FORT MYERS, Fla. – Thirty-one big-leaguers who participated in at least one Perfect Game event during their years as top high school prospects have been included on either the American League or the National League rosters for the 88th Major League Baseball All-Star Game. This year’s game will be played Tuesday, July 11 at Marlins Park in Miami.
Fifteen alumni of PG events will suit-up for the American League and another 16 will represent the National League. Five former PG position players will start for the AL, and they’ll be joined in the clubhouse by four reserves and six pitchers with PG pasts. Six of the starting NL position players have PG roots, as do four of the reserves and six of the pitchers.
2011 Perfect Game All-American Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros will be making his first MLB All-Star Game appearance as the AL’s starting shortstop. Other former PG All-Americans on the AL roster are New York Yankees right-hander Dellin Betances (2005), Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor (2010) and Astros right-hander Lance McCullers (2011).
It seems beyond coincidence that Correa and McCullers were first East Team teammates at the 2011 PG All-American Classic, were both selected in the first-round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Astros and have been big-league teammates for the past two seasons, and are now teammates on the 2017 American League All-Star Team. This will also be McCullers’ first All-Star appearance.
The other AL starters with PG ties are Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak (1st appearance), Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout (6th), Astros outfielder George Springer (1st) and Tampa Bay Rays acting designated hitter Corey Dickerson (1st).
Former PG All-Americans Bryce Harper (2009) of the Washington Nationals – who led all players with more than 4.6 million votes – and Buster Posey (2004) of the San Francisco Giants are among the National League’s six starters that were PG participants in their formative years; they will start in the outfield and at catcher, respectively. Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, another alumnus of that 2011 PG All-American Classic, is an NL reserve.
The other NL starters who put in their time with PG while in high school are Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy (3rd All-Star appearance), Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado (3rd), Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart (1st) and Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon (2nd).
Twelve of this year’s All-Stars attended the preeminent PG National Showcase the summer before their senior year in high school including AL starter Correa (2011), and NL starters Posey and Arenado.
What follows is a list of former PG prospects who will fill roster spots at next week’s MLB All-Star Game, with a couple of their more prominent PG appearances included.
American League Starters
1B – Justin Smoak, Toronto Blue Jays: 2003-04 PG WWBA World, 2003-05 PG WWBA
SS – Carlos Correa, Houston Astros: 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2011 National Showcase, 2011-12 PG World Showcase, 2010-11 PG WWBA World, 2010-11 PG WWBA/BCS
OF – Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels: 2007-08 PG WWBA World, 2008-08 PG WWBA
OF – George Springer, Houston Astros: 2006-08 PG WWBA, 2006-07 PG showcases
DH – Corey Dickerson, Tampa Bay Rays: 2008 PG WWBA
American League Reserves
1B – Yonder Alonso, 2003 PG WWBA World, 2003-05 PG WWBA
SS – Francisco Lindor, Cleveland Indians: 2010 PG All-American Classic, 2010 PG National Showcase, 2008-09 PG WWBA/BCS, 2009-10 PG showcases
OF – Mookie Betts, Boston Red Sox: 2011 PG WWBA National Championship
OF – Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians: 2004 PG WWBA World
American League Pitchers
LHP – Chris Sale, Boston Red Sox: 2006-07 PG WWBA/BCS, 2006 PG showcases
LHP – Andrew Miller, New York Yankees: 2002 PG National Showcase, 2003 PG World Showcase, 2002 PG WWBA
RHP – Michael Fulmer, Detroit Tigers: 2010 PG WWBA World
RHP – Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians: 2002-03 PG WWBA World, 2003 PG showcases
RHP – Lance McCullers, Houston Astros: 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2011 PG National Showcase, 2008-09 PG WWBA World; 2008-11 PG WWBA/BCS, 2010-11 PG showcases
RHP - Dellin Betances, New York Yankees: 2005 PG All-American Classic, 2005 PG National Showcase, 2004 PG WWBA World
National League Starters
C – Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants: 2004 PG All-American Classic, 2004 PG National Showcase, 2003-04 PG WWBA World
2B – Daniel Murphy, Washington Nationals: 2002 PG WWBA
3B – Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies: 2008 PG National Showcase, 2007-08 PG WWBA, 2007-08 PG showcases
SS – Zack Cozart, Cincinnati Reds: 2003-04 PG WWBA
OF – Charlie Blackmon, Colorado Rockies: 2004 PG WWBA
OF – Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals: 2009 All-American Classic, 2008 PG WWBA World, 2008-09 PG WWBA, 2005, 2008-09 PG showcases
National League Reserves
1B – Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2004 PG WWBA
1B – Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds: 2001 PG National Showcase, 2001 PG WWBA World, 2001 PG showcases
SS – Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2011 PG All-American Classic, 2011 PG National Showcase, 20010-11 PG WWBA World, 2008-11 PG WWBA/BCS
OF – Cody Bellinger, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2012 PG National Showcase, 2011-12 PG WWBA
National League Pitchers
LHP – Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2004 PG WWBA World, 2005 PG WWBA
LHP – Robbie Ray, Arizona Diamondbacks: 2009 PG National Showcase, 2008-09 PG WWBA World, 2007-09 PG WWBA, 2006-09 PG showcases
LHP – Brad Hand, San Diego Padres: 2007 PG National Showcase, 2006-07 PG WWBA, 2007 PG showcases
RHP – Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals: 2005 PG WWBA World, 2005-06 PG WWBA
RHP – Wade Davis, Chicago Cubs: 2003 PG WWBA World
RHP – Pat Neshek, Philadelphia Phillies: 1998 PG Iowa Fall League