The next generation took a turn in the spotlight in Saturday’s All-Star Futures Game.
The National League team hosted the festivities at Truist Park and took home a 4-2 victory behind the big bat of the game’s Most Valuable Player Josue De Paula (Dodgers). Cubs top prospect Owen Caissie also contributed offensively, while American League pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje (Mariners) made Futures Game history as the only hurler to record outs both right-handed and left-handed.
BLUE JAYS — Trey Yesavage, RHP (TOR No. 2/MLB No. 57): Yesavage made the most of his brief appearance, striking out Cardinals top prospect JJ Wetherholt, his only batter, on four pitches to begin the bottom of the third inning.
ORIOLES — Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF (BAL No. 2): The speedster entered as a pinch-hitter in the top of the fourth, going 0-for-2 at the plate while seeing action in center field. Keagan Gillies, RHP (unranked): Gillies came in to get the final out of the game in the bottom of the seventh, a five-pitch flyout.
RAYS — Brody Hopkins, RHP (TB No. 6): The top-ranked pitcher in the Rays system needed just nine pitches to work a clean sixth.
RED SOX — Jhostynxon Garcia, OF (BOS No. 4/MLB No. 100): The 22-year-old known as “The Password” started in the cleanup spot for the AL squad and struck out in both of his plate appearances.
YANKEES — George Lombard Jr., 2B (NYY No. 1/MLB No. 36): Lombard walked, stole second base and scored the game’s first run on a groundout in the third. He finished 1-for-2 with that walk and run.
GUARDIANS — C.J. Kayfus, OF (CLE No. 5/MLB No. 75): Kayfus manned first base all day for the AL squad and went 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout. Parker Messick, LHP (CLE No. 12): The southpaw worked around a leadoff double and a walk to escape the first inning unscathed, striking out Zyhir Hope (Dodgers) to strand two runners on.
ROYALS — Carter Jensen, C (KC No. 3/MLB No. 73): The Kansas City native entered in the bottom of the fourth and struck out in his only plate appearance. Frank Mozzicato, LHP (KC No. 11): 2021’s No. 7 overall pick picked up a strikeout in a spotless 10-pitch fifth.
TIGERS — Kevin McGonigle, SS (DET No. 1/MLB No. 7): Recently promoted to Double-A, the 37th pick from the 2023 Draft went hitless in two at-bats, flying out both times. Max Clark, OF (DET No. 2/MLB No. 12): The game’s second-ranked outfield prospect walked and stole second base in the first and singled in the third to set up the game’s first run. Josue Briceño, C (DET No. 4/MLB No. 58): Serving as the AL’s designated hitter, Briceño tripled and scored in the fourth, finishing 1-for-3 overall.
TWINS — Kaelen Culpepper, SS (MIN No. 4/MLB No. 96): Culpepper took over at second base in the fourth and lined out to left in his only plate appearance.
WHITE SOX — Noah Schultz, LHP (CWS No. 1/MLB No. 17): Baseball’s top-ranked left-handed pitching prospect got knocked around a little in the fourth, giving up four straight hits, including the go-ahead three-run homer. He only recorded two outs. Braden Montgomery, OF (CWS No. 3/MLB No. 32): The 22-year-old drove in the game’s first run on an infield groundout in the third. He struck out and flew out in his other two plate appearances.
ANGELS — George Klassen, RHP (LAA No. 3): The hard-throwing right-hander took over with one out in the third and allowed a single and a walk to his first two batters. But a caught stealing and a forceout helped him finish the frame without any damage.
ASTROS — Alimber Santa, RHP (HOU No. 29): The 22-year-old righty entered behind Schultz in the fourth. He hit a batter and allowed a run-scoring double before striking out Rockies top prospect Charlie Condon to finish the frame.
ATHLETICS — Gage Jump, LHP (ATH No. 1/MLB No. 68): Ranked the No. 6 left-handed pitching prospect in baseball, Jump retired both batters he faced, striking out one, to open the seventh. Tommy White, 3B (ATH No. 5): White took over at third base to begin the fourth. He handled two defensive chances and struck out in his lone plate appearance.
MARINERS — Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP (SEA No. 8/MLB No. 79): the ambidextrous Cijntje put on a showcase like only he could, recording two outs right-handed and one left-handed during his lone inning of work. He ended his day by blowing a 97 mph fastball by Joe Mack (Marlins) while throwing righty. Lazaro Montes (SEA No. 2/MLB No. 29): Montes took over in right in the fourth. He handled one defensive chance and walked in his only plate appearance. Harry Ford, C (SEA No. 5/MLB No. 56): Ford started behind the plate for the AL and struck out in his only at-bat. But he contributed a defensive highlight, throwing out Konnor Griffin (Pirates) attempting to steal second in the third.
BRAVES — JR Ritchie, RHP (ATL No. 6): The 6-foot-2 right-hander from the All-Star Game hosts worked around a leadoff walk to register a scoreless first, striking out two along the way. Hayden Harris, LHP (ATL No. 29): The underdog reliever who was promoted to Triple-A last month struck out the only batter he faced to wrap up the sixth.
MARLINS — Thomas White, LHP (MIA No. 1/MLB No. 28): The game’s second-ranked left-handed pitching prospect allowed the game’s first run on a hit and two walks while working the top of the third. He recorded an inning-ending strikeout to limit the damage. Joe Mack, C (MIA No. 4/MLB No. 94): Mack started behind the plate, striking out in his only at-bat and logging three defensive innings.
METS — Jonah Tong, RHP (NYM No. 2/MLB No. 59): The Minor League’s strikeout leader worked a 1-2-3 top of the second inning. He registered a punchout during his lone inning of work, fitting for the right-hander with 125 K’s across 78 2/3 innings at Double-A this season. Carson Benge, OF (NYM No. 3/MLB No. 74): Benge took over in left to begin the fifth and flew out in his only plate appearance.
NATIONALS — Alex Clemmey, LHP (WSH No. 5): The Nats’ 19-year-old top-ranked lefty issued a leadoff walk before inducing a 4-6-3 double play to open the sixth. Marquis Grissom Jr., RHP (WSH No. 21): Grissom surrendered a run on a triple and a sacrifice fly in the fourth.
PHILLIES — Eduardo Tait, C (PHI No. 4/MLB No. 63): Tait caught the fourth and fifth for the NL and grounded out in his lone plate appearance.
CARDINALS — JJ Wetherholt, SS (STL No. 1/MLB No. 19): The 22-year-old went 1-for-4 with a double out of the leadoff spot as one of only two NL starters to play the entire game.
CUBS — Owen Caissie, OF (CHC No. 1/MLB No. 43): Caissie reached base in three of his four plate appearances while playing the whole game for the NL. He lined a run-scoring double in the fourth and walked twice.
PIRATES — Konnor Griffin, SS (PIT No. 2/MLB No. 13): Griffin started at shortstop, hitting in the No. 2 hole. He legged out an infield single in his second at-bat and was caught stealing second in the third. He grounded out in his first at-bat and left the game after being hit by a pitch in the fourth. Esmerlyn Valdez, 1B (PIT No. 15): Valdez took over at first to begin the fifth and flied out in his only at-bat to end the game.
REDS — Sal Stewart, 3B (CIN No. 3/MLB No. 52): Stewart took over at third to begin the fifth and flew out to right in his only at-bat. Alfredo Duno, C (CIN No. 6/MLB No. 93): Duno caught the sixth and seventh and grounded out in his only at-bat.
D-BACKS — LuJames Groover, 3B (AZ No. 10): Groover started at the hot corner and enjoyed a productive day, legging out two infield singles and scoring a run in two plate appearances. Slade Caldwell, OF (AZ No. 2/MLB No. 84): Caldwell took over in center to begin the fifth and struck out in his only at-bat.
DODGERS — Josue De Paula, OF (LAD No. 1/MLB No. 27): The most memorable swing of the game came from its MVP, who launched a three-run homer off left-hander Schultz in the fourth. De Paula’s long ball went 416 feet at 108.5 mph to give the NL a lead it never relinquished. Zyhir Hope, OF (LAD No. 2/MLB No. 37): Hope started in center field, he went 1-for-2 with a single and scored on De Paula’s homer.
ROCKIES — Charlie Condon, 1B (COL No. 1/MLB No. 23): The No. 3 pick from last year’s Draft started at first, batting in the cleanup spot. He went hitless in three at-bats with two groundouts and a strikeout. Welinton Herrera, LHP (COL No. 20): Picked up the save by recording the final AL out of the game.
