MLB All-Star Game 2022: New wave of talent dazzles at Futures Game
By Jake Mintz
FOX Sports activities MLB Author
LOS ANGELES — There was a altering of the guard Saturday on the MLB All-Star Futures Recreation.
The consensus top-five prospects in baseball earlier than this season — Adley Rutschman, Bobby Witt Jr., Julio Rodríguez, Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene — are all now within the massive leagues.
Rodríguez made the All-Star crew as a rookie. Rutschman is beginning behind the plate for the red-hot O’s. Witt is ripping laser beams all around the diamond in Ok.C.
The longer term stars of the previous at the moment are major-leaguers of the current … or one thing like that.
That created one thing of a void atop the prospect rankings and meant Saturday’s Futures Recreation at Dodger Stadium was a chance for a brand new batch of proficient kids to ascertain themselves as the following “subsequent era.”
And whereas many of the high picks in Sunday’s MLB Draft are years away from contributing on the big-league degree, there have been a plethora of gamers within the Futures Recreation who may make an impression as quickly as subsequent season.
With that in thoughts, listed below are 4 main takeaways from the 2022 Futures Recreation.
The Mets have the highest prospect in baseball.
Technically, Greene, the Detroit Tigers’ outfielder, nonetheless classifies as a prospect, however he’ll quickly lose rookie standing and can formally “graduate” from prospect lists.
Each time that occurs, it would go away Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez atop the rankings, and through pregame batting apply Saturday, Álvarez confirmed why. The stocky 20-year-old was completely crushing the ball to all fields, placing his spectacular energy on show.
Within the recreation, Álvarez had a stroll and grounded out in his solely different at-bat (granted, it was a 100 mph groundout), however his pregame efficiency was an excellent reminder of simply how dynamic a prospect he has develop into.
Whereas he is not an outstanding defensive catcher, Álvarez is completely superb again there and has a bat that might make him a promising participant at any place however is downright magnificent for a catcher.
4 years youthful than the typical Double-A participant, Álvarez destroyed the competitors anyway this season, to the tune of a .922 OPS in 67 video games. He acquired a deserved call-up to Triple-A just a few weeks in the past.
Whether or not the Venezuelan backstop will get the decision down the stretch this 12 months — it is uncommon for contending groups to name up younger catchers within the warmth of a pennant race — or makes his debut subsequent 12 months, Álvarez is a man Mets followers can legitimately be enthusiastic about.
Masyn Winn might need the very best infield arm ever.
Cardinals shortstop prospect Masyn Winn nonetheless cannot legally buy an grownup beverage, however he has shot up prospect lists this 12 months, because of a .300 common and 25 steals throughout two ranges of the minors. However despite the fact that Winn’s bat has opened eyes this season, his arm is the actual jaw-dropping facet of his recreation.
Within the second inning of the Futures Recreation, Winn scooped up what seemed to be a routine grounder off the bat of Astros catcher Yainer Diaz. He gathered, took just a few shuffles towards first base after which unleashed a brain-melting, 100.5 mph throw. It was the one hardest infield throw ever tracked by Statcast.
After the sport, Winn admitted that he was attempting to throw it as onerous as he may.
“That is most likely the toughest ball I’ve ever thrown,” he instructed FOX Sports activities. “I used to be positively attempting to let it free.”
It should not come as a shock that Winn was getting appears to be like out of highschool as a pitcher, however to see a participant hit triple digits whereas throwing throughout the diamond is simply wild.
Winn is a unique fashion of prospect: nice bat-to-ball abilities, good not nice energy, very good velocity and, clearly, a rocket arm.
The Jasson Dominguez Hype Prepare continues.
Sure, Yankees prospect Jasson Dominguez is nice at baseball. Let’s get that out of the best way.
However at occasions, the hype across the 19-year-old outfielder has surpassed the truth of his ability set. A part of that’s he is a member of the preferred baseball group on the earth, a part of that’s as a result of he acquired a ton of consideration as an novice participant within the Dominican Republic, and half that’s the truth that folks usually overvalue prospects.
A “Jasson Dominguez 2020 Bowman Sapphire Padparadscha PSA 9” card is presently out there on eBay for $199,999.99. (Good factor it isn’t 200K).
On the Futures Recreation, Dominguez solely tossed extra coal into the engine of his hype practice by smashing a 107 mph, 415-foot bomb within the high of the third.
There was a magical laser beam.
Solely 13 MLB gamers have hit a house run 116 mph or tougher this season; 116 mph is really within the frozen-rope class. Ronald Acuña Jr. has accomplished it twice this 12 months; Aaron Choose simply thrice.
On the Futures Recreation, Twins outfield prospect Matt Wallner joined the membership by zipping his personal 116 mph massive fly down the road in proper.
Wallner is a mountain of a person, a behemoth outfielder with top-of-the-scale uncooked pop who would possibly must shift to first base or designated hitter down the highway.
That is an issue for one more day, although, as a result of on Saturday, Wallner joined a really unique membership. There are treasured few people on earth who can hit a ball 116; Matt Wallner is a type of.
Jake Mintz is the louder half of @CespedesBBQ and a baseball author for FOX Sports activities. He’s an Orioles fan dwelling in New York Metropolis, and thus, he leads a lonely existence most Octobers. If he’s not watching baseball, he’s virtually actually driving his bike. You possibly can comply with him on Twitter at @Jake_Mintz.
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