USA TODAY International Edition
Standouts to view in MLB Futures Game
Tatis, Sheffield are showing potential 3. Francisco Mejia, Indians: Another
Major League Baseball’s annual AllStar festivities are nearly upon us, and before big-leaguers take the spotlight in the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game, some of the league’s most intriguing young talent will square off in the annual Futures Game on Sunday at Nationals Park in Washington.
For fans of rebuilding clubs with an eye on competing in 2019 or beyond, it’s a sneak preview of some players who might soon establish themselves as viable big-league contributors. And for those with any stake in the trade deadline, it’s a look at some players who might be packaged by a contender in a deal to fortify the major league roster.
Here are Futures Game players in particular who stand out this season.
1. Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres: Arguably the top overall prospect in the Futures Game — it’s either him or fellow second-generation MLB hopeful and Class AA shortstop Bo Bichette of the Blue Jays — Tatis was 4 months old in April 1999 when his father hit two grand slams in the same inning for the Cardinals against Chan Ho Park and the Dodgers. Like every player in the sport’s history and future, the younger Tatis is unlikely to break his father’s famous record, but he appears to have the allaround game to establish himself as baseball’s premier Fernando Tatis. One of the youngest regulars at the Class AA
level, the 19-year-old righty hitter has always shown big power for his age and is reputed as both a capable defender at shortstop and a team leader with precocious baseball intelligence.
2. Justus Sheffield, Yankees: Acquired in the 2016 deal that put Andrew Miller on the Indians, Sheffield has been and will continue to be mentioned in trade talks approaching the deadline. An undersized lefty with a big fastball and good results throughout his minorleague career, Sheffield pitched his way to Class AAA Scranton this season and has a 2.53 ERA in his first 57 innings at the level. Outside of a fairly high walk rate, the numbers suggest Sheffield is close to big-league ready. He might get a chance this year, either in the back of the Yankees rotation or after being shipped to a rebuilding club. guy who might be prominent in trade talks, Mejia rocketed onto the prospect radar in 2016, when he grabbed national headlines with a 50-game minor league hitting streak. Generally considered the best catching prospect in the game, Mejia has also spent time in the outfield corners this season to find other routes to the majors. A switch-hitting 22-yearold catcher with gap power and a bat that looks nearly ready, he’s probably too valuable for the Indians to readily deal for a rental.
4. Yordan Alvarez, Astros: Signed to a $2 million deal (with a $2 million overage penalty) by the Dodgers out of Cuba in 2016, Alvarez did not make his stateside debut until after getting traded to the Astros that summer in a deal for reliever Josh Fields. In less than two full seasons in affiliated ball, the powerful 6-5, 21-year-old has hit his way from low Class A ball to Class AAA. Like Sheffield, Mejia and every other prospect of note on pennant contenders, Alvarez will come up in trade talks. He is behind fellow prospect Kyle Tucker on the organizational depth chart, but with Jake Marisnick and Marwin Gonzalez struggling offensively, Houston’s outfield rotation no longer appears as impenetrable.
5. Hunter Greene, Reds: Although he made headlines as a potential twoway player coming out of high school, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2017 is now focused on pitching full time. Greene got off to a rocky start in his first full professional season but has a 2.72 ERA and great rate stats over his last nine starts as the youngest pitcher in the Class A Midwest League. He has a long road ahead, but his triple-digit heat should help him along the way.