ROCHESTER, NY – Four former Rochester Red Wings have earned selections to the 2026 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, as Byron Buxton, CJ Abrams, James Wood, and LUIS ARRÁEZ were named All-Stars for the Midsummer Classic at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Buxton of the Minnesota Twins and Abrams of the Washington Nationals were elected as starters for their respective leagues, while Wood of the Nationals and Arráez of the San Francisco Giants were selected as National League reserves.
Buxton will unfortunately not participate in the game after being placed on the injured list with a right hip impingement. In accordance with Major League Baseball roster rules requiring an outfielder replacement for an injured starting outfielder, Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser was named to the American League roster to fill the vacancy.
The quartet represents two different eras of Red Wings baseball. Buxton and Arráez came through Rochester during the club’s affiliation with the Minnesota Twins, while Abrams and Wood made their Triple-A stops with the Red Wings as top prospects in the Washington Nationals organization following their acquisition from San Diego.
Buxton spent parts of four seasons with the Red Wings from 2015-18, appearing in Rochester both during his rise as one of baseball’s top prospects and on rehabilitation assignments. The Baxley, Georgia, native has continued to showcase the combination of power, speed, and defense that made him one of the game’s most highly regarded young talents, earning election as an American League starting outfielder.
Arráez played 38 games with Rochester during the 2019 season, batting .348 before establishing himself as one of baseball’s premier contact hitters in the Major Leagues. Now with San Francisco, the versatile infielder earned his fourth career All-Star selection as a National League reserve.
Abrams arrived in the Nationals organization as the centerpiece player in the blockbuster trade that sent Juan Soto and Josh Bell to the San Diego Padres on August 2, 2022. The dynamic shortstop appeared in eight games with the Red Wings, batting .290, before making his Nationals debut later that month. He has since developed into one of the National League’s top shortstops and will start for the NL in Philadelphia.
Wood electrified Rochester to begin the 2024 season, batting .353 with 10 home runs, 37 RBI, and a 1.058 OPS in 52 games before earning his first Major League promotion to Washington on July 1, 2024. One of baseball’s brightest young stars, the towering outfielder has quickly become a centerpiece of the Nationals’ lineup, earning his second career All-Star selection as a National League reserve.
A ROCHESTER CONNECTION ON THE ALL-STAR STAGE
The 2026 All-Star Game also features a special local connection. Toronto Blue Jays infielder and Brighton High School graduate ERNIE CLEMENT was elected the American League’s starting second baseman, becoming the first Rochester-born player selected to an MLB All-Star team since pitcher Johnny Antonelli earned the final of his six career selections in 1959.
Clement received more votes than any other American League second baseman during Phase 1 of All-Star voting, automatically earning the starting position at the keystone.
Although Clement never played for the Red Wings during his professional career, his selection provides another point of pride for the Rochester baseball community and gives the area a prominent presence during baseball’s annual Midsummer Classic.
The 2026 MLB All-Star Game is scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on FOX.