MLB All-Star Futures Game: Rays prospect Nathan Flewelling earns MVP honors with 2-run homer in AL's 6-1 win
Theo Gillen's RBI single in the fifth inning gave the American League the lead on its way to a 6-1 win over the National League in Sunday's MLB All-Star Futures Game at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.
Gillen, ranked as the Tampa Bay Rays' top prospect by MLB.com, got a fastball in the high middle of the strike zone from San Diego Padres pitcher Kash Mayfield (the team's fourth-ranked minor leaguer) and slapped it for an opposite-field hit to drive in Los Angeles Angels speedster (and No. 2 prospect) Nelson Rada.
Another Rays prospect, catcher Nathan Flewelling, added to the AL's lead in the sixth inning with a two-run home run.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Wen-Hui Pan (the team's No. 12 prospect) was the unfortunate culprit in his future home ballpark, throwing a 96 mph fastball right down the middle of the zone. Tampa Bay's No. 2 prospect swatted the pitch into the right-field seats.
Currently playing for high Single-A Bowling Green in the Rays' organization, Flewelling received the Larry Doby Award as the Futures Game Most Valuable Player. He currently has a .261/.394/.496 slash line with 16 homers and 47 RBI for the Hot Rods.
The AL added two more runs in the seventh inning, beginning with an RBI double by shortstop JoJo Parker, the Toronto Blue Jays' top minor-leaguer. That drove in the Houston Astros' No. 1 prospect, outfielder Kevin Alvarez, who reached base after being hit by a pitch from Chicago Cubs pitcher (and Mark McGwire's son) Mason McGwire.
Parker advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Washington Nationals pitcher Miguel Sime Jr. and came around to score on a single from the Cleveland Guardians' top prospect, outfielder Ralphy Velasquez.
Anthony Eyanson, the Boston Red Sox's top pitching prospect, earned the win by getting one out in the fourth, preceding Gillen's go-ahead single. Mayfield took the loss by allowing that RBI hit.
Shortstop Leo De Vries, the Athletics No. 1 prospect, was another standout on the AL side, batting 1-for-2 with 2 stolen bases and scoring the game's first run.
On the pitching side for the NL, Sime Jr., Pittsburgh Pirates No. 1 prospect Seth Hernandez and St. Louis Cardinals' top minor-league pitcher Liam Doyle each notched 2 strikeouts. Pan was charged with 2 runs in two-thirds of an inning and fellow Phillies prospect (and No. 1 pitcher) Gage Wood also allowed 1 run while starting the game.
Getting hits for the NL were Milwaukee Brewers No. 1 prospect Jesús Made, San Francisco Giants outfielder Dakota Jordan, San Diego Padres top prospect Ethan Salas and Dodgers No. 1 minor-leaguer Josue De Paula, last year's Futures Game MVP.
