Detroit Tigers' Trio Leads Prospect-Packed 2025 All-Star Futures Game
MLB Pipeline ranks infielder McGonigle as the Tigers' No. 1 prospect, outfielder Clark at No. 2 and catcher/first baseman Briceno at No. 4. All hit left-handed and really well.
BRADENTON, FL: Kevin McGonigle of the Detroit Tigers reaches second base on a double during a spring ... More training game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park on March 14, 2025. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images)
The American League roster has five other players ranked No. 1 in their team's farm system. The National League has eight organization top-ranked players.
McGonigle, described as 'an absolute pure hitter' by a member of the Tigers organization, has been just that in his first 137 games as a professional, batting .325 with power, speed, and great strike-zone command.
Drafted in the first round, No. 37 overall, in 2023 out of high school, McGonigle got $2,847,500 to sign. He hit .315 in 21 games across two levels that summer and .309 in 74 games across two levels at age 19 last year. He sprained his right ankle in the 2025 season opener and missed several weeks. In 36 games at High-A West Michigan, he's hitting .372 with 7 homers, 39 RBI.
McGonigle has drawn 90 walks and struck out 58 times as a pro with 33 stolen bases. He has played mostly shortstop, though many scouts believe he is better suited for second base. His bat should find him a place in any lineup in the future.
ARLINGTON, TX: Max Clark of the Detroit Tigers fields a ball in the All-Star Futures Game at Globe ... More Life Field on July 13, 2024. (Photo by)
Clark is probably the best overall athlete in the Detroit farm system. Picked No. 3 overall in 2023 behind Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Dylan Crews of the Washington Nationals, he got $7.697 million to sign. He played in the 2024 Futures Game.
In 197 pro games, he has 46 steals in 53 tries and several highlight-reel catches in center field. He has 37 doubles and 18 homers, too. He is considered a good defensive option in center, which is so important in playing the Tigers' massive Comerica Park outfield. Some scouts believe that as he matures, he could develop power that would make him a true star.
Briceno has plenty of power. He has hit 15 homers with 55 RBI in 54 games at West Michigan in 2025. He blasted 10 and batted .433 with 27 RBI in 25 games to win the Triple Crown and MVP honors in the 2024 Arizona Fall League.
SCOTTSDALE, AZ: Detroit Tigers prospect Josue Briceno of the Scottsdale Scorpions hits a home run ... More against the Salt River Rafters at Scottsdale Stadium on Oct, 16, 2024 in the Arizona Fall League. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Signed for $800,000 at age 17 out of Venezuela in 2022, Briceno's bat is a big deal; his defense a question. He has played mostly at catcher and shown some improvement but most everybody forecasts the 6-4, 200-pound slugger as a first baseman – where he also needs work.
Here are the 2025 All-Star Futures Game rosters. Players ranked No. 1 in their respective organizations by MLB Pipeline are marked with an asterisk (*):
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Athletics: Gage Jump, LHP*; Tommy White, 3B.Baltimore Orioles: Enrique Bradfield Jr., OF; Keagan Gillies, RHP.
Boston Red Sox: Jhostynxon Garcia, OF.Chicago White Sox: Noah Schultz, LHP*; Braden Montgomery, OF.
Cleveland Guardians: C.J. Kayfus, 1B/OF; Parker Messick, LHP.Detroit Tigers: Kevin McGonigle, SS/2B*; Max Clark, OF; Josue Briceño, C/1B.Houston Astros: Brice Matthews, 2B/SS*; Alimber Santa, RHP.Kansas City Royals: Carter Jensen, C; Frank Mozzicato, LHP.Los Angeles Angels: George Klassen, RHP.Minnesota Twins: Kaelen Culpepper, SS.New York Yankees: George Lombard Jr., SS*.
Seattle Mariners: Lazaro Montes, OF; Harry Ford, C; Jurrangelo Cijntje, RHP/LHP.Tampa Bay Rays: Brody Hopkins, RHP.Texas Rangers: Sebastian Walcott, SS/3B*.Toronto Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage, RHP.NATIONAL LEAGUE
Arizona Diamondbacks: Slade Caldwell, OF; LuJames Groover, 3B.Atlanta Braves: JR Ritchie, RHP; Hayden Harris, LHP.Chicago Cubs: Owen Caissie, OF*, Jaxon Wiggins, RHP.Cincinnati Reds: Sal Stewart, 3B; Alfredo Duno, C.Colorado Rockies: Charlie Condon, 1B/OF*.Los Angeles Dodgers: Josue De Paula, OF*; Zyhir Hope, OF.Miami Marlins: Thomas White, LHP*; Joe Mack, C.
Milwaukee Brewers: Jesús Made, SS/3B*.New York Mets: Jonah Tong, RHP; Carson Benge, OF.Philadelphia Phillies: Andrew Painter, RHP*; Eduardo Tait, C.Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF; Esmerlyn Valdez, OF/1B.St. Louis Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B*.San Diego Padres: Leo De Vries, SS*.San Francisco Giants: Carson Whisenhunt, LHP.Washington Nationals: Travis Sykora, RHP*; Marquis Grissom Jr., RHP.
Futures Game History
From 1999 until 2018, a team of USA-born players competed against players from Puerto Rico and other nations. Since 2019, the competition has between prospects in National League farm systems against those from the American League.
The late Jimmie Lee Solomon, an MLB Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations, thought up the idea as a way to showcase minor-league players during MLB All-Star week festivities.
The Larry Doby Award
Named for the first black player in American League history, the award is given to the game's most valuable player. Doby made his MLB debut July 5, 1947, for the Cleveland Indians and last played in the big leagues for the 1959 Chicago White Sox.
CLEVELAND: Larry Doby of the Cleveland Indians hitS a home run, during his second season in 1948. ... More (Photo by The Stanley)
He started his career at age 17 in the Negro Leagues in 1942, served in World War II in 1945, then came back in 1946 at age 23 to have a fabulous season for the Newark Eagles. He hit .365 with 52 RBI in 59 games to lead the club past the mighty Kansas City Monarchs in the Negro League World Series.
He batted .283 with 253 homers in 1,533 MLB games and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998. He drove in 100 or more runs five times, including a career-best 126 in 1954 when Cleveland won the AL Pennant. He hit .318 in the 1948 World Series, the last time Cleveland won it all.
BOSTON: Alfonso Soriano of the World Team hits a three-run home run during the Futures Game at ... More Fenway Park on July 11, 1999. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB via Getty Images)
The first winner of the award and arguably the most successful afterwards, was New York Yankees infield prospect Alfonso Soriano in 1999. In 16 MLB seasons, he swatted 412 homers with 1,159 RBI and 289 stolen bases.
The only player to win the award in his 'home' ballpark was catcher Hank Conger of the Los Angeles Angels in 2010 after hitting a three-run homer.
A first-round pick in 2006, Conger had few other career highlights. He hit .293 over parts of nine seasons in the minors, but only .221 in 373 MLB games. His best year was with the 2015 Houston Astros: 11 homers, 33 RBI, .229.
The 2025 All-Star Futures Game will be played this Saturday at Truist Park in Atlanta at 4 p.m.
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