EMERSON, Ga. – Baseball scouts and fanatics will flock to Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz. this Saturday evening to witness some of the game’s brightest prospects compete in the ninth annual Fall Stars Game, the yearly All-Star Game for the Arizona Fall League, offering a glimpse at what the future of Major League Baseball holds.
After the previous eight competitions had been held at Surprise Stadium, this year marks the first time Salt River Fields, spring training home of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies, will host the contest.
Fifty of the game’s most promising prospects will compete in the Fall Stars Game, which will be televised on MLB Network and streamed live on MLB.com starting at 5 p.m. (MST).
The ninth edition of the annual Arizona Fall League all-star game features several recognizable Perfect Game alumni; 28 players, to be exact. Sixteen of the East Division’s 25 stars participated in Perfect Game events during their high school years, while 12 of the West Division’s 25 were also previous Perfect Game prospects.
Seven all-stars performed at the prestigious Perfect Game All-American Classic, 12 at the Perfect Game National Showcase, and 16 played in the Perfect Game WWBA World Championship.
Seven of the East Division’s 11-man pitching staff claim PG alumni status, including 2010 Perfect Game All-American Classic star Archie Bradley, an elite prospect in the Diamondbacks organization. Other notables on the East Division roster include Kaleb Cowart, of the Los Angeles Angels, and Daniel Robertson, of the Oakland A’s. Cowart performed in the 2009 edition of the PG All-American Classic, Robertson in the 2011 contest.
Baseball’s top prospect, Byron Buxton, who was selected to roam the outfield for the East Division, will not participate in the game after injuring his left middle finger in a game played earlier this week.
“It’s a great opportunity to play with the guys we’ve played against,” Buxton said in a previous interview.
A participant of four WWBA National Championships during his time as an amateur, Buxton reflected on his time in the PG tournaments in an interview last year.
“(Perfect Game) helped a lot,” he said. “There’s a bunch of scouts at East Cobb (during the 2011 17u and 18u WWBA National Championships) and I did pretty well there. It helped my draft stock go up.”
Six of the West Division’s seven infielders selected for the game hail from the grounds of PG tournaments, as do a pair of West Division catchers. Four of the West’s 12 PG alumni showcased their talents at the Perfect Game All-American Classic. Catcher Justin O-Conner, of the Tampa Bay Rays, starred in the ’09 Classic, while infielder Francisco Lindor, of the Cleveland Indians, played the following year, and Corey Seager (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Jesse Winker (Cincinnati Reds) wore the honor during the 2011 contest.
Four players named to the pair of Fall Stars Game roster were named to this year's Perfect Game Minor League All-Star team.
What follows is a brief rundown of the prospects with Perfect Game ties that will be on the field for the Fall Stars game Saturday in Scottsdale:
2014 FALL STARS GAME PERFECT GAME ALUMNI
(Name, position, MLB organization, notable PG events attended)
EAST DIVISION
Christian Bergman, RHP, Colorado Rockies: 2004 West Coast Top Prospect Showcase, 2004 Underclass National Showcase
Archie Bradley, RHP, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2008 WWBA World Championship, 2008-09 WWBA 17u National Championship, 2010 Perfect Game All-American Classic
Trevor Gott, RHP, Los Angeles Angels: 2008-09 WWBA National Championship, 2010 17u PG BCS Finals
Brian Ellington, RHP, Miami Marlins: 2005-06 WWBA World Championship, 2006 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2006 National Underclass Showcase, 2007 World Showcase, 2007 National Showcase, 2006-07-08-09 WWBA 18u National Championship, 2007-08-09 18u PG BCS Finals
Steven Okert, LHP, San Francisco Giants: 2009 WWBA 18u National Championship
Jake Reed, RHP, Minnesota Twins: 2010 National Showcase, 2010 WWBA World Championship, 2011 WWBA 18u National Championship
Adrian Sampson, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2008 Northwest Showcase
Peter O’Brien, C, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2007 Sunshine East Showcase, 2008 World Showcase, 2008 18u PG BCS Finals
Josh Bell, INF, Pittsburgh Pirates: 2008-09-10 WWBA National Championship, 2009 Jr. National Showcase, 2009 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2010 WWBA World Championship
Brandon Drury, INF, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2008 NorCal Underclass Showcase
Kaleb Cowart, INF, Los Angeles Angels: 2006-07 National Underclass Showcase, 2007-08 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2007-08-09 WWBA National Championship, 2007-08-09 PG BCS Finals, 2007-08-09 WWBA World Championship, 2009 National Showcase, 2009 Perfect Game All-American Classic
Matt Olson, INF, Oakland Athletics: 2008-09-10-11 WWBA National Championship, 2010 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2010 WWBA World Championship, 2011 National Showcase
Tony Renda, INF, Washington Nationals: 2008 WWBA 17u National Championship
Daniel Robertson, INF, Oakland Athletics: 2010-11 WWBA National Championship, 2011 National Showcase, 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic, 2011 WWBA World Championship
Byron Buxton, OF, Minnesota Twins: 2010-11 WWBA National Championship
Roman Quinn, OF, Philadelphia Phillies: 2008 15u PG BCS Finals, 2008-09 WWBA National Championship, 2010 National Showcase, 2010 WWBA World Championship
WEST DIVISION
Nick Maronde, LHP, Cleveland Indians: 2005 WWBA World Championship, 2005-06-07-08 WWBA National Championship, 2006 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2007 National Showcase, 2007-08 PG BCS Finals
Tyler Wagner, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers: 2008 West Uncommitted Showcase
Justin O’Conner, C, Tampa Bay Rays: 2007 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2008-09 WWBA National Championship, 2008-09 WWBA World Championship, 2009 National Showcase, 2009 Perfect Game All-American Classic
Mike Ohlman, C, Baltimore Orioles: 2008 WWBA World Championship, 2008-09 WWBA National Championship, 2008-09 PG BCS Finals
Hunter Dozier, INF, Kansas City Royals: 2007 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2008 WWBA 17u National Championship
Patrick Leonard, INF, Tampa Bay Rays: 2007-08-09 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2008-09 WWBA National Championship, 2009 Jr. National Showcase, 2009 PG BCS Finals, 2009-10 WWBA World Championship, 2010 National Showcase
Francisco Lindor, INF, Cleveland Indians: 2008-09 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2009 WWBA National Championship, 2009 PG BCS Finals, 2009 Jr. National Championship, 2009-10 WWBA World Championship, 2010 National Showcase, 2010 Perfect Game All-American Classic
D.J. Peterson, INF, Seattle Mariners: 2009 WWBA World Championship
Jace Peterson, INF, San Diego Padres, 2009 WWBA 18u National Championship
Corey Seager, INF, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2008 PG BCS Finals, 2009 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2009-10-11 WWBA National Championship, 2010-11 WWBA World Championship, 2011 National Showcase, 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic
Hunter Renfroe, OF, San Diego Padres: 2009-10 WWBA 18u National Championship
Jesse Winker, OF, Cincinnati Reds: 2008-09-10 WWBA Underclass World Championship, 2008-09-10 WWBA National Championship, 2009-10 Jr. National Showcase, 2009-10-11 PG BCS Finals, 2009-10-11 WWBA World Championship, 2011 World Showcase, 2011 National Showcase, 2011 Perfect Game All-American Classic