The MLB All-Star Break will get started with the All-Star Futures Game on Saturday, in Arlington, Texas. The annual contest gives fans a look at tomorrow’s stars, bringing together the top minor league prospects in all of organized baseball.
Aaron Judge, Mookie Betts, Bryce Harper and Mike Trout are among the superstars who were first seen on a national level at the Futures Game. It also let future Hall of Fame pitchers like Clayton Kershaw and Justin Verlander make their first impression on MLB fans.
This year’s Futures Game will feature 54 top prospects. Eleven—more than one fifth of them—either got their start in North Carolina or passed through as part of their minor league journey so far. Here’s a look at local players to watch in this year’s game.
Rhett Lowder, RHP, National League/Cincinnati Reds:
The Albemarle native and North Stanly graduate led Wake Forest to the College World Series just over a year ago. Lowder is speeding through the Reds system and has already been promoted to Double-A Chattanooga after dominating Class A.
Xavier Isaac, infielder, American League/Tampa Bay Rays:
Born in Fayetteville, Isaac was drafted out of East Forsyth High School in the first round, 29th overall, in 2022. The first baseman has 13 homers and 13 steals at High-A Bowling Green and may be playing for the Durham Bulls in another year. He’s a burly power hitting prospect, but he also was never caught stealing in his first two pro seasons and still has 25 steals in 27 attempts for his career.
Colson Montgomery, infielder, AL/Chicago White Sox:
The 21-year-old was a first-round draft pick in 2021. The shortstop is coming up through the White Sox organization, which means plenty of time spent in North Carolina. He played for Low-A Kannapolis in 2022, High-A Winston-Salem in 2022 and 2023 and is now at Triple-A Charlotte, where he has 11 home runs in 75 games this year.
Sebastian Walcott, infielder, AL/Texas Rangers:
The shortstop spent a week last season with High-A Hickory, and he’s been there all this year, so far. In 73 games with the 2024 Crawdads, the 18-year-old native of the Bahamas has 7 homers and 10 steals. Scouts expect his power to develop as he grows into his 6-foot-4 frame.
Termarr Johnson, infielder, NL/Pittsburgh Pirates:
The 20-year-old has split time between second base and shortstop, although most scouts think he’ll end up at second. He played 30 games for Greensboro last year, hitting five home runs with an .842 OPS. He opened the season with the Grasshoppers this season and has nine homers, 14 steals and .793 OPS. He’s a veteran of USA Baseball and was drafted by the Pirates fourth overall in the first round in 2022 after being considered one of the best high school hitters in recent memory.
Cooper Pratt, infielder, NL/Milwaukee Brewers:
The current Carolina Mudcat is in his second year of pro ball and is just 19 years old. A shortstop, he has 19 stolen bases for the Mudcats and sports a .300 average. His strengths are an outstanding batting eye and ability to make contact.
A.J. Blubaugh, RHP, AL/Houston Astros:
The pitching prospect went 2-1 for Low-A Fayetteville in 2022 and 6-3 for High-A Asheville in 2023. He was recently promoted from Double-A to Triple-A and could be in the majors with the Astros soon. He has consistently struck out more than a batter an inning and has converted from relief into a starting pitcher since he left Asheville.
Winston Santos, RHP, AL/Texas Rangers:
The starting pitcher from the Dominican Republic went 7-6 for Down East in 2022, then 7-9 for Hickory last year, recording one save in one of the few games he didn’t start. He went 6-3 for Hickory this year, cutting his ERA in half and striking out 11 batters per nine innings, earning him a promotion to Double-A.
Noah Schultz, LHP, AL/Chicago White Sox:
A first rounder in 2022, he just got promoted to Double-A, which means his first professional games for a team outside of the state. He struck out 38 in 27 innings for Kannapolis and 42 in 27.1 innings for Winston-Salem. He’s also allowed fewer than one baserunner an inning at every minor league stop and has a 2.53 career ERA.
Emiliano Teodo, RHP, AL/Texas Rangers:
The 23-year-old Dominican Republic native has pitched more than half of his pro games for N.C. teams. He had 115 strikeouts in 84.1 innings for Down East, posting a 3.09 ERA. Promoted to Hickory, he fanned 84 in 61.2 and went 5-3. He’s now at Double-A.
Bubba Chandler, RHP, NL/Pittsburgh Pirates:
He started as a two-way player but seems to have settled on pitching only, as he hasn’t batted in two years. Chandler recently earned a promotion to Double-A after striking out 120 in 106 innings in Greensboro.
