Major League Baseball has unveiled the rosters for the 2024 Futures Game during All-Star Weekend in Texas, and two New York Yankees prospects have made the cut.
Left-handed pitcher Brock Selvidge and outfielder Spencer Jones made the American League team, with Jones one of 39 players to earn the honor from MLB.com’s top 100 prospects.
While there are no guarantees, particularly in baseball, being named to the Futures Game is often a strong indicator that a player will one day suit up in the Major Leagues. 87.9% of players from past future games have played at least one MLB game and 20.7% have been named to at least one All-Star team, according to ESPN.
For the Yankees, one need only look back to last year, when Clayton Beeter earned a spot on the team. He then made his MLB debut earlier in 2024, throwing a scoreless inning in relief on March 29. Beeter is currently on the Injured List with a shoulder injury.
The Futures Game will take place on Saturday, July 13 at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The full rosters can be found below:
Spencer Jones Represents the Yankees at the Futures Game for the 2nd Time
Jones, MLB.com’s No. 75 overall prospect, returns to the Futures Game after appearing in a bench role last season in Seattle. He walked and struck out in two plate appearances.
A year later, Jones is finding his way at AA Somerset, hitting .252 with a .752 OPS and 9 home runs in 65 games. He’s a centerfielder now, but Baseball America speculates he may be better suited for one of the corner spots, despite his speed. BA also says Jones has middle-of-the-order power and an average arm.
“It’s just gonna be a cool event. Even though I’ve been there once, being a there a second time is just gonna be even better,” Jones said, according to The Trentonian. “The first time you go, it’s pretty quick. You don’t really know what to expect. But I think the second time around, I’m just gonna try to enjoy it as much as possible, kind of just soak in the moment, soak in those days.”
He was the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2022 and MLB projects him to be ready for the big leagues in 2025.
Brock Selvidge Brings His ‘Bread & Butter’ Slider to the Futures Game
Selvidge, the Yankees’ third-round pick in 2021, has also spent the season in Somerset. The No. 10 prospect in the Yankees’ system, per MLB.com, Selvidge is a four-pitch starter who uses his slider as his “out” pitch.
“It has been, I would say, my bread and butter for probably about a year and a half, but I think the usage that I throw that with and the intent that I throw that with, it plays well as long as I’m throwing pitches with max intent and confidence,” Selvidge told The Trentonian.
In 15 starts in Somerset, Selvidge has a 3.95 ERA. His 80 strikeouts in 79.2 innings make up for his 4.4 walks per 9 innings — the worst mark of his young pro career. Selvidge has also allowed only 4 home runs.
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