Scouting reports for all 50 Futures Game players
The best thing about the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game is getting to see all of that talent, all of these future stars, on the field at one time. We use the “kid in a candy store” metaphor often because it’s so apt.
Before you see them all on Saturday, July 8, at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT) at T-Mobile Park, you should see all of them on “paper,” a metaphor not as relevant these days. But you get the idea. Here are scouting reports on every organization’s 2023 Futures Game participants.
AMERICAN LEAGUE EAST
Zulueta threw one pitch in last year’s Futures Game (a 96.9 mph fastball on a Francisco Alvarez groundout) and will be looking for a more robust appearance this time. The 25-year-old right-hander can touch 98 but is generally around 95-97 with his four-seamer and sinker while mixing in a mid-80s slider. Control has been a major problem (31 walks in 37 2/3 innings) at Triple-A and a reason why he hasn’t debuted with Toronto yet. A Netherlands native, Robberse has added some strength in recent years to throw in the low 90s and features a four-pitch mix to keep hitters honest. He owns a 4.54 ERA with 66 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings at Double-A New Hampshire.
Orioles: Jackson Holliday, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 1); Heston Kjerstad, OF (No. 4/MLB No. 39)
We’re running out of superlatives for our new No. 1 prospect. Holliday, the No. 1 pick in last year’s Draft, is making his first full season of pro ball look easy, with all five tools helping him earn one promotion already, with another potentially in his future. Kjerstad has put his health issues in the rearview and is making it clear the guy we saw in the Arizona Fall League in 2022 is legit, showing off his hit and power tools across two levels this year.
Rays: Junior Caminero, 3B/2B (No. 1/MLB No. 16); Kyle Manzardo, 1B (No. 4/MLB No. 41)
Caminero has been our highest Top 100 climber in two straight updates based on his ability to make consistent hard contact to all fields at such a young age. He’s reached Double-A at just 19 years old and has held his own with a .482 slugging percentage, 19.8 percent K rate and 123 wRC+ through 23 games. Similarly, Manzardo has been pushed aggressively to Triple-A to begin his second full season by Tampa Bay. Unlike most first basemen, the 2021 second-rounder owns a better hit tool than slugging ability but has the discipline and enough raw pop to be above average in both categories by the time he reaches St. Petersburg.
Red Sox: Marcelo Mayer, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 4); Nick Yorke, 2B (No. 3/MLB No. 90); Shane Drohan, LHP (No. 28)
The Red Sox took California prep middle infielders with their first-round picks in each of the last three Drafts, and two of them will be in Seattle. Mayer and Yorke are double-play partners at Double-A Portland, with the former having the tools to make an impact on both sides of the ball and the latter more of an offensive second baseman. Drohan has emerged as one of the best mound prospects in the system as his stuff has kicked up a notch, as he's now operating with a 92-95 mph fastball and a solid changeup.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Jones offered one of the best combinations of size and athleticism in last year's Draft, which is why he went 25th overall out of Vanderbilt and has posted 10 homers and 18 steals in 60 High-A games. Acquired from the Dodgers in exchange for Joey Gallo last summer, Beeter has some of the best stuff among Futures Game pitchers, highlighted by a mid-90s fastball and a wipeout slider in the mid-80s.
AMERICAN LEAGUE CENTRAL
Guardians: Joey Cantillo, LHP (No. 15)
Part of the nine-player Mike Clevinger trade with the Padres in August 2020, Cantillo has added velocity in the last couple of years, now working with a 91-95 mph fastball that touches 98 to complement a plus Vulcan changeup that tumbles at the plate.
Royals: Will Klein, RHP (No. 22)
Owner of a 10.51 ERA last season, Klein has bounced back incredibly well in 2023, climbing to Triple-A Omaha in his age-23 campaign. The 6-foot-5 right-hander can touch triple-digits with his four-seamer and generally sits around 97-99 mph. He adds an upper-80s cutter and low-80s curveball to help generate whiffs, and he’s struck out 34.5 percent of his batters faced this season across two upper levels of the Minors.
Tigers: Colt Keith, 3B/2B (No. 1/MLB No. 42); Justyn-Henry Malloy, 3B/OF (No. 7)
It’ll be a big couple of weeks for Keith as he joins Triple-A Toledo this week before heading to Seattle. The 21-year-old infielder uses his impressive strength to generate easy power from the right side, and his high exit velocities help him post solid batting averages too. He hit .325/.391/.585 with 14 homers in 59 games with Double-A Erie before his promotion. Acquired from the Braves in the offseason, Malloy’s best asset remains his plate discipline and ability to work a walk with a .386 OBP in 72 games at Triple-A. He has experience at both third base and left field but is considered a below-average glovesman, putting more pressure on the bat.
Twins: David Festa, RHP (No. 10)
Festa has thrown harder since entering pro ball out of Seton Hall in 2021 and now has a fastball that averages over 94 mph and touches 98, along with a mid-80s slider and a changeup thrown around the same velocity. They have missed bats at a 40 percent or better clip in 2023.
White Sox: Jonathan Cannon, RHP (No. 10)
Cannon has been exactly what the White Sox hoped when they paid him an over-slot $925,000 out of Georgia in the third round last year: an advanced college pitcher who throws four pitches for strikes, highlighted by an upper-80s cutter and a 92-96 mph sinker.
AMERICAN LEAGUE WEST
Angels: Edgar Quero, C (No. 2/MLB No. 71); Kyren Paris, SS/2B (No. 8)
Quero is just 20 and is holding his own after an aggressive jump to Double-A this year, showing off his advanced approach at the plate and the ability to make a ton of contact from both sides of the plate while improving his defense behind the dish. Paris can play both middle infield positions well, and thanks to added strength has an interesting power-speed combination that has already produced double digits in home runs and steals in Double-A this year.
A’s: Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B (No. 1/MLB No. 36); Lawrence Butler, OF/1B (No. 7)
This is Soderstrom’s second trip to the Futures Game (2021), and he brings a very strong offensive profile with him, especially a power resume that led to 29 homers in 2022 and has allowed him to continue to hit the ball hard in Triple-A Las Vegas this season. Butler has good speed and power to all fields, with 20-20 potential, and he’s done a good job of continuing to refine his approach in his first taste of Double-A this year.
Astros: Drew Gilbert, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 75)
A sparkplug who quickly hit his way to Double-A, Gilbert went 28th overall in last year's Draft out of Tennessee and has 20-20 upside while playing a fine center field.
Mariners: Harry Ford, C (No. 1/MLB No. 28); Jonatan Clase, OF (No. 11)
Sir Harry, the World Baseball Classic standout for Great Britain, gets to bring his five-tool potential behind the dish to what he hopes will be his home ballpark in the future. Ford has raw pop from the right side and plus speed. Speaking of speed, Clase has it and then some as one of the faster prospects in baseball, one who swiped 55 bags in 2022 and already has 42 this year while tapping into his surprising pop at the plate.
Rangers: Owen White, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 47)
The highest-ranked pitcher on the American League roster, White has blossomed into an athletic right-hander with four pitches than can grade as at least plus when at their best since he signed as a 2018 second-round pick from a North Carolina high school.
NATIONAL LEAGUE EAST
Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach, RHP (No. 6)
A talented two-way player at Nebraska, Schwellenbach had Tommy John surgery right after the Braves got him, so he’s pitching for the first time this year, showing off a three-pitch mix (fastball, slider, changeup), all of which can be at least above-average. He throws strikes, too, giving him a chance to start after relieving in college.
Nuñez is one of the best defenders and most prolific basestealers in the Minors, and the 2019 second-rounder as a Georgia prepster also draws a lot of walks to offset a lack of power. An eighth-round, fifth-year senior sign out of Texas Tech in 2021, Monteverde ranks seventh in the Minors in ERA (2.13) thanks to his ability to change speeds and work both corners of the plate.
Mets: Mike Vasil, RHP (No. 8)
While there’s been a ton of focus on the bats in New York’s system, Vasil has proven to be a viable pitching option for the big club soon. The 2021 eighth-rounder works in the 93-95 mph region with his four-seamer, topping out at 96, and works in an upper-80s slider and low-80s curveball to keep hitters off-balance. His 0.84 WHIP for Binghamton -- aided by only eight walks in 51 innings -- led all Double-A pitchers before he joined Triple-A Syracuse this month.
Nationals: James Wood, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 5); Brady House, 3B (No. 2/MLB No. 74)
Wood is one of the best five-tool talents headed to Seattle this year, with his best grades doled out for the power and speed he’ll show from his 6-foot-6 frame. The 20-year-old has reached Double-A Harrisburg and is on track for at least a 20-20 season with 12 homers and 13 steals through 66 games across two levels. House -- the 11th overall pick in 2021 -- saw his stock drop due to a back injury last year but is healthy and productive this season, climbing to High-A three weeks ago. Standing at 6-foot-4, the right-handed slugger has at least plus pop potential, and his strong throwing arm has eased his transition from short to third.
Phillies: Mick Abel, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 45); Justin Crawford, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 89)
While Abel still needs to refine his command, he’s showing why he was a first-round pick with his pure stuff in Double-A this year, leading with a fastball that has touched triple digits and has averaged 96.6 mph. His heater is complemented by a slider that flashes plus and has missed bats at a 45 percent rate this year. Crawford, the club’s first-rounder last year, has hit the ground running (literally, using his 70-grade speed to swipe 32 bases) with his outstanding approach and knack for making a ton of contact.
NATIONAL LEAGUE CENTRAL
Brewers: Jackson Chourio, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 3); Jeferson Quero, C (No. 3/MLB No. 78); Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (No. 4/MLB No. 92)
Milwaukee boasts one of the most loaded ’23 Futures Game classes, highlighted by the 19-year-old Chourio in his second FG appearance. The Venezuela native is tooled up with at least plus power and plus-plus speed, both of which he’s shown in flashes against much more advanced competition at Double-A. Quero is a defensive wizard behind the plate, one which NL pitchers might be thrilled to work with and AL runners might want to think twice about testing on the basepaths. With 10 Double-A homers on the season, he could run into a ball or two at the plate too. Misiorowski, a 2022 second-rounder, shows wicked stuff with an upper-90s fastball and a mid-80s slider that can make hitters look foolish. Control can be an issue from his 6-foot-7 frame, but the stuff could wow all in attendance.
Cardinals: Tink Hence, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 65); Victor Scott II, OF (No. 25)
The only knock on Hence is that he’s yet to work truly deep in games, but since everyone will be on tight limits in Seattle, that won’t be an issue there. Instead, he’ll bring some of the best pure stuff to the showcase, including a mid-90s fastball and a full array of above-average offspeed stuff in his curve, slider and changeup. Scott will be one of the fastest Futures Game participants this year. How fast? As of Tuesday, he leads the Minors with 50 steals.
Cubs: Pete Crow-Armstrong, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 9); B.J. Murray, 3B/1B (No. 30)
Acquired from the Mets in a 2021 trade for Javier Báez and Trevor Williams, Crow-Armstrong is the most dynamic outfield defender in the Minors and continues to show more offensive ceiling than originally anticipated. Murray has displayed one of the best combinations of power potential and plate discipline in the system since the Cubs drafted him in the 15th round out of Florida Atlantic two years ago.
Reds: Noelvi Marte, SS/3B (No. 2/MLB No. 18)
As if the Reds need yet another prospect knocking on the big league door, Marte just got bumped up to Triple-A, bringing his easily plus raw pop to the highest level of the Minors at age 21 while continuing to draw walks and play both positions on the left side of the infield.
Pirates: Endy Rodríguez, C/1B (No. 3/MLB No. 38); J.P. Massey, RHP (NR)
The catcher on MLB Pipeline’s Prospect Team of the Year in 2022, Rodríguez has the chance to be a true run producer with the ability to hit for average and power. He also continues to show defensive versatility, getting most of his reps behind the plate this year but also folding in first base. Massey was the club’s seventh-round pick last year and has shown the ability to miss bats with a fastball that’s been up to 97 mph and two breaking pitches in a slider up to 86 mph and a slightly slower curve with more vertical break, recently earning a promotion up to High-A Greensboro.
NATIONAL LEAGUE WEST
D-backs: Jordan Lawlar, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 6); Ryan Bliss, 2B/SS (No. 29)
The Double-A Amarillo double-play partnership heads to the Futures Game together. Lawlar is in the midst of his hottest month of the season yet, slashing .325/.378/.602 in 19 games in June -- numbers that are in line for someone with his skillset as a plus potential hitter with above-average power. He will also bring plus wheels to the NL side, and with 20 steals on the season, he should be a threat on the basepaths. Bliss has been one of Double-A’s most productive hitters this season after adjusting at the plate to cut down on the steep angle of his swing in 2022. The 23-year-old second baseman, who is also an above-average runner, is slashing .350/.396/.581 with 11 homers and 21 steals this season for the Sod Poodles.
Dodgers: Dalton Rushing, C (No. 4/MLB No. 50)
The Dodgers' top pick (second-round) in 2022, Rushing is a Louisville product who combines hitting ability, power and plate discipline and should be able to remain behind the plate.
Giants: Kyle Harrison, LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 13); Carson Whisenhunt, LHP (No. 4/MLB No. 100)
The Giants have two of the six left-handers on the Top 100 Prospects list but Harrison, MLB's No. 13 overall prospect, will miss the showcase due to a "moderate" right hamstring strain, for which he'll undergo further assessment. Harrison has better pure stuff (mid-90s fastball with great carry, plus low-80s slider, solid mid-80s changeup). Whisenhunt, a 2023 second-rounder out of East Carolina, is more polished and owns one of the best changeups in the Minors.
Padres: Jackson Merrill, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 11)
San Diego sends its face of the farm system to Seattle. The 2021 27th overall pick took some time to warm up with the weather in the Midwest League in his first trip to High-A but is hitting .297 with just a 12 percent K rate and a solid 114 wRC+ in 42 games since the start of May. The 20-year-old shortstop profiles as a future plus hitter with the ability to cover the zone and spray the ball to all fields, and he moves well enough to stick to the premium position of the six.
Rockies: Yanquiel Fernandez, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 96)
Just 20 years old, Fernandez just joined the Top 100, and for good reason. He recently got bumped up to Double-A as he develops into a legitimate run producer with tremendous raw power, one who fits the corner outfield profile well and might remind some of Yordan Alvarez.