Cotton, Calhoun get Futures Game invites

June 28th, 2016

MILWAUKEE -- Dodgers prospects Willie Calhoun and Jharel Cotton have been selected to represent the organization in the 2016 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which will be played at 4 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 10 at Petco Park in San Diego.
Calhoun, an infielder currently playing with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers, will be on the U.S. Team. Cotton, a starting pitcher currently playing with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers, will be on the World Team.
Futures Game rosters and scouting reports
Calhoun, 21, was a fourth-round Draft pick in 2015 from Vallejo, Calif., who has risen up the Minor League ranks quickly. He is the 11th-best prospect in the organization, according to MLBPipeline.com. Although 5-foot-8 and 187 pounds, he already has 14 home runs and 51 RBIs in 74 games as Tulsa's second baseman.

Cotton, 24, is from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. He is the eighth-best prospect in the organization, according to MLBPipeline.com, as he attempts to become the second big-leaguer from his island after Al McBean. Cotton, at 5-foot-11, is a smallish right-hander who is 6-4 with a 4.98 ERA at OKC.
Major League Baseball -- in conjunction with MLB.com, Baseball America and the 30 Major League Clubs -- selected the 25 players on each team. Each Major League organization is represented, and players from all full-season Minor Leagues were eligible to be selected. Complete Futures Game rosters, prospect analysis and rankings can be found at MLBPipeline.com. 
The SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which is now in its 18th year, features the top Minor League prospects competing in a contest as part of All-Star Sunday. The U.S. Team, which has won each of the past six games, leads the all-time series, 11-6. As part of its live All-Star Week programming, MLB Network will exclusively televise and MLB.com will live stream the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at 4 p.m. PT/7 p.m. ET, with Matt Vasgersian, Mark DeRosa, Heidi Watney and MLB.com prospect expert Jonathan Mayo on the call live from Petco Park.
SiriusXM, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of Major League Baseball, will provide live play-by-play coverage of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on MLB Network Radio (XM channel 89; Sirius channel 209) in addition to SiriusXM's other comprehensive live coverage from San Diego. The game will also be available to SiriusXM subscribers on the SiriusXM app and online at SiriusXM.com. SiriusXM's broadcast team will feature Mike Ferrin, Jim Duquette, Jim Bowden and Grant Paulsen. All-Star Sunday is the first of three days of All-Star events at Petco Park, culminating with the 87th All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 12.
Tickets are available for purchase for the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game by visiting www.allstargame.com or visiting the Padres box office at Petco Park.
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund (BTF) announced its 2016 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game "BTF Kids Take the Field," featuring nine youth players from San Diego-based baseball and softball organizations that have been BTF grant recipients in the past. To celebrate its 17th anniversary, BTF invited children from Mission Middle School in Escondido, Calif. to take the field during the pregame ceremony. The children, who will be joined by the U.S. Team players, were nominated for participation by their youth organization.
This year's "BTF Kids Take the Field" includes Thanya Alatorre, Brisa Chavez, Raul Cortez, Josue Flores, Yohana Galeana, Mya Reyes, Daisy Rojas William Sosa and Ashley Zurita. In addition, past BTF grant recipient STAR/PAL will be represented during the pregame ceremony. STAR/PAL youth programs are free of charge and feature law enforcement officers serving as positive role models. The programs include athletics, mentoring, leadership development, violence prevention and excursions. STAR/PAL has received BTF grants totaling more than $20,000 for baseball and softball equipment and uniforms.
The Baseball Tomorrow Fund, a joint initiative of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association, promotes the game by awarding grants to youth baseball and softball programs and facilities. Since 2000, BTF has awarded more than $350,000 to six San Diego-based organizations, including Boys & Girls Club of Vista ($48,360); Community Life Improvement and Multicultural Bridging ($6,800); Inter Tribal Sports, Inc. ($42,426); Kids Gear for Baseball ($50,000); STAR/PAL ($22,361); and YMCA of San Diego County ($196,402).