Futures Game: Prospects to Watch
The 2024 Futures Game is on Saturday in Arlington, Texas, bringing together some of baseball's best prospects.
Two prospects from the Pirates’ system will participate, Termarr Johnson and Bubba Chandler.
Along with those two, for obvious reasons, there will be quite a few names to watch throughout the game, I take a look at three hitters and pitchers, as well as the Pirates’ prospects participating.
There may not be a better-performing pitching prospect in the minors right now than Bubba Chandler. An insane thought that they have one of the best pitching prospects in the game and the best pitcher at the major league level as well.
Chandler’s fastball is among the best in the minors, and if he really wants to let loose this weekend, it wouldn’t surprise me if he pushes triple-digits. With the movement and shape it already has, triple-digits may be nearly unhittable.
It was a rough start for Termarr Johnson, but he’s slowly starting to string hits along. While he has a smaller frame, he packs a punch at the plate. Hit some towering shots against major league pitchers in Spring Training, so he’s the kind of guy that could make some noise at a game like this.
Max Clark - OF, Detroit Tigers
One of my favorite players in the 2023 draft class, Clark has hit the ground running, literally, in his first full season of pro ball.
The outfielder has stolen 25 bases on 27 attempts, which is among the best among Florida State League hitters. He’s also hit 19 extra-base hits (six home runs) in 70 games.
He’s more speed over power right now, but with plenty of potential to tap into down the road. In a showcase event like this, he’s one that can easily steal the show.
Aidan Miller - 3B/SS, Philadelphia Phillies
Along with Miller, Clark, Kevin McGonigle, and Walter Jenkins, among others, the 2023 prep class has been pretty well represented in the FSL so far this season.
Miller has since moved up to High-A Jersey Shore, where he’s struggled a bit but was showing a lot of why many believed he was a steal for the Phillies late in the first round.
Even with the rough numbers in the South Atlantic League, Miller still has an overall wRC+ of 126 in 2024.
Xavier Isaac - 1B, Tampa Bay Rays
Isaac can take over these showcase-type games. We know this because he hit a pair of home runs and a double for the Rays’ prospect team during the Spring Breakout in March.
The power is legit for Isaac, as he has slugged 14 home runs in High-A Bowling Green right now. He’s also swiped 13 bases as well, flashing a secondary part to his game.
While the pitching is going to be stout, if there is anyone who can break through and provide some offense on a single swing, it’ll be Isaac.
Noah Schultz - LHP, Chicago White Sox
One of the top pitching prospects in the entire game, and the top left-handed pitcher, Schultz has arguably been better in Double-A than he was in the level below.
The towering lefty has a 2.30 ERA (2.38 xFIP) with Double-A Birmingham compared to a 3.95 (2.73 xFIP) mark in High-A Winston Salem.
Generally, young pitchers with this type of frame have issues throwing strikes, but Schultz has walked just 5% of the batters he has faced this season while striking out 34.4%.
The slider may be one of the best pitches in all of the minors.
Quinn Mathews - RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
A left-handed pitcher out of Stanford, Mathews has been a fun story to follow. He gained notoriety in college for his complete-game shutout in a Super Regional game, during which he threw 156 pitches.
Seen mostly as an advanced college lefty with a limited ceiling, Mathews has taken his game to another level.
Blowing through three levels so far, Mathews has put up a collective 2.22 ERA with a 36.5% strikeout rate while walking just 7.6% of the batters he has faced.
While it could be easy to point to the fact that him being 23 years old and playing in the lower levels had a lot to do with it, the fact that his fastball saw an insane velocity jump going into the season makes many think the performance is legit.
Chase Dollander - RHP, Colorado Rockies
Most considered Dollander the top pitcher available in the 2023 draft heading into the season, but he struggled, and Paul Skenes took his game to another dimension.
Dollander is starting to show that elite stuff that had him in that 1.1 conversation to begin the season.
He’s absolutely dominated at High-A Spokane, striking out 37% of the batters he’s faced while posting a 2.83 ERA (2.80 xFIP) across 70 innings pitched.
It’s a deep arsenal of up to five pitches, but also someone who can dial the fastball up there in a shorter outing like this.
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Just in case, to repeat from the rundown thread, Skenes to start ASG.
WRT a future Futures Game, Kiley has us mocked to take Rainer and based on the little I've read about him, I'd be happy with that. Love the potential to be a pitcher if he doesn't hit, though obviously he goes 1.9 due to projecting as a SS.