Predicting MLB Arrival Date for Top Prospects in 2019 All-Star Futures Game
While the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game are still the main attractions at the MLB All-Star festivities, the Futures Game continues to grow in popularity.
The annual prospect showcase gives fans a chance to see some of the sport's future stars on the big stage when 50 minor league players spanning all 30 MLB teams square off. This year, the game will be played in an AL vs. NL format, as opposed to the USA vs. World format of years past.
The 2019 All-Star Futures Game will be played on Sunday, July 7 at 7 p.m. ET at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
Ahead, we've taken a crack at predicting the MLB arrival dates for each prospect in this year's game, and any player who appeared within Bleacher Report's updated top 50 received some extra attention.
The path to playing time in the majors and current level of development were the driving factors behind each player's projected arrival date.
Note: Brendan McKay (TB), who is currently on the Tampa Bay Rays active roster, has been replaced on the AL roster by Kris Bubic (KC), according to JJ Cooper of Baseball America.
Catchers
Joey Bart, San Francisco Giants (B/R Prospect Rank: 24)
While a fractured hand cost Bart six weeks earlier this year, it hasn't knocked him off the fast track to the big leagues. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft started his pro career with a bang last season, and he has a .784 OPS with six home runs and 21 RBI in 31 games at High-A this year. Buster Posey is signed through 2021, so the Giants could look to work Bart into the mix during the veteran's final season.
ETA: 2021
Other Catchers in the 2019 Futures Game
- Miguel Amaya, CHC—2022
- Ronaldo Hernandez, TB—2021
- Sam Huff, TEX—2021
- Jake Rogers, DET—September
- Daulton Varsho, ARI—2020
Corner Infielders
3B Nolan Gorman, St. Louis Cardinals (B/R Prospect Rank: 20)
After slugging 17 home runs in 63 games and reaching Single-A in his pro debut, Gorman entered the 2019 season as one of the best power prospects in baseball. The 19-year-old has continued to rake against older competition, posting a .775 OPS with 14 doubles and 11 home runs in 77 games between Single-A and High-A. He's on track to be the Cardinals' best homegrown power hitter since Albert Pujols.
ETA: 2022
3B Alec Bohm, Philadelphia Phillies (B/R Prospect Rank: 33)
The No. 3 pick in the 2018 draft debuted with a thud last season. Bohm posted a .659 OPS while going without a home run in 158 plate appearances. That's now a distant memory thanks to a .331/.402/.542 line with 22 doubles and 10 home runs over three levels this season. The 22-year-old is already playing at Double-A, and it's only a matter of time before he starts to push underperforming Maikel Franco.
ETA: 2020
3B Nolan Jones, Cleveland Indians (B/R Prospect Rank: 38)
The 21-year-old Jones is still growing into his power after hitting a career-high 19 home runs last season. His plate discipline makes him one of the top corner infield prospects in baseball. After drawing 89 walks and posting a .405 on-base percentage in 2018, he has already walked 63 times in 74 games at High-A this year. That's good for a 20.3 percent walk rate and a .437 on-base percentage. A second-half promotion to Double-A appears likely, which would put him in line for a 2020 debut.
ETA: 2020
Other Corner Infielders in the 2019 Futures Game
- 1B Will Craig, PIT—2020
- 3B Isaac Paredes, DET—2020
- 1B Evan White, SEA—2020
Middle Infielders
SS Wander Franco, Tampa Bay Rays (B/R Prospect Rank: 1)
Baseball's new No. 1 prospect could be the next phenom to reach the majors before his 21st birthday. While the Rays have been notoriously patient with top-tier prospect development, Franco is the type of rare talent who could force their hand. Despite turning just 18 in March, he's already playing at the High-A level, and he's hitting a combined .337/.410/.545 with 32 extra-base hits and 15 steals in 68 games.
ETA: 2021
SS Royce Lewis, Minnesota Twins (B/R Prospect Rank: 5)
It's been a somewhat disappointing season for Lewis on the heels of a huge 2018. The No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft is hitting .235/.279/.356 with 23 extra-base hits and 13 steals in 340 plate appearances at High-A. Still, the tools are all there for him to be a perennial All-Star at the next level, and he's only 20 years old. The future remains extremely bright.
ETA: 2021
SS Gavin Lux, Los Angeles Dodgers (B/R Prospect Rank: 26)
After a disappointing full-season debut in 2017, Lux broke out in a big way last year, hitting .324/.399/.514 with 50 extra-base hits between High-A and Double-A. The 21-year-old has been even better this year with a .934 OPS and 14 home runs in 69 games between Double-A and Triple-A. He's the second baseman of the future, and that future is in sight.
ETA: September
SS Carter Kieboom, Washington Nationals (B/R Prospect Rank: 28)
The Nationals have already given Kieboom one cup of coffee this year. He homered in his MLB debut and then again two days later, but he went just 5-for-39 with 16 strikeouts in 11 games before he was optioned back to Triple-A. That said, the 21-year-old is going to be just fine. He's hitting .321/.431/.595 with 34 extra-base hits in 65 games at Triple-A and should get another go at the majors before the season is over.
ETA: August
Other Middle Infielders in the 2019 Futures Game
- 2B Isan Diaz, MIA—August
- 2B Nick Madrigal, CWS—2020
- SS Jorge Mateo, OAK—September
Outfielders
Jo Adell, Los Angeles Angels (B/R Prospect Rank: 3)
Adell went from a toolsy athlete with a raw overall game to one of the top prospects in all of baseball faster than anyone could have ever dreamed. The 20-year-old is hitting .373/.435/.627 with nine doubles and four home runs in 22 games at Double-A after hamstring and ankle injuries sidelined him to start the year. The Angels may very well have another superstar outfielder on their hands.
ETA: 2020
Cristian Pache, Atlanta Braves (B/R Prospect Rank: 11)
Already widely regarded as the best defensive outfielder in the minors, Pache has emerged as an impact player at the plate this season. The 20-year-old is hitting .295/.356/.521 with 21 doubles, six triples and 11 home runs in 324 plate appearances at Double-A. There's a good chance he'll find his way into the starting outfield in 2020 despite Atlanta featuring a lot of moving parts.
ETA: 2020
Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox (B/R Prospect Rank: 12)
It won't be long before Robert joins rookie phenom Eloy Jimenez in the White Sox outfield. The 21-year-old commanded a massive $26 million bonus when he left Cuba in 2017. After battling injuries last season, he's been wreaking havoc in the minor leagues this year. He's hitting .349/.401/.616 with 41 extra-base hits and 26 steals in 72 games between High-A and Double-A.
ETA: 2020
Taylor Trammell, Cincinnati Reds (B/R Prospect Rank: 18)
It's been a down year for Trammell, who is hitting .247 with just 12 extra-base hits in 71 games at Double-A. That said, he's still only 21 years old, and he has maintained a solid approach at the plate with a 16.0 percent walk rate and a .368 on-base percentage. His combination of tools and polish gives him an extremely high ceiling.
ETA: 2020
Jarred Kelenic, Seattle Mariners (B/R Prospect Rank: 32)
The New York Mets' decision to trade Kelenic in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz blockbuster could be one they regret in the years to come. The 19-year-old was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 draft, and after a stellar debut, he's broken out as an elite-level prospect this season with a .290/.367/.550 line that includes 18 doubles and 14 home runs in 70 games between Single-A and High-A. His 60-grade hit tool and advanced approach should allow him to move faster than most prep-to-pro prospects.
ETA: 2021
Heliot Ramos, San Francisco Giants (B/R Prospect Rank: 50)
After a disappointing full-season debut last year, Ramos has taken a huge step forward in 2019 to reestablish himself as an elite prospect. The 19-year-old is hitting .295/.381/.503 with 11 doubles and nine home runs in 50 games as one of the youngest players at the High-A level. The noticeable spike in his walk rate (up 4.2 percent) is an extremely promising sign.
ETA: 2021
Other Outfielders in the 2019 Futures Game
- Dylan Carlson, STL—2020
- Jarren Duran, BOS—2021
- Monte Harrison, MIA—2020
- Daniel Johnson, CLE—August
- Alek Thomas, ARI—2022
Pitchers
LHP MacKenzie Gore, San Diego Padres (B/R Prospect Rank: 4)
The title of top pitching prospect in baseball is a two-man race between Gore and Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize. The 20-year-old Gore is putting up video game numbers at High-A this season, posting a 1.02 ERA and 0.71 WHIP while allowing just 36 hits and racking up 110 strikeouts in 79.1 innings. With a polished four-pitch mix, deceptive mechanics and a durable frame, he's the future ace of the San Diego staff.
ETA: 2021
RHP Nate Pearson, Toronto Blue Jays (B/R Prospect Rank: 14)
With a high-octane fastball that has touched 104 mph and a solid slider-changeup pairing delivered from an imposing 6'6", 245-pound frame, Pearson has as high a ceiling as any pitching prospect in baseball. He's posted a 1.89 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with 66 strikeouts in 47.2 innings between High-A and Double-A. But the most important stat of all might be his vastly improved walk rate, as he's trimmed his free passes from 5.8 to 1.5 per nine innings.
ETA: 2020
RHP Matt Manning, Detroit Tigers (B/R Prospect Rank: 17)
Manning has taken off since turning his full attention to baseball after he also starred on the basketball court in high school. The 6'6" right-hander has been aggressively pushed to Double-A in his age-21 season, and he has responded with a 2.77 ERA and 1.04 WHIP while racking up 106 strikeouts in 91 innings. He still has work to do smoothing out his delivery and improving his changeup, but the frontline upside is already clear.
ETA: 2020
RHP Ian Anderson, Atlanta Braves (B/R Prospect Rank: 22)
The No. 3 pick in the 2016 draft, Anderson has a stellar three-pitch mix and advanced pitchability, giving him perhaps the highest ceiling of any pitching prospect in a loaded Atlanta system. The 21-year-old is already working at the Double-A level where he has a 2.94 ERA and a .190 opponents' batting average with 113 strikeouts in 85.2 innings. The Braves have shown a willingness to promote their top pitching prospects down the stretch in recent years, and Anderson could follow suit.
ETA: September
RHP Sixto Sanchez, Miami Marlins (B/R Prospect Rank: 29)
The crown jewel of a rebuilding Marlins farm system, Sanchez has seemingly put behind him the injury issues that plagued him in recent seasons. The 20-year-old has a 4.05 ERA with 64 strikeouts in 66.2 innings between High-A and Double-A, and he'll be brought along carefully. However, the wait could be well worth it if he delivers on his top-of-the-rotation ceiling.
ETA: 2021
RHP Dustin May, Los Angeles Dodgers (B/R Prospect Rank: 41)
May has been steadily rising up prospect lists since last season, and he's taken another step forward this year with impressive numbers in the upper levels of the minors. The 6'6" right-hander has a 3.74 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 84.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. And with some remaining projection in his lanky frame, there's a chance he still has another gear. Either way, he's now the clear No. 1 arm in the Dodgers system.
ETA: 2020
RHP Brady Singer, Kansas City Royals (B/R Prospect Rank: 49)
As expected, Singer has moved quickly since going No. 18 overall in the 2018 draft. After posting a 1.87 ERA over 10 starts at High-A, he earned an early promotion to Double-A this year. He's scuffled a bit against the higher level of competition, but that's to be expected. With a lethal fastball-slider combination, a quirky arm slot and a high baseball IQ, Singer does a great job keeping hitters off-balance.
ETA: 2021
Other Pitchers in the 2019 Futures Game
- RHP Adbert Alzolay, CHC—debuted in June
- RHP Jordan Balazovic, MIN—2021
- LHP Ben Bowden, COL—August
- LHP Kris Bubic, KC—2021
- RHP J.B. Bukauskas, HOU—2020
- RHP Justin Dunn, SEA—2020
- RHP Deivi Garcia, NYY—2020
- LHP DL Hall, BAL—2020
- LHP Anthony Kay, NYM—2020
- LHP Adrian Morejon, SD—2020
- RHP Luis Patino, SD—2021
- RHP Grayson Rodriguez, BAL—2022
- RHP Devin Williams, MIL—2020
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.