Everything to know about Saturday’s Futures Game and Skills Showcase

Forty-nine of MLB’s top prospects will compete at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday in the All-Star Futures Game. This year’s iteration, which marks the 25th anniversary of the contest, will feature the first-ever Futures Skills Showcase, a three-challenge event that will test participants’ precision and power at the dish.

Here’s everything you need to know about the event:

The game will be broadcast live at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday on MLB Network, MLB.TV, MLB.com and on the MLB App. MLB Network’s Melanie Newman will provide play-by-play on the broadcast, with Mark DeRosa and MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo serving as analysts. Sande Charles will handle sideline reporting duties.

The game, which was USA vs. World until 2019, will feature an American League vs. National League format for the fourth year in a row and last seven innings. The bottom of the seventh inning will be played no matter what the score is. If the game is tied after seven, there will be an eighth inning; if it is tied after that, the game will end in a tie.

Like last year, the ABS (Automatic Balls and Strikes) Challenge System will be in use for the contest. Each team will get three challenges and will retain their challenge if they are correct.

Players will be permitted to re-enter the game if needed due to injury.

In addition to the 49 participants in the game itself, four players have been tabbed to compete solely in the Futures Skills Showcase — Roman Anthony (Red Sox), Moises Ballesteros (Cubs), Brady House (Nationals) and Tre’ Morgan (Rays). Those players are inactive for the contest but could become eligible to play if replacements are necessary due to injuries or Major League promotions.

In between innings, there will also be in-stadium entertainment reminiscent of an MiLB game. Among the festivities are a “Messy Eating Contest,” a “Name that Tune” competition and a Bat/Ballpark Dog Spotlight.

The Futures Game rosters are oozing with Top 100 talent. Of the 53 players attending the events, 38 are on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list, including eight of the top 18 prospects.

Nationals outfielder James Wood (No. 2) and Twins shortstop Brooks Lee (No. 13) were also selected but have since been promoted to MLB.

The NL roster has 20 Top 100 prospects, and the AL has 15.

The game will also include 24 first-round picks, 10 of whom were chosen in the 2023 Draft. The highest-picked of that group is Crews, who was selected second overall. He, along with fellow 2022’s No. 2 pick Druw Jones (MLB No. 79), will be patrolling the outfield for the NL side.

On the mound, two pitchers are tied for the lowest ERA entering the contest. The Rangers’ Emiliano Teodo (TEX No. 14) and the Mets’ Brandon Sproat (MLB No. 97) each have a stingy 1.71 mark in 2024. Not far behind them is Cardinals 2023 fourth-rounder Quinn Mathews (MLB No. 99), who has posted a 2.22 ERA in 15 starts this season. Mathews also paces all attendees in strikeouts with a whopping 120.

Here are the 10 best overall prospects expected to take the field in Arlington, along with info on their current Minor League club and expected arrivals in the bigs:

No. 4 Dylan Crews, OF, ETA: 2024 (Triple-A Rochester, Nationals)
No. 6 Ethan Salas, C, ETA: 2025 (High-A Fort Wayne, Padres)
No. 7 Marcelo Mayer, SS, ETA: 2024 (Double-A Portland, Red Sox)
No. 10 Max Clark, OF, ETA: 2026 (Single-A Lakeland, Tigers)
No. 12 Samuel Basallo, C, ETA: 2025 (Double-A Bowie, Orioles)
No. 14 Roman Anthony, OF, ETA: 2025 (Double-A Portland, Red Sox)
No. 16 Colson Montgomery, SS, ETA: 2024 (Triple-A Charlotte, White Sox)
No. 18 Noah Schultz, LHP, ETA: 2026 (Double-A Birmingham, White Sox)
No. 20 Rhett Lowder, RHP, ETA: 2024 (Double-A Chattanooga, Reds)
No. 22 Cole Young, SS/2B, ETA: 2025 (Double-A Arkansas, Mariners)

The Futures Game perennially welcomes back former Major Leaguers from the host city to coach and converse with the next generation of young stars, and this year is no different. Serving as the skipper for the AL is 2024 Hall of Fame electee and four-time All-Star Adrian Beltré. He will be joined by Elvis Andrus, Francisco Cordero, Nelson Cruz, Prince Fielder, Derek Holland, Kenny Holmberg (the Rangers Field and Infield Coordinator), Raul Ibañez and Mitch Moreland to round out the staff.

In the NL dugout, seven-time All-Star and 2005 AL Batting Champion Michael Young will be at the helm. The rest of his staff includes Gabe Alvarez (Double-A Erie SeaWolves manager), Ian Kinsler, Colby Lewis, Gary Matthews Jr., Darren Oliver, Mark Teixeira and Vernon Wells.

After the Futures Game has ended, eight prospects will square off in a three-challenge skills competition. The event will then be shown on tape delay at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday, July 14, on MLB Network, MLB.TV, MLB.com and on the MLB App.

The three challenges — Hit it Here, Call Your Shot and Swing for the Fences — all focus on different skills and tools, whether it be power, precision/hit tool and even bunting.

The Futures Game gives a unique look into MLB’s next generation of stars. Among all previous participants, 87.9% have gone on to play at least one Major League game, while 232 total players (20.7%) had been selected to play in at least one Major League All-Star Game prior to 2024. That number has increased in the past week with Jurickson Profar, Alec Bohm, Gunnar Henderson and others being elected to the All-Star Game.

Notable players who once took the field as Futures Gamers include Miguel Cabrera (2001 and ‘02), Zack Greinke (2003), Joe Mauer (2003), Justin Verlander (2005), Joey Votto (2006 and ’07), Clayton Kershaw (2007), Mike Trout (2010 and ’11), Bryce Harper (2011), Mookie Betts (2014), Aaron Judge (2015), Ronald Acuña Jr. (2017), Bobby Witt Jr. (2021), Elly De La Cruz (2022) and Jackson Chourio (2022 and ‘23).

MLB Develops alumni attending the Futures Game

Cam Collier: Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational

Justin Crawford: Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational

Tink Hence: Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series

Termarr Johnson: Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational

Tre’ Morgan: Breakthrough Series, DREAM Series, Hank Aaron Invitational

Chandler Simpson: Breakthrough Series