While the MLB All-Star Game, and to a lesser extent the Home Run Derby, get most of the attention on All-Star weekend, the Futures Game has become a bigger part of it in recent years. The Futures Game pits some of the best minor league prospects from the United States against some of the best prospects from the rest of the World. Occasionally players that have briefly been in the pros will end up playing in the game, provided they aren't on a major league roster when the All-Star break rolls around. This is why Mike Trout, thought by many to be the best prospect in baseball, was removed from the game after getting called up to the Anaheim Angels.
That being said, there were still plenty of notable names in this year's Futures Game, led by wunderkind Bryce Harper. Given the nature of the game, no pitcher went longer than an inning, and only a few hitters played all game as well. As such, you can't get a great sense of the potential of any of these players, but for many it is their first chance to watch some of tomorrow's stars today. Most of the best players in baseball once played in the Futures Game, and surely some of these players will be among the league's best in a few years.
The US team took the 1-0 lead in the first inning thanks to a home run from Cleveland Indians prospect Jason Kipnis. After the US put up a couple of hits on Minnesota's Liam Hendriks, Kansas City's Wil Myers grounded out but drove in a run to make it 2-0. In the fifth inning, Oakland's Grant Green was substituted for Kipnis, and like his predecessor he drove in a run, this time on a double to make it 3-0.
The US team was cruising until the top of the sixth inning, when Cleveland's Drew Pomeranz entered the game as the pitcher. He gave up a two run homer to the Los Angeles Dodgers' Alfredo Silverio, then Philadelphia's Sebastian Valle doubled in a run to tie the game up. This got Pomeranz pulled for Minnesota's Kyle Gibson, who proceeded to give up a triple to Texas' Jurickson Profar. The run was attributed to Pomeranz, who gave up three hits, a walk, and four runs in two thirds of an inning.
The United States would not be deterred however. In the bottom of the eighth, Tim Beckham, a former first overall pick by the Tampa Bay Rays, hit a game tying double. Then, the New York Yankee's Austin Romine singled in Beckham to give the US the lead once more. Nolan Arenado proceeded to hit a double that scored Romine, and the US had a 6-4 lead. All three runs came off of Kansas City's Kelvin Herrera.
Detroit's Jacob Turner and the New York Mets' Matt Harvey combined for a scoreless ninth inning to give the US team the 6-4 win. Herrera took the loss, Harvey got the save, and Philadelphia's Jarred Cosart got the win. Grant Green was given the MVP award. He went 2-2 with an RBI and he made a couple of nice plays in the field as well. Romine and Houston's Jose Altuve were the only other players to get two hits, though Cincinnati's Yonder Alonso did walk twice. Harper went 0-4 on the day, but he still has a ton of potential left in him. Cosart was the only pitcher to strike out more than one batter.
This was a particularly competitive Futures Game, and was a more than worthwhile watch for any fan of baseball, particularly those interested in prospects. Some of these players will be in the majors this season, most of them will someday be notable major leaguers. For one day in July, however, they were merely prospects playing in a showcase game to show baseball fans a glimpse at baseball's bright future. In said showcase, it was the US team that got the chance to shine just a bit brighter.
Chris Morgan - Chris Morgan is a writer, covering mostly sports and pop culture. You can find his work on Twitter: ...
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