Yoan Moncada shines as World Team comes back to win Futures Game
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Since last year, 25 Future Games alums have seen time in the majors. Which means that Sunday night’s edition at Petco Park in San Diego showcased some serious major league talent.
Most of the lead-up to the game focused on Braves prospect Dansby Swanson, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft. Swanson, 22, is batting .269 in 57 games in Double A with five home runs. Along with Swanson, the hype centered around Yoan Moncada. The Red Sox prospect, 21, is batting .312 with nine homers and 49 RBIs over two levels.
Moncada delivered on Sunday, hitting an absolute upper-deck bomb in the eighth inning off Diamondbacks prospect Anthony Banda to give the World Team a 4–3 lead over the U.S. Team. The World went on to win 11–3 after a seven-run ninth inning.
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While Moncada did his part, three other star prospects stood out in the San Diego sun.
Alex Reyes
This is how Alex Reyes introduced himself to the world.
First, he struck out Andrew Benintendi on an 88 mph changeup. Then, he picked up a strikeout on a 99 mph fastball. He finished the first inning with a 101 mph fastball for a third strikeout.
And yes, he made Swanson look silly.
Reyes, just 21, has struggled a bit in 41 1/3 innings at Triple A Memphis, posting a 4.35 ERA. But the Cardinals prospect, playing for the World team despite being born and raised in New Jersey, still has 61 strikeouts on the year. And with his lightning-like fastball, along with a devastating curve, Reyes could at least help the 46–42 Cardinals in the bullpen, playing a role similar to one Adam Wainwright did in 2006.
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The latest Baseball America rankings have Reyes as the second-best prospect in baseball, behind only Moncada. And with the Cardinals bunched up in the wild-card standings with the Mets, Marlins and Pirates, the hard-throwing righty could be the difference maker.
Alex Bregman
The only person to hit Reyes was infielder Alex Bregman, who hit a hard line drive that bounced its way to a triple. Bregman, 22, has been raking for the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate, batting .389 in eight games with a ridiculous five home runs.
That hot streak continued in San Diego. After the triple against Reyes, Bregman hit a hard double and single. No cycle for the ‘Stros prospect, but it was still quite the statement.
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Bregman, a two-time All-American at LSU and the second pick in the 2015 draft behind Swanson, is likely due for a call-up to Houston quite soon, as his bat is clearly major-league ready. The idea of a left side of the infield featuring Carlos Correa and Bregman should have Astros fans salivating.
Mar-Robbed
Manuel Margot absolutely robbed Cardinals prospect Carson Kelly in sixth inning. Margot, a Padres prospect, ran to his left, leaped over the right centerfield wall and brought the ball back.
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Padres fans should get used to that. Margot, 21, has played well in his first season in Triple A, with a .299/.349/.422 line. He’s also excelling in the field. The 38th-ranked prospect led the PCL with 14 outfield assists. He added an RBI in the batter’s box.
Bonus Strike: Harper is Better
Just to rain on the parade of fans everywhere saying that their prospects are better: Bryce Harper, 23, is younger than 10 players at the Futures Game. Harper will play in his fourth All-Star game on Tuesday.
