2019 MLB Futures Game Breakdown: The NL Pitchers
The 2019 MLB Futures Game will take place on Sunday, July 7th at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. Gone is the World vs USA format that had long outlived its usefulness in what has long been a global sport. Regardless of the format of the competition, we will still get a chance to see some of MLB’s very best prospects face off against one another. Here is the NL Futures Game pitcher breakdown. Before the game, we will also have insights on NL Hitters, AL Hitters, and AL Pitchers. Within each of the prospect breakdowns, you will find the players position, their organizational affiliation, their current minor league level, my grades for each of their offerings, and the rankings relative to their peers (Top 100, within the organization, and at their position) as decided by Baseball America’s latest release and MLB’s prospect pipeline.
RIGHT HANDED PITCHERS
Sixto Sanchez, RHP, Miami Marlins AA
7/29/98 Fastball: 75 Slider: 60 Changeup: 60 Control: 65
BA #19 MLB #22 MIA BA #1 MLB #1 RHP BA #4 MLB #6
Sixto Sanchez is one of the best young pitchers in the minors and could reach the majors by this time next year. He originally signed with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2015, but was traded to the Miami Marlins in the deal that sent J.T. Realmuto to the Phillies this past off-season. His biggest concern is his ability to stay healthy as he has never thrown over 100 innings in the minors in one season. He has some of the best stuff in the minors to go along with plus control, giving him the chance to be a #1 starting pitcher. His best pitch is his fastball, which is among the best in all of baseball. That offering sits in the mid 90s and regularly touches 100 mph. He has two really good secondary pitches that could develop into plus pitches in his slider and his changeup. He is the Marlins top prospect according to Baseball America and mlbpipeline and may be the most exciting pitcher in the Futures Game.
Ian Anderson, RHP, Atlanta Braves AA
5/2/98 Fastball: 65 Curveball: 55 Changeup: 55 Control: 50
BA #28 MLB #26 ATL BA #1 MLB #3 RHP BA #9 MLB #8
The Braves selected Ian Anderson as the 3rd overall pick in 2016. This season Anderson has impressed leading the Double-A Mississippi Braves in Wins (5), innings pitched (86.2), and Strikeouts (113). He might have the best fastball in the Atlanta Braves system. He has a plus curveball and is working on developing a plus changeup. Anderson has the potential to be a front of the rotation starting pitcher if he can improve his control and develop his changeup. On the same day he was named to the Futures Game he tied a Mississippi Braves record with 14 strikeouts over 7 innings as part of a combined no-hitter. No doubt his star is burning bright leading up to the Futures Game and there is a chance he could make it to the majors by the end of the season. He is the Atlanta Braves top prospect according to Baseball America.
Luis Patino, RHP, San Diego Padres A+
10/26/99 Fastball: 65 Slider: 60 Curveball: 55 Changeup: 50 Control: 55
BA #42 MLB #40 SD BA #4 MLB #3
Luis Patino was not as highly touted as some of the other pitchers in his International class but he might prove to be one of the best from that 2016 group. He has had plenty of success throughout his young career and through 29 starts between Hi-A and Low-A he has a 2.59 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and has struck out 174 batters over 142.2 innings pitched as a teenager. His fastball is his best pitch and it usually sits in the low to mid 90s with good movement and it tops out at 98 mph. His best secondary pitch is his slider which should develop into another plus pitch. He is working on improving his curveball and his changeup and they both have a chance to become above average pitches.
Dustin May, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers AAA
9/6/97 Fastball: 65 Curveball: 60 Cutter: 55 Control: 60
BA #37 MLB #51 LAD BA #3 MLB #3
When Dustin May first got drafted he was a tall skinny high school pitcher who threw 89-92 mph, since that time however he has gotten stronger and improved his fastball velocity and scouts feel he still has plenty of upside as he continues to develop and mature. His fastball is his best pitch and it usually sits at 93-96 mph. His best secondary pitch is his curveball that looks like it will become a plus pitch. He also throws an above average cutter. He has good control that should continue to improve as he progresses. He has struck out 114 batters over 113.2 innings since making it to AA a year ago and recently got promoted to AAA. There is a chance if he performs well at AAA he could possibly be up by the end of the year.
Adbert Alzolay, RHP, Chicago Cubs MLB
3/1/95 Fastball:60 Curveball:60 Changeup:50 Control: 50
CHC BA #6 MLB #4
Signed as a relatively unknown player out of Venezuela in 2012 at almost 18 years of age, Adbert has made a lot of progress in his development. In 2017, he was considered to be the Cubs top pitching prospect in the minors and there was a chance he could of been in the majors at some point last year had he not missed time due to a lat injury. This year on June 25th he made the first start of his major league career. His fastball sits at 92-96 mph and tops out at 98 mph and is complimented by his above average to plus curveball. If he can continue to improve his changeup, he has a good chance to develop into a mid rotation starter. The Cubs feel that he will become a starting pitcher thanks to his strong makeup, great work ethic, and the fact that he has shown the ability to throw strikes consistently throughout his minor league career. He will look to return to that in the Futures Game as he’s walked 7 in 11 Major League innings.
Devin Williams, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers AAA
9/21/94 Fastball: 60 Slider: 60
Devin Williams was a 2nd Round Pick of the Milwaukee Brewers in 2013. He was considered a top 10 Brewers prospect for a few years early in his career but due to injuries and inconsistent performances his prospect status dropped. In fact, that last time he was considered a top 30 prospect for the Brewers was 2 years ago when he finished as their 21st best prospect according to mlbpipeline. This year, as a reliever for the San Antonio Missions, Williams posted a 2.70 ERA, with a strikeout rate of 12.9 per 9. He has a very good chance to make it to Milwaukee at some point this season.
LEFT HANDED PITCHERS
MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego Padres A+
2/24/99 Fastball:60 Curveball:60 Changeup:60 Slider:55 Control: 60
BA #3 MLB #3 SD BA #1 MLB #1 LHP BA #1 MLB #1
MacKenzie Gore was the 3rd overall pick in the 2017 Draft by the San Diego Padres. He was always an elite talent but he had blister issues last year that forced him to miss a lot of time. This year he has been healthy and has started to show why he might just be the best young pitcher in the minors. This year at High A Lake Elsinore he has gone 7-1 with a 1.12 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, and 101 strikeouts with just 17 walks over 72.1 innings.
His fastball sits at 93-95 mph and at times touches 96. He might have the best set of pitches in all the minors with 3 secondary pitches that could be above average to plus in his curveball, changeup, and slider. He is the #1 Prospect of the San Diego Padres and the #1 Left Handed Pitching Prospect in the minors according to Baseball America and mlbpipeline.
Adrian Morejon, LHP, San Diego Padres AA
2/27/99 Fastball:65 Curveball:60 Changeup:55 Control: 50
BA #39 MLB #49 SD BA #3 MLB #4 LHP BA #6 MLB #6
Adrian Morejon is a Cuban pitcher who was highly touted as an amateur before defecting from Cuba in 2015. He signed a record contract with the Padres in 2016 after the first day he was declared a free agent. While his ERA (3.96) and WHIP (1.35) through 32 full season league starts (A-, A+, AA) aren’t exactly dominant, he has been able to strikeout 131 batters over 120.1 innings pitched to go along with a 2.6 to 1 strikeout to walk rate. His biggest challenge so far has been staying healthy as he has yet to pitch 70 innings in a season. His fastball is his best pitch and it sits 93-96 mph. His best secondary pitch is his curveball that in time should develop into a plus pitch. Morejon also throws a changeup that should develop into yet another above average pitch. Still just 20 years old, he is young for AA, but the fact that he is at that level at his age helps to show how much confidence the Padres have in him.
Anthony Kay, LHP, New York Mets AAA
3/21/95 Fastball:55 Curveball:55 Changeup:55 Control: 50
BA #80 MLB #95 NYM BA #3 MLB #3
Anthony Kay was a first round draft pick of the New York Mets in 2016. Kay signed for below pick value due to an elbow injury that required him to have Tommy John surgery and he missed all of 2017. In 2018, making his debut he pitched well enough to make it from Low A Columbia up to High A St. Lucie and averaged a strikeout per inning. This year he has had a ton of success at AA Binghamton (7-3, 1.49 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 9.5 K/9 over 66.1 IP) and he got promoted to AAA Syracuse in June. He has three pitches that are above average at times in his fastball that sits 92-94 mph, along with his curveball and changeup. He should become a mid-rotation starting pitcher down the road and there is a chance that he could possibly make it up to the Mets before the end of this season or another team might see him in the futures game and like him. Anthony Kay is the New York Mets #1 pitching prospect according to Baseball America and mlbpipeline.
Ben Bowden, LHP, Colorado Rockies AAA
10/21/94 Fastball: 60 Changeup: 55 Slider: 50 Control: 50
Ben Bowden was the closer on the Vanderbilt team that won the College World Series in 2014, and in 2016 he was drafted in the 2nd Round. Bowden was the leader in saves (20) in the Eastern League (AA) before being promoted to AAA. He is primarily a two pitch pitcher with his best pitch being his fastball that tops out at 97 mph and a changeup that could develop into a plus pitch. He is also working on developing a slider that has the makings of a solid third pitch. He has excellent control (2.5 BB/9) and is a very good strikeout pitcher (13.8 K/9), which makes for a tantalizing K/BB rate of 5:5. Add it all up and the lefty could make it to the majors sometime before the end of the year.
-James Weisser
