KC's Mondesi, Cuthbert named to Futures Game
Royals prospects selected to World Team roster for July 12 exhibition
KANSAS CITY -- Prospects Raul Mondesi and Cheslor Cuthbert are slated to represent the Royals in the 2015 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which will take place on July 12 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.
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Both players will be making their first Futures Game appearance representing the World Team as two of the eight infielders selected for the 25-man roster.
Cuthbert, 22, is the lone Nicaraguan selection, while Mondesi, 19 -- the son of the 1994 National League Rookie of the Year Award winner with the same name -- is a Dominican Republic native.
Video: Top Prospects: Cheslor Cuthbert, 3B/1B, Royals
In 68 games with Triple-A Omaha, Cuthbert is hitting .268 with a team-best eight home runs to go along with 13 doubles and 32 RBIs, both of which rank as the second most on the team. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2009.
Mondesi, who signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2011, ranks as the sixth-best shortstop prospect in baseball and is at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. His power hitting numbers -- four home runs and 18 RBIs -- are expected to increase as he grows more into his frame.
Major League Baseball -- in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, MLB.com, Baseball America and the 30 Major League clubs -- selected the 25 players currently on each team. Ken Griffey Sr. will manage the U.S. Team, while Tony Perez takes the reins on the World Team.
One-hundred and twenty players have competed in both the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the MLB All-Star Game, including three current Royals -- Alex Gordon, Omar Infante and Alex Rios.
The 17th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game takes place at 2 p.m. CT on July 12, and it can be seen live on MLB Network and MLB.com, with Matt Vasgersian, Dan Plesac, Heidi Watney and Jonathan Mayo on the call. In addition, SiriusXM Radio will broadcast play-by-play coverage of the event live on MLB Network Radio (XM channel 89; Sirius channel 209). MLB.com will also provide complete coverage before, during and after the game. Fans can stay updated by following @FuturesGame on Twitter and can send/receive tweets to/from the U.S. and World dugouts during the game by tagging tweets with the hashtags #USDugout and #WorldDugout.