Players to watch in MLB's All-Star Futures Game originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The future is now.
The next generation of Major League Baseball stars will take the field on Saturday at Dodger Stadium in the 2022 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game.
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The top farmhands in the minors will square off in a seven-inning game between the American League and National League, which begins at 7 p.m. ET on Peacock. The game will feature five of the top 10 players currently on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. Overall, 30 of those top 100 prospects are on the two rosters for the Futures Game.
Here are some of the top prospects to keep an eye on.
Francisco Álvarez - New York Mets
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It was a big week for the promising 20-year-old catcher. Over the span of a few days, Álvarez was promoted to Triple-A Syracuse, ranked the No. 2 prospect in baseball by MLB.com and then named to the All-Star Futures Game. Álvarez hit .277 with 18 home runs and 47 RBIs in Double-A Binghamton before moving up to Triple-A. When the Mets signed him in 2018, Álvarez was the No. 9 international prospect at 16 years old.
Corbin Carroll - Arizona Diamondbacks
The 21-year-old outfielder, a first-round pick in the 2019 draft, crushed a game-tying two-run home run and shined in the outfield during his debut with Triple-A Reno on Sunday. In Double-A Amarillo this season, Carroll hit .313 with 16 homers and 39 RBIs.
Gunnar Henderson - Baltimore Orioles
The 21-year-old infielder was drafted by the Orioles in 2019, one round behind their top overall pick Adley Rutschman, who played in the Futures Game last season and is now in the major leagues. Henderson, MLB.com's fifth ranked prospect, hit .312 with eight home runs and 35 RBIs this season with Double-A Bowie before getting promoted to Triple-A Norfolk, where he's hitting .266 with five home runs and 17 RBIs.
Jordan Walker - St. Louis Cardinals
Standing 6-foot-5, the 20-year-old third baseman has drawn comps to the New York Yankees' Aaron Judge. A first-round pick in 2020, Walker is hitting .305 with seven home runs, 32 RBIs and 15 stolen bases with Double-A Springfield.
Anthony Volpe - New York Yankees
The next great shortstop in pinstripes? The 21-year-old has overcome some early-season struggles to hit .252 with 11 home runs, 41 RBIs with Double-A Somerset this season. He has also shown the ability to draw a walk, with 36 base on balls this season, and swipe a bag, with 35 stolen bases.
Eury Pérez - Miami Marlins
The highest-ranked pitching prospect competing in this year's Futures Game, Pérez is listed at No. 15 on MLB.com's top 100 list. The 19-year-old righthander has gone 3-1 with a 3.05 ERA in 13 starts with Double-A Pensacola this season, striking out 87 batters and walking just 14.
Jack Leiter - Texas Rangers
The son of former major league pitcher Al Leiter is the top-ranked pitcher (No. 16) on this year's AL squad. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft, Leiter began the season with Double-A Frisco, where he is 2-7 with a 6.30 ERA in 14 appearances.
Pete Crow-Armstrong - Chicago Cubs
The 20-year-old outfielder, ranked No. 77 by MLB.com, is heading into the Futures Game on a high note, having recently led off consecutive games with a home run. Acquired by the Cubs in last season's Javy Baez trade, Crow-Armstrong was raking with Single-A Myrtle Beach earlier this season, hitting .354 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs. He has since moved up to High-A South Bend, where he is hitting .273 with four home runs and 11 RBIs, and passed Brennen Davis as the Cubs' top prospect on Baseball America.
Oscar Colas - Chicago White Sox
The 23-year-old outfielder hit .312 with seven home runs and 42 RBIs with High-A Winston Salem this season. Signed out of Cuba in January, Colas recently made his debut with Double-A Birmingham, going 1-for-5 with a run scored.
Shea Langeliers - Oakland A's
Ranked No. 31 by MLB.com, the 24-year-old catcher is hitting .270 with 16 home runs and 43 RBIs this season with Triple-A Las Vegas. A first-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in the 2019 draft, Langeliers has become the A's top prospect after being acquired in the Matt Olson trade.
Kyle Harrison - San Francisco Giants
He's been called the Giants best pitching prospect since Madison Bumgarner. The 20-year-old righthander, a third-round pick in 2020 who is currently ranked No. 25 by MLB.com, produced a 1.55 ERA in seven starts with Single-A Eugene. He was called up to Double-A Richmond in May, where he has gone 3-1 with a 3.19 ERA in eight starts.
Ceddanne Rafaela - Boston Red Sox
The 21-year-old outfield prospect has risen through the Red Sox system this season and recently cracked Baseball America's top 100 prospect list. Rafaela hit .330 with nine home runs and 36 RBIs with Single-A Greenville before moving up to Double-A Portland and hitting .282 with seven home runs and 19 RBIs. Red Sox pitcher Brayan Bello, MLB.com's No. 44 prospect, was also selected for the Futures Game before being promoted to the major leagues.
Logan O'Hoppe - Philadelphia Phillies
The 22-year-old catcher, MLB.com's No. 88 prospect, has climbed the rankings since being drafted in the 23rd round of the 2018 draft. O'Hoppe followed up an impressive performance in the Arizona Fall League by hitting .276 with 14 home runs and 40 RBIs this season with Double-A Reading. Phillies pitching prospect Erik Miller, who has a 1.46 ERA in 14 appearances with Double-A Reading this season, also will play in the Futures Game.
Cade Cavalli - Washington Nationals
The 23-year-old right-handed pitcher, ranked No. 46 by MLB.com, will be making his second-straight appearance in the Futures Game, having shown off his triple-digit velocity during his debut last season. Cavalli, a first-round pick in the 2020 draft, has gone 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA in 15 starts for Triple-A Rochester, carrying a perfect game into the sixth inning during a recent start. Second baseman Darren Baker, who was drafted by the Nationals in the 10th round of the 2021 draft, also will play in the Futures Game after hitting .275 with two home runs, 23 RBIs and 10 stolen bases with High-A Wilmington. Baker is the son of Dusty Baker, who will be managing the American League in the MLB All-Star Game after leading the Houston Astros to the World Series last year.
