Top Pittsburgh Pirates Prospect Selected For All-Star Futures Game During All-Star Week

The first six participants have been confirmed for the All-Star Futures Game in Seattle as part of All-Star week.

The game showcases some of the best young prospects in the sport and is often a way to introduce baseball's youngest talent to the mainstream fans.

Confirmed already are Marcelo Mayer (Red Sox), Jonatan Clase (Mariners), Owen White (Rangers), Justin Crawford (Phillies), Kyle Harrison (Giants) and Endy Rodriguez of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Want to see the future? 😎

Meet the first participants in the 2023 @SIRIUSXM All-Star #FuturesGame ⭐️⚓️⭐️ pic.twitter.com/176yAmSQ0v
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 26, 2023

The 23-year-old Rodriguez is currently at Triple-A and is one of many talented players in a Pirates system that has already called up Henry Davis and Nick Gonzales.

He's hitting .248 this season at Triple-A with five home runs and 31 RBI. He's also stolen four bases this year.

Here's a look at a portion of his MLB.com prospect profile. He's currently the No. 3 prospect in the organization.

A switch-hitter, Rodriguez is now looking like he has the chance to be a true impact bat in the middle of a big league lineup. Even as he’s moved up the ladder, he’s continued to show a very good approach at the plate, drawing walks (11.4 percent BB rate in his two full seasons in the Pirates' organization) and limiting the swings-and-misses (18.4 K rate in 2021-22 combined). The power continues to come, and after hitting 25 homers and slugging .590 in 2022, it’s looking like he should have at least above-average pop in the big leagues.

More athletic than most catchers, Rodriguez has seen time at both second base and the outfield. His flexibility is a plus, even if it initially slowed his catching skills from developing, but the Pirates noticed a marked improvement with more consistent reps in 2022, especially with his pop times and his throwing. He’ll get most of his time behind the plate this year, but he will still move around some, showing average defense in the outfield and a bit below that at second.

At the major league level, the Pirates are 5.5 games out of first place in the National League Central.

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