Crews, Salas, and Mayer lead the way
MLB All-Star week festivities in Arlington, Texas, get underway tomorrow, starting with the Futures Game. This marks the 25th anniversary for the contest that features the best prospects in the sport.
The National League is led by the Washington Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews, who is the highest-rated prospect in the game, ranking fourth in MLB Pipeline’s Top 100. Crews, who was drafted second overall in 2023, will be joined by the No. 2 pick in the ’22 draft, Druw Jones of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Sixth-ranked prospect Ethan Salas of the San Diego Padres will be behind the plate.
The American League features two top-10 Pipeline prospects, Boston Red Sox shortstop Marcelo Mayer and Detroit Tigers outfielder Max Clark. Caden Dana of the Los Angeles Angels, the 90th-ranked prospect, is the highest-rated pitcher for the AL. Cincinnati Reds‘ Rhett Lowder, ranked No. 20, leads the NL’s pitching staff.
In all, the Futures Game will feature 24 first-round draft picks, including 10 from the 2023 draft. The NL roster has 20 Top 100 prospects, the AL has 15. Top-15 prospects Washington Nationals’ James Wood and Minnesota Twins‘ Brooks Lee were both selected but have since been promoted to the big leagues.
Following the game will be the first-ever Futures Skills Showcase, featuring three rounds of hitting competitions. Hit it Here, a target practice round, followed by Call Your Shot, before closing out with Swing for the Fences, a home run derby. The contestants include 12th-ranked prospect Samuel Basallo of the Baltimore Orioles, 13th-ranked Tre’ Morgan of the Tampa Bay Rays, and 14th-ranked Roman Anthony of the Red Sox.
The MLB Futures Game starts at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday. It will be shown live on MLB Network.
