Press Release Major League Baseball
Rosters Feature 11 Former First Round Picks; World Team Includes Players from 10 Different Countries and Territories Outside the United States
Rosters for the 15th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game were announced today by Major League Baseball.
The SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which is now in its 15th year, features the top Minor League prospects competing in a nine-inning contest as part of Taco Bell All-Star Sunday. The U.S. Team leads the all-time series, 8-6. The game will begin at 2:00 p.m. (EDT) and can be viewed live on ESPN2, ESPN2 HD and MLB.com.
SiriusXM, the Official Satellite Radio Partner of Major League Baseball, will provide live play-by-play coverage of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game on MLB Network Radio (XM channel 89; Sirius channel 209) in addition to SiriusXM’s other comprehensive live coverage from New York. The game will also be available to SiriusXM subscribers on the SiriusXM Internet Radio App for smart phones and mobile devices and online at SiriusXM.com. Taco Bell All-Star Sunday is the first of three days of All-Star events at Citi Field, culminating with the 84th All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 16th.
Major League Baseball, in conjunction with the Major League Baseball Scouting Bureau, MLB.com, Baseball America and the 30 Major League Clubs, selected the 25 players currently on each team. Each Major League organization is represented and players from all full-season Minor Leagues were eligible to participate.
The teams feature 11 former first round draft picks (U.S. – 10; World – 1), eight players picked in Compensation Round A (all U.S.) and four second round picks (all U.S.). Among the 11 first round picks, six were selected in the 2011 Draft, three in the 2010 Draft and two in the 2012 Draft. The World Team features players from 10 different countries and territories outside the 50 United States. The Dominican Republic is represented by 13 players, followed by Colombia (2), Cuba (2) and Puerto Rico (2). Aruba, Brazil, Canada, Panama, Taiwan and Venezuela are each represented by one player on the World Team.
For the first time, fans will determine the final player on both the U.S. and World Team rosters by casting their votes in the All-Star Sunday Futures Finalists (#FuturesFinalists) ballot, available exclusively on MLB.com/futuresfinalists and the Club sites. Fans may begin voting immediately and cast their ballots until Sunday, June 30th at 11:59 p.m. (EDT).
The five candidates for the U.S. are: OF Tyler Austin (Trenton/NYY; #VoteAustin); OF Nick Castellanos (Toledo/DET; #VoteCastellanos); 3B Garin Cecchini (Portland/BOS; #VoteCecchini); OF Courtney Hawkins (Winston-Salem/CWS; #VoteHawkins); and OF Brandon Nimmo (Savannah/NYM; #VoteNimmo). The players vying for the final roster spot on the World Team are: SS Javier Baez (Dayton/CHI; Puerto Rico; #VoteBaez); 1B Ji-Man Choi (Jackson/SEA; South Korea; #VoteChoi); SS Carlos Correa (Quad Cities/HOU; Puerto Rico; #VoteCorrea); 3B Renato Nunez (Beloit/OAK; Venezuela; #VoteNunez); and 2B Rougned Odor (Myrtle Beach/TEX; Venezuela; #VoteOdor).
In addition to voting on the web, fans also may use their mobile phones to cast votes via text message. To receive the All-Star Sunday Futures Finalists ballot, text the word “VOTE” to 89269. Individual player votes may be cast directly via text by sending a player’s code to 89269. For example, Text “U3” to vote for U.S. Team Player 3. Player codes are as follows: Austin (U1), Cecchini (U2), Castellanos (U3), Hawkins (U4), Nimmo (U5), Baez (W1), Choi (W2), Correa (W3), Nunez (W4) and Odor (W5). All votes are final. Standard rate text messaging fees apply (check with mobile carriers for details).
The SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game will last nine innings, and in the event of a tie, a 10th inning will be played. The game will not go longer than 10 innings, regardless of the score. Players and coaches will be outfitted in special SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game jerseys and will wear caps of their Major League organization with a SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game logo embroidered on the side.
The Minor League Baseball Umpires who will work the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game are Pat Hoberg (home plate) of the Pacific Coast League, Gabe Morales (first base) of the International League, Ryan Goodman (second base) of the Southern League and Nic Lentz (third base) of the Eastern League.
Ninety-nine players have competed in both the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In 2012, 30 Major League All-Stars were alumni of the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game. Nine players – Jose Altuve, Adam Dunn, Neftali Feliz, Jason Heyward, Bryce Harper, Francisco Liriano, Evan Longoria, Ben Sheets and Geovany Soto – appeared in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and were named to the All-Star Game in the following season.
