FORT MYERS, Fla. – With each passing year, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is becoming more like one, big family reunion for the star players that helped put Perfect Game on the amateur baseball map during the first decade of the 21st century.
A record 36 Perfect Game alumni have been selected to participate in the 86th MLB All-Star Game at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati on Tuesday, July 14; the game will be televised live on FOX at 7:30 p.m. (EDT).
All 36 of the former Perfect Game standouts participated in PG events from 2001 through 2009 and have now moved on to stardom in the big leagues. Four starters for the American League and five for the National League have PG resumes, as do four AL reserves, 10 NL reserves, seven AL pitchers and six NL pitchers. Fifteen PG alumni are on the AL roster and 21 on the NL roster.
PG AL starters are Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (the leading overall vote-getter in the fan voting); Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder and 2014 All-Star Game and AL Most Valuable player Mike Trout; and Kansas City Royals’ outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon.
National League starters with a PG history are San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey; Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt; Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier; Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper (the leading vote-getter in NL fan balloting) and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen, who replaced the injured Giancarlo Stanton from the Miami Marlins in the NL’s starting lineup.
Eleven former participants in the Perfect Game All-American Classic were selected, several of whom played together in the same Classic. Sixteen of the All-Stars are alumni of the Perfect Game National Showcase and in many cases were together at the same National.
Former PG All-Americans suiting up for American League (and Kansas City Royals) Manager Ned Yost are New York Yankees right-hander Dellin Betances (2005 Classic, ’05 National) and Oakland Athletics’ righty Sonny Gray (’07, ’07).
Nine one-time PG All-Americans are on National League (and Giants) Manager Bruce Bochy’s NL roster, including eight who were also at the PG National the same year. Posey, McCutchen and San Diego Padres outfielder Justin Upton were at both in 2004; L.A. Dodgers catcher Yasmani Grandal, Colorado Rockies second baseman D.J. LeMahieu and Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner did both in 2006.
The Pirates’ All-Star right-hander Gerrit Cole joined the A’s Gray at both blockbuster showcase events in 2007, and Harper and Chicago Cubs rookie third baseman sensation Kris Bryant were together at the 2009 PG All-American Classic. Bryant was also at the 2009 PG National.
Other 2015 MLB All-Stars that were at the PG National during their high school years include the Royals’ Gordon, Texas Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder (2001) and Orioles third baseman Manny Machado (2009) from the AL. Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo and Pirates’ right-hander Mark Melancon were at the 2008, 2006 and 2002 National Showcases, respectively, on the NL side.
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
3B – Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays: 2002-03 PG WWBA; 2003 PG Underclass World Showcase
OF – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: 2007-08 PG WWBA World
OF – Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals: 2003 PG WWBA World
OF – Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals: 2001 PG National Showcase
American League Reserves
1B – Prince Fielder, Texas Rangers: 2001 PG World Showcase; 2001 PG National Showcase
3B – Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles: 2009 PG National Showcase; 2008-09 PG WWBA, PG BCS
OF – Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: 2002 PG WWBA World; 2003 PG World Showcase
OF – J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers: 2005 18u PG WWBA
American League Pitchers
RHP – Chris Archer, Tampa Bay Rays: 2005 18u PG WWBA
RHP – Dellin Betances, New York Yankees: 2005 PG National Showcase; 2005 PG All-American Classic
RHP – Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals: 2003 PG WWBA World
RHP – Sonny Gray, Oakland A’s: 2007 PG National Showcase; 2007 PG All-American Classic
LHP – Zach Britton, Baltimore Orioles: 2005 PG WWBA World
LHP – David Price, Detroit Tigers: 2003 PG WWBA World
LHP – Chris Sale, Chicago White Sox: 2006-07 PG WWBA, PG BCS
National League Starters
C – Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants: 2004 PG National; 2004 PG All-American; 2003-04 WWBA World
1B – Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2004 PG WWBA
3B – Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds: 2003 PG WWBA
OF – Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals: 2009 PG All-American Classic; 2008-09 PG WWBA
OF – Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburg Pirates: ‘04 PG National; ‘04 PG All-American; ‘03-04 WWBA World
National League Reserves
C – Yasmani Grandal, Los Angeles Dodgers: ‘06 PG National; ‘06 PG All-American; ’06 PG WWBA World
1B – Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs: ‘06 PG National; ’05-06 PG WWBA World
2B – D.J. LeMahieu, Colorado Rockies: ’06 PG National; ’06 PG All-American; ’05-06 PG WWBA World
2B – Joe Panik, San Francisco Giants: 2005-07 PG WWBA
3B – Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: 2008 PG National Show; 2007-08 PG WWBA, PG BCS
3B – Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs: ’09 PG National; ’09 PG All-American; ’08-09 PG WWBA World
SS – Brandon Crawford, San Francisco Giants: 2004 PG WWBA
OF – Joc Pederson, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2007-08 PG WWBA, PG BCS
OF – A.J. Pollock, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2006 PG WWBA
OF – Justin Upton, San Diego Padres: ’04 PG World Show; ’04 PG National; ’04 PG A-A; ’02-04 PG WWBA
National League Pitchers
LHP – Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants: 2006 PG National Show; 2006 PG All-American Classic
RHP – Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh Pirates: ’07 PG National Show; ’07 PG All-American; ’07 PG WWBA World
RHP – Zach Greinke, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2000-01 PG World Show; 2001-02 PG WWBA
RHP – Shelby Miller, Atlanta Braves: 2008 PG WWBA World
RHP – Mark Melancon, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2002 PG National Show; 2002 PG WWBA World
RHP – Trevor Rosenthal, St. Louis Cardinals: 2007 PG WWBA