Dylan Crews, Druw Jones Among Top Prospects In Futures All-Star Game
The All-Star Futures Game, major league baseball's annual summer showcase of young talent, will include multiple top prospects including the two previous No. 2 overall picks in the June draft.
Washington Nationals prospect outfielder Dylan Crews was the second player taken in the 2023 draft after teaming with No. 1 overall pick Paul Skenes to help LSU to its seventh College World Series title.
Arizona outfielder Druw Jones, the son of former Atlanta Braves five-time All Star and 10-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder Andruw Jones, was the second overall pick in the 2022 draft.
The 25th edition of the Futures game , which matches 25 prospects from the National and American leagues in a seven-inning contest, will he held in conjunction with All-Star Game activities at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, Texas, from July 13-14.
The major league All-Star Game is July 14, with Texas' Bruce Bochy and Arizona's Torey Lovullo managing the teams on Bochy's home turf.
Prospects also will participate in a skills competition following the game as part of what MLB is billing All-Star Saturday. Each of the 30 major league teams will be represented.
The rosters include 39 of MLB.com 's top 100 prospects and 32 of Baseball America's top 100. Both the AL and NL rosters include 12 former first-round draft picks, and Crews headlines a group of 10 players who were taken in the first round a year ago.
Crews is one of the four top 10 prospects listed in Keith Law's latest rankings in the Athletic. The Athletic ranked Crews seventh, three spots below his MLB.com ranking. Crews was promoted to to Triple-A two weeks ago and has seven homers, 18 stolen bases and 45 RBIs at two stops this season.
Boston Red Sox shortstop Marcelo Mayer (fourth), San Diego Padres catcher Ethan Salas (sixth) and Detroit Tigers outfielder Max Clark (eighth) also are on the roster.
Mayer, the fourth pick in the 2021 draft, was slashing 307/.371/479 with seven homers and 13 stolen bases at Double-A Portland this season, his age-21 season. He had 13 homers in each of his first two minor league seasons after signing out of Eastlake (Chula Vista, Calif.) High.
Clark, the third player taken last June out of Franklin (Ind). Community High, had five homers, 23 stolen bases and 48 RBIs in 64 games at Class A Lakeland in his age-19 season.
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (12th), Minnesota Twins shortstop Books Lee (18th) and Boston catcher Kyle Reel (19th) are also among Law's top 20.
Mayer, Basallo and two players from the Chicago White Sox left-hander, Noah Schultz and shortstop Colson Montgomery, are among Baseball America's top 20.
Baseball America noted that Montgomery and Schultz could be quick risers if the White Sox conduct a selloff from the major league roster the trade deadline. The industry leader also mentioned Futures participants St. Louis right-hander Tink Hence and Cincinnati right-hander Rhett Lowder as potential late-season additions to the majors if their teams remain in the playoff race.
Washington outfielder James Wood, the consensus No. 2 prospect, was on the original Futures Game roster but will be replaced after being promoted to the major leagues on Monday.
Wood was a key part of the Juan Soto deal at the 2022 trade deadline, when the Nationals sent Soto to San Diego for a package that included CJ Abrams, MacKenzie Gore and Wood.
The skills showcase is a new addition and will feature players competing in three rounds of hitting events.
Players will be awarded points in a hit-it-here round, where hitters will attempt to hit targets placed in the infield and outfield to earn points. There is a call-my-shot round in which playes will showcase bat control, and a home run derby round in which players can earn bonuses for going to the opposite field and for consecutive streaks.
Jones is one of eight players who have advanced through in development programs sponsored by major league baseball and USA Baseball.
Cincinnati infielder Cam Collier, Philadelphia outfielder Justin Crawford, Pittsburgh infielder Termarr Johnson and Tampa Bay first baseman Tré Morgan participated in the Hank Aaron Invitational. Seattle. Catcher Harry Ford and Hence played in the Dream Series.
