On July 16, the game’s brightest prospects will gather at Dodger Stadium for the 2022 Futures Game. The Futures Game is MLB’s annual showcase of the sport’s best prospective big leaguers, some of whom will make their big-league debut in the second half. And you know what? Some will be traded at the deadline. That’s how it has been throughout Futures Game history.
The 2022 Futures Game rosters were released in full on Thursday, after the first eight players (four per league) were teased on MLB Network Radio on Wednesday. Here are 2022 Futures Game rosters with each player’s MLB.com top 100 prospects list ranking (when applicable):
American League
|
Yainer Diaz |
Astros |
|
|
Dillon Dingler |
Tigers |
|
|
Shea Langeliers |
Athletics |
No. 32 |
|
Gunnar Henderson |
Orioles |
No. 5 |
|
Curtis Mead |
Rays |
No. 61 |
|
Jhonkensy Noel |
Guardians |
|
|
Nick Pratto |
Royals |
No. 71 |
|
Ceddanne Rafaela |
Red Sox |
|
|
Spencer Steer |
Twins |
|
|
Anthony Volpe |
Yankees |
No. 8 |
|
Denzel Clarke |
Athletics |
|
|
Oscar Colas |
White Sox |
|
|
Jasson Dominguez |
Yankees |
No. 40 |
|
George Valera |
Guardians |
No. 33 |
|
Matt Wallner |
Twins |
|
|
Brayan Bello |
Red Sox |
No. 45 |
|
Taj Bradley |
Rays |
No. 34 |
|
Hunter Brown |
Astros |
No. 85 |
|
Ky Bush |
Angels |
|
|
Wilmer Flores |
Tigers |
|
|
Emerson Hancock |
Mariners |
|
|
Jack Leiter |
Rangers |
No. 17 |
|
Ricky Tiedemann |
Blue Jays |
No. 64 |
|
Ken Waldichuk |
Yankees |
No. 74 |
|
Yosver Zulueta |
Blue Jays |
Leiter, the No. 2 pick in the 2021, is the son of longtime big leaguer Al Leiter, and he’s had an up-and-down season. The Yankees are one of only two teams sending three players to the Futures Game (the host Dodgers are the other), including their top prospect (Volpe) and maybe the most famous prospect in the minors (Dominguez). Bello made his MLB debut earlier this week and was optioned back to the minors. If he’s in the big leagues at the time of the Futures Game, he’ll be replaced on the roster.
National League
|
Francisco Álvarez |
Mets |
No. 2 |
|
Diego Cartaya |
Dodgers |
No. 14 |
|
Henry Davis |
Pirates |
No. 18 |
|
Logan O’Hoppe |
Phillies |
No. 90 |
|
Darren Baker |
Nationals |
|
|
Elly De La Cruz |
Reds |
No. 50 |
|
Ezequiel Tovar |
Rockies |
No. 58 |
|
Miguel Vargas |
Dodgers |
No. 72 |
|
David Villar |
Giants |
|
|
Jordan Walker |
Cardinals |
No. 7 |
|
Masyn Winn |
Cardinals |
No. 91 |
|
Corbin Carroll |
Diamondbacks |
No. 3 |
|
Jackson Chourio |
Brewers |
No. 38 |
|
Pete Crow-Armstrong |
Cubs |
No. 79 |
|
Robert Hassell III |
Padres |
No. 24 |
|
Zac Veen |
Rockies |
No. 23 |
|
Andrew Abbott |
Reds |
|
|
Mike Burrows |
Pirates |
|
|
Cade Cavalli |
Nationals |
No. 47 |
|
Kyle Harrison |
Giants |
No. 26 |
|
Antoine Kelly |
Brewers |
|
|
Bobby Miller |
Dodgers |
No. 27 |
|
Erik Miller |
Phillies |
|
|
Eury Pérez |
Marlins |
No. 16 |
|
Jared Shuster |
Braves |
First things first: yes, Darren Baker is indeed Dusty’s son. Washington selected Baker in the 10th round of last summer’s amateur draft. You likely remember Darren as the ball boy who was almost run over at the plate in Game 5 of the 2002 World Series. Fortunately JT Snow was able to grab Baker as he crossed the plate, and no one was harmed.
Dusty will manage the AL All-Star team this year, though the Futures Game is on Saturday, July 16. The Astros will be at home taking on the Athletics that day. Dusty won’t be in Los Angeles to see Darren play in the Futures Game. Bummer.
In addition to Baker, the NL team features the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft (Davis) as well as MLB.com’s two best prospects in the minors (Álvarez and Carroll). Tigers outfielder Riley Greene, the No. 1 prospect, is currently in the big leagues. Crow-Armstrong is notable for being the prospect the Cubs received in last year’s Javier Báez trade with the Mets. Villar, it should be noted, was called up to the big leagues earlier this week and may have to be replaced on the Futures Game roster.
The Futures Game is intended to showcase the game’s best prospects and is not necessarily an All-Star Game with the top performers in the minors. That said, there’s a lot of overlap with “best prospects” and “best performers.” Cubs prospect Brennen Davis was named Futures Game MVP last year.
The Futures Game has been around since 1999 and originally featured a USA vs. World format. In 2019, MLB adopted an AL vs. NL format.