CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The 87th version of the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 12 in San Diego will feature a large number of Perfect Game alumni, something that is becoming more and more prominent each season.
Thirty-two former Perfect Game standouts will take the field for the Midsummer Classic, 15 for the American League and 17 on the National League side. The earliest PG alums (Stephen Vogt, Steven Wright, Daniel Murphy, Mark Melancon) first participated in a PG event back in 2002, and the youngest (Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, Addison Russell, Corey Seager) played as recently as 2011.
A record 11 All-Star starters are PG alumni. On the AL side they include Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer, Baltimore Orioles shortstop/third baseman Manny Machado, Los Angeles Angels center fielder and back-to-back All-Star Game MVP Mike Trout, and Boston Red Sox outfielders Jackie Bradley, Jr. and Mookie Betts.
The six PG starters for the NL are San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey, Washington Nationals right fielder Bryce Harper, and four Chicago Cubs — first basemen Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Addison Russell, third baseman Kris Bryant and center fielder Dexter Fowler.
Many of the 32 alumni found themselves on the same field together years ago at prominent PG events, being showcased as the best of the best, just like they will be on July 12.
Russell and Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager both took the field together in the 2011 All-American Classic, and saw each other at the 2011 National Showcase as well.
Perhaps the best accumulation of talent was in 2009 when Machado and Bryant both laced them up at the National Showcase, and Bryant and Harper played in the All-American Classic.
In total, there were 11 former participants in the PG All-American Classic selected on All-Star rosters. In the AL, they are Hosmer, Lindor and New York Yankees reliever Dellin Betances. There are an astounding eight in the NL, including Posey, Russell, Bryant, Harper, Fowler, Seager, San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner and Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.
There are 16 players that put their talent on display at different PG National Showcases, and there was at least one now-major league All-Star at each PG National from 2004-11 and 2002. Hosmer (2007), Machado (2009), Lindor (2010), Wright (2002), New York Yankees reliever Andrew Miller (2002), and Betances (2005) on the AL side, and Posey (2004), Rizzo (2006), Russell (2011), Bryant (2009), San Diego Padres first baseman Wil Myers (2008), Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (2008), Bumgarner (2006), Melancon (2002), and Fernandez (2010).
What follows is a list of this year’s MLB All-Stars that enjoyed Perfect Game experiences during their high school years, including their more prominent events:
American League Starters
1B- Eric Hosmer, Kansas City Royals: 2007 PG All-American Classic, 2007 PG National Showcase
3B- Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles: 2009 PG National Showcase
OF- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: 2007-08 PG WWBA World
OF- Jackie Bradley, Jr., Boston Red Sox: 2008 PG WWBA 18U National Championship
OF- Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox: 2011 PG WWBA National Championship
American League Reserves
C- Stephen Vogt, Oakland A’s: 2002 PG West Coast Top Prospect Showcase
C- Matt Wieters, Baltimore Orioles: 2004 PG WWBA 18U National Championship
3B- Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays: 2002-03 PG WWBA; 2003 PG Underclass World Showcase
SS- Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians: 2010 PG All-American Classic, 2010 PG National Showcase
OF- Ian Desmond, Texas Rangers: 2004 PG World Showcase
American League Pitchers
RHP- Steven Wright, Boston Red Sox: 2002 PG National Showcase
RHP- Dellin Betances, New York Yankees: 2005 PG All-American Classic, 2005 PG National Showcase
LHP- Zach Britton, Baltimore Orioles: 2005 PG World
RHP- Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals: 2003 PG WWBA World
LHP- Andrew Miller, New York Yankees: 2002 PG National Showcase
National League Starters
C- Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants: 2004 PG All-American Classic, 2004 PG National Showcase
1B- Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs: 2006 PG National Showcase
3B- Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs: 2009 PG All-American Classic, 2009 PG National Showcase
SS- Addison Russell, Chicago Cubs: 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2011 PG National Showcase
OF- Dexter Fowler, Chicago Cubs: 2003 PG All-American Classic
OF- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals: 2009 All-American Classic
National League Reserves
C- Jonathan Lucroy, Milwaukee Brewers: 2004 PG WWBA 18U National Championship
1B- Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2004 PG WWBA 17U National Championship
2B- Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals: 2002 PG WWBA 18U National Championship
3B- Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: 2008 PG National Showcase
SS- Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2011 PG National Showcase
National League Pitchers
LHP- Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants: 2006 PG All-American Classic, 2006 PG National Showcase
RHP- Jose Fernandez, Miami Marlins: 2010 PG All-American Classic, 2010 PG National Showcase
LHP- Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2004 PG WWBA World
RHP- Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals: 2005 PG WWBA World
RHP- Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2002 PG National Showcase
2016 All-Star Futures Game
The 2016 All-Star Futures Game will be held on July 10 in San Diego with a rather large Perfect Game influence as well.
Carson Fulmer, a 2011 PG All-American Classic and National Showcase participant, will pitch for the US team. Fulmer, who was drafted eighth overall to the Chicago White Sox in 2015, was named Perfect Game’s College Pitcher of the Year last season.
The US roster includes five other former PG All-Americans: Houston Astros shortstop prospect Alex Bregman (2011), Texas Rangers second base prospect Travis Demeritte (2012), New York Mets first base prospect Dominic Smith (2012), Colorado Rockies outfield prospect David Dahl (2011), and Cleveland Indians outfield prospect Clint Frazier (2012).
The World roster boasts one former PG All-American, Miami Marlins first base prospect Josh Naylor.
Across both rosters there are 11 players that exhibited their skills at a PG National Showcase. All six of the US All-Americans performed, along with Tampa Bay Rays pitching prospect Ryne Stanek (2009), St. Louis Cardinals catching prospect Carson Kelly (2011), and Detroit Tigers outfield prospect Christin Stewart (2011).
The list that follows is the list of prospects that will be playing in the Futures Game that are also Perfect Game alumni, as well as their current minor league assignment.
US roster
Anthony Banda, LHP, Triple A Reno (Arizona), Pacific Coast League
Carson Fulmer, RHP, Double A Birmingham (CWS), Southern League
Jeff Hoffman, RHP, Triple A Albuquerque (Colorado), Pacific Coast League
Ryne Stanek, RHP, Triple A Durham (Tampa Bay), International League
Carson Kelly, C, Double A Springfield (St. Louis), Texas League
Chance Sisco, C, Double A Bowie (Baltimore), Eastern League
Alex Bregman, SS, Triple A Fresno (Houston), Pacific Coast League
Willie Calhoun, 2B, Double A Tulsa (LAD), Texas League
Travis Demeritte, 2B, Class A Advanced High Desert (Texas), California League
Dominic Smith, 1B, Double A Binghampton (NYM), Eastern League
Dansby Swanson, SS, Double A Mississippi (Atlanta), Southern League
Andrew Benintendi, OF, Double A Portland (Boston), Eastern League
David Dahl, OF, Triple A Albuquerque (Colorado), Pacific Coast League
Clint Frazier, OF, Double A Akron (Cleveland), Eastern League
Hunter Renfroe, OF, Triple A El Paso (San Diego), Pacific Coast League
Christin Stewart, OF, Class A Advanced Lakeland (Detroit), Florida State League
World Roster
• Jharel Cotton, RHP, Triple A Oklahoma City (LAD), Pacific Coast League
• Joe Jimenez, RHP, Double A Erie (Detroit), Eastern League
• Alex Reyes, RHP, Triple A Memphis (St. Louis), Pacific Coast League
• Carlos Asuaje, 3B, Triple A El Paso (San Diego), Pacific Coast League
• Josh Naylor, 1B, Class A Greensboro (Miami), South Atlantic League
• Eloy Jimenez, OF, Class A South Bend (CHC), Midwest League
• Tyler O’Neill, OF, Double A Jackson (Seattle), Southern League