Which Futures Game roster is better? Let's break them down
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It kind of feels like a video game where you put all the best prospects in the game on the field together and see what happens.
That's how Jonathan Mayo described the All-Star Futures Game on this week's edition of the MLB Pipeline Podcast. Mayo, along with fellow prospect guru Jim Callis and host Jason Ratliff began the podcast with a look at this year's Futures Game -- which will feature 50 prospects, 35 of whom are on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list -- that will take place at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 12, at Truist Park in Atlanta. The game will air live on MLB Network and will be simulcast on MLB.TV, MLB.com and via the MLB app. Mayo, Melanie Newman, Yonder Alonso and Sande Charles will be on the call.
Callis and Mayo broke down the American League vs. National League matchup by the following categories: Pitching, catching, infielders and outfielders. There was also a bonus category of coaching staffs added in at the conclusion, but that was based solely on star power. The duo also weighed in on which roster is better overall and made predictions for the final score.
Pitchers
AL Staff: Jurrangelo Cijntje (SEA), Keagan Gillies (BAL), Brody Hopkins (TB), Gage Jump (ATH), George Klassen (LAA), Parker Messick (CLE), Frank Mozzicato (KC), Alimber Santa (HOU), Noah Schultz (CWS), Trey Yesavage (TOR).
NL Staff: Marquis Grissom Jr. (WSH), Hayden Harris (ATL), Andrew Painter (PHI)*, JR Ritchie (ATL), Travis Sykora (WSH), Jonah Tong (NYM), Carson Whisenhunt (SF), Thomas White (MIA), Jaxon Wiggins (CHC).
*will not play
Mayo: I would give the National League the edge. There are some guys in the American League that I’m excited to see. They’ve definitely got an interesting group of lefties with Schultz and Jump as the Top 100 guys. Mozzicato has been better and Parker Messick has been interesting. Yesavage has been very good for the Blue Jays. But, I just think the National League group with Sykora, Tong and White leading the way, that trio is enough for me. Edge: National League
Callis: I concur with Jonathan, and I also will note that Jaxon Wiggins of the Cubs and Carson Whisenhunt of the Giants also polled very strongly when we were addling players to the Top 100 in Market Corrections. Neither made it, but if we had a Top 105, they would be on it right now. So, I will second the notion. Edge: National League
Catchers
AL: Josue Briceño (DET), Harry Ford (SEA), Carter Jensen (KC).
NL: Alfredo Duno (CIN), Joe Mack (MIA), Eduardo Tait (PHI).
Callis: I am going to go edge to the American League. I like the AL guys a little bit more. I don’t know if that’s Arizona Fall League 2024 talking after Briceño won the Triple Crown and Carter Jensen looked good. But, I will go AL here. Edge: American League
Mayo: I am going to agree with you ever-so slightly. The National League guys with Duno and Tait, are both in A-ball, their ceilings are very, very high. We may look back at this a couple of years from now and realize that from a prospect to Major League player ceiling, the NL is better, but, especially with Briceño and Jensen, like you said, and Briceño continuing to hit on a very good West Michigan team and Harry Ford really clicking this year, I will also go AL. Edge: American League
Infielders
AL: Kaelen Culpepper (MIN), CJ Kayfus (CLE), George Lombard Jr. (NYY), Brice Matthews (HOU), Kevin McGonigle (DET), Sebastian Walcott (TEX), Tommy White (ATH).
NL: Charlie Condon (COL), Leo De Vries (SD), Konnor Griffin (PIT), LuJames Groover (AZ), Jesús Made (MIL), Sal Stewart (CIN), JJ Wetherholt (STL).
Mayo: I think I’m going to give the edge to the National League. There’s just so much upside here. De Vries and Made and Griffin, and then JJ Wetherholt, Sal Stewart, all he does is hit. Especially if you’re going to count Condon as an infielder, I’ll give them the slight edge. Even though I love what Kevin McGonigle is doing right now with the Tigers, and the other Top 100 names on there, friend of the pod George Lombard Jr. But, I think the NL is a little bit better. Edge: National League
Callis: I am going to agree and disagree with Jonathan. The National League is better, but I actually think it’s a significantly wide gap because of that upside that you referenced. You have five of the top 23 prospects in baseball in the revised Top 100 rankings. I just think that while that is an impressive group of American Leaguers, this group is the easiest call of any of the position groups. So, I agree that it’s National League here, but I don’t think it’s edge, it’s Clearly superior: National League.
Outfielders
AL: Enrique Bradfield Jr. (BAL), Max Clark (DET), Jhostynxon "The Password" Garcia (BOS), Lazaro Montes (SEA), Braden Montgomery (CWS)
NL: Carson Benge (NYM), Owen Caissie (CHC), Slade Caldwell (ARI), Josue De Paula (LAD), Zyhir Hope (LAD), Esmerlyn Valdez (PIT)
Callis: I’m going to go National League here. I love the upside of De Paula and Hope. As Jonathan knows, I’m the biggest Owen Caissie backer, I think on our staff. I think the guy is just a little bit underrated. Carson Benge can hit. Slade Caldwell is real interesting. Valdez is an intriguing, on-the-rise guy. So I’m going to give them a slight edge over a talented American League group of outfielders. Edge: National League
Mayo: I would give the National League a more solid edge than a slight edge. Maybe that’s just because of the offensive potential for all of them. The American League would win a foot race, probably, with Bradfield and Clark alone. But, I think the NL all-around offensive potential gives them a little bit more than a slight edge for me. Edge: National League
Coaching staffs
AL Staff: Marquis Grissom (Manager), Jerry Manuel (Bench Coach), Fred McGriff (Hitting Coach), Marvin Freeman (Pitching Coach), Johnny Estrada (Bullpen Coach), Brian Hunter (Third Base Coach), Dale Murphy (First Base Coach), Ryan Klesko (Coach)
NL Staff: Chipper Jones (Manager), Mark DeRosa (Bench Coach), Andruw Jones (Hitting Coach), Tim Hudson (Pitching Coach), Pete Moylan (Bullpen Coach), Kanekoa Texeira (Third Base Coach), Tyler Flowers (First Base Coach), Nick Markakis (Coach)
Callis: I think this has got to be American League. It’s close. But I’m going American League. Edge: American League
Mayo: I’m going to disagree, I’m going National League here. Edge: National League
Overall and predictions
Callis: I think it's fairly close but the National League has the stronger roster. They have a devastating lineup, one of the deepest I can remember in Futures Game history, and a superior pitching staff even if Andrew Painter doesn't take the mound. Final score: NL 5 - AL 2
Mayo: As much as I’d like to disagree with Jim, I can’t. At least on paper, the National League roster is better. In the past, there’s been one team that clearly seems superior, but this year it is close. Both rosters are stacked this year, which should make for an amazing game, but I’ll join Jim in thinking the NL will come out on top. Final score: NL 3 - AL 1