 13 straight games for the Corpus Christi Hooks in Double-A. Upon his promotion to Fresno in the Pacific Coast League, Kemp hit in his first 12 straight career Triple-A games for a combined 25-game hitting streak.
Kyle Schwarber will likely get the start at catcher, making a Giolito/Schwarber battery very enticing.
Of course the Cubs top catching prospect, and arguably the best catching prospect in baseball, is one injury — or American League road trip — away from heading back to the Majors.
Schwarber is the next in line of Cubs prospects that seemingly have no issues transitioning to Major League Baseball. The 22-year old catcher — who was drafted No. 4 overall just last June — was called up for a six day stint as the Cubs DH. He had no issues at all, going 8-for-22 with a home run and a triple. He is currently at Triple-A Iowa, but that could change any day.