
Tune in tonight to see the face of baseball’s future
If you were wondering why the Mariners are playing so early on a Saturday, the answer is today all but five MLB games start at 1 PM PT or earlier in order to have the most eyes possible on tonight’s Futures Game, when MLB’s top prospects compete in a nationally televised game. In past years, the World squad has faced off against a USA squad, offering shades of the WBC, but over the past couple years MLB switched to a more traditional East-West division. The Futures Game always takes place on the weekend right before the All-Star Game to officially kick off All-Star festivities, as many players who appear in the Futures Game will go on to play in the All-Star Game. In fact, Julio Rodríguez, who was named to the 2021 Futures Game squad, will appear in the All-Star Game, the only player from that squad to be in back-to-back Futures Games and All-Star Games.
The Mariners were also represented by OF Jarred Kelenic and RHP Emerson Hancock in 2021; this year, they will send just one representative, Hancock.
Like its big brother, the Futures Game will also be held at Dodger Stadium, although it’s just a seven-inning contest. The game airs tonight, Saturday, July 16, at 4 PM PT. Tonight’s game will be broadcast exclusively on Peacock and Sirius XM radio, but will be re-aired on Sunday on MLB Network at 6 a.m. PT, if you want to set your DVRs.
Here are the full rosters:
National League:
Arizona: OF Corbin Carroll, SS Jordan Lawlar
Carroll is a graduate of Lakeside and a Seattle native; the pure hitter is one of the best prospects in all of baseball, along with the athletic Lawlar. This duo is largely the reason Arizona has one of the highest-ranked systems in baseball.
Atlanta: LHP Jared Shuster
Chicago: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong
Cincinnati: INF Elly De La Cruz, LHP Andrew Abbott
Colorado: OF Zac Veen
John’s favorite in the draft in 2020, Veen possesses maybe the best raw power in the minors.
Los Angeles: C Diego Cartaya, RHP Bobby Miller, INF Miguel Vargas
Bobby Miller was electric when I saw him in the Arizona Fall League; he’s a strong candidate to get a callup to help out the Dodgers pen in their playoff push.
Miami: RHP Eury Perez
Milwaukee: OF Jackson Chourio, OF Joey Wiemer, LHP Antoine Kelly
New York: C Francisco Alvarez
Philadelphia: C Logan O’Hoppe, LHP Erik Miller
Pittsburgh: RHP Mike Burrows
San Diego: OF Robert Hassell III
No offense to Hancock but this was the player I wanted in 2020’s draft; Bobby Three Sticks has answered questions about his power as he’s climbed the ladder of the minors, and he’ll be one of the youngest players on the field.
San Francisco: LHP Kyle Harrison, 3B David Villar
St. Louis: 3B Jordan Walker, SS Mason Winn
St. Louis has an embarrassment of infield talent with these two.
Washington: 2B Darren Baker, LHP Jose A. Ferrer
American League
Baltimore: INF Gunnar Henderson
Boston: INF Ceddanne Rafaela
Cleveland: OF George Valera, INF Jhonkensy Noel
Chicago: OF Oscar Colas
Detroit: C Dillon Dingler, RHP Wilmer Flores
Houston: RHP Hunter Brown, C Yainer Diaz
Brown is a former D2 pitcher the Astros are turning into their next diamond in the rough, although he still has command issues on his second tour through Triple-A. Yainer Diaz currently has a 76 wRC+ in Triple-A, but has posted big numbers as a Cleveland prospect before being traded to the Astros for Myles Straw.
Kansas City: RHP Alec Marsh
Los Angeles: LHP Ky Bush
Bush was the second-rounder in the Angels’ 2021 Oops! All Pitchers! draft.
Minnesota: INF Spencer Steer, OF Matt Wallner
New York: SS Anthony Volpe, OF Jasson Dominguez, LHP Ken Waldichuk
Dominguez is the one they call “The Martian.” You’ll be able to pick him out because he’s the one who will look like a coach walking around among Little Leaguers.
Oakland: C Shea Langeliers, OF Denzel Clarke
Prepare for Langeliers to be a problem. It was looking for a while there like Langeliers would be a defense-first backup catcher, but the bat has caught up as he’s reached Triple-A (albeit with a significant assist from playing in the PCL in general and Las Vegas’s bounce house in particular)—there’s a reason there are suddenly Sean Murphy trade rumors.
Seattle: RHP Emerson Hancock
Tampa Bay: RHP Taj Bradley, INF Curtis Mead
Texas: RHP Jack Leiter, INF Dustin Harris
If you don’t watch the Arkansas games, treat yourself to a sneak peek of Jack Leiter, who will be torturing Mariner batters for years.
Toronto: LHP Ricky Tiedemann, RHP Yosver Zuleta
Tiedemann is one of the highest-ranked pitching prospects in baseball, but Edwin Arroyo—who deserves to be here and will be here next year—took him deep last time the Modesto Nuts faced him.
Mariners who just missed:
Unfortunately, both Noelvi Marte and Edwin Arroyo play one of the most talent-rich positions in the minors as shortstops. Marte’s underwhelming first half likely cost him a shot at a Futures Game spot—although it seems like past performance, when he was tearing up Modesto, should be considered. Priority is also given in Futures Games selections to players who are closer to the upper minors, and therefore more likely for fans to see in future years. However, Arroyo’s line in Modesto—a 129 wRC+, holding steady for the majority of the season—shows he wouldn’t be out of place with his peers, especially Lawlar, who was only recently promoted to High-A himself. Look for both of these Mariners prospects to get the nod next year, and likely Harry Ford, as well, who has the fortune of playing one of the least talent-rich positions in baseball, and doing so with style.