​PHILADELPHIA — The All-Star festivities rolled on Sunday with the MLB Futures Game at Citizens Bank Park, a seven-inning showcase pitting the top minor-league prospects against one another. The event brought together an engaging mix of former first-round picks, leading international signees, and surprising breakout stars, with both the American and National League rosters sharing the diamond for an afternoon to offer a preview of the next generation of big-league talent.
Here are the standout performers from Saturday’s action in the American League’s 6-1 win in Philadelphia. Two years ago, Flewelling emerged as one of the breakout players at the MLB Draft Combine, a showcase that had him drawing attention from clubs after he impressed in batting practice and stood out as one of the youngest players in the high school segment. Prior to the combine, the Rays hadn’t even circled him on their radar, and they didn’t meet with him in Phoenix that week. However, a series of scouting trips in Canada in the weeks leading to the draft convinced them to take him in the third round. Tampa Bay offered a near $800,000 signing bonus to persuade him away from a Gonzaga commitment, a hefty offer for a player who had been largely under the radar just months earlier.
So far in pro ball, Flewelling has justified that selection, posting a .393 on-base percentage as an 18-year-old in Low-A last year and elevating his offensive game this season by hitting .261/.394/.496 with 16 home runs across 73 games at High-A Bowling Green. On Sunday, his appearance came as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the fourth, and he had just one at-bat in the top of the sixth. He made that at-bat count, though. He swung at the first pitch from Phillies right-handed reliever Wen-Hui Pan and ripped a deep fly ball to right that cleared the wall for a two-run homer just over the fence. In the Futures Game, a home run often accompanies MVP recognition, and Flewelling lived up to that expectation, eventually accepting the postgame MVP honors from Ken Griffey Jr. For a franchise that has mastered operating efficiently on a tight budget while trying to field a competitive team, the Rays have long searched for a reliable catcher. Flewelling isn’t in line to reach the big leagues immediately—he won’t turn 20 until November—but he possesses the tools and poise that suggest he could become a franchise cornerstone behind the plate. He’s a captivating name to watch for 2028 and beyond.
Pittsburgh’s 20-year-old flamethrower delivered the afternoon’s second-fastest heater at 101 mph, yet it wasn’t his best moment that stole the show. He also dazzled by freezing Royals catching prospect Blake Mitchell with a disappearing-changeup sequence. That changeup has long been his best secondary offering, a rare weapon for a high school pitcher who often relies on overpowering fastballs to overwhelm hitters. I spoke with Hernandez about the pitch to gain more insight for familiarity and clarity, noting how it complements his velocity and helps him keep hitters off balance as he progresses through the minors.