Perfect Game's representation in America's Mid-Summer Classic continues to grow.
Twenty-three alumni of dozens of Perfect Game events have been selected to play in this year's Major League Baseball All-Star Game on July 10 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The 83rd MLB All-Star Game will be televised nationally on the FOX network.
The 23 PG alumni (as of July 3) named to either the American League or National League rosters tops the 19 that were selected for last year's All-Star Game. Ten of the former PG top prospects are on Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington's American League squad while 13 are included on former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa's National League roster.
Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder was voted by fans as a starter on the AL team, while San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey and Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto were voted in as starters on the NL squad.
Fielder attended the 2001 PG National Showcase and the 2002 PG World Showcase. Posey was at the 2004 PG National Showcase and played in the 2004 PG/Aflac All-American Classic, while Votto was with Fielder at the '01 PG National Showcase.
Votto, the 2010 NL Most Valuable Player, is having another blockbuster season and has been one of the game's top players since making his big-league debut with the Reds in 2007.
"You can compare his first five years with almost anybody who has ever played the game," Reds manager Dusty Baker told USA Today Sports on July 3. "Even Barry Bonds wasn't this good this quick."
Posey is one of three PG/Aflac All-American Classic alumni selected this year. Washington Nationals left-hander Gio Gonzalez played in the 2003 Classic and Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen was with Posey at the 2004 Classic as well as at the 2004 PG National Showcase. McCutchen holds the Classic record for most hits in the game with four.
McCutchen, selected to his second consecutive MLB All-Star Game at age 25, had a phenomenal month of June and is on pace for a 30-home run, 30-stolen bases season. He was named the NL Player of the Month in June when he hit .370 (40-for-108) and compiled 73 total bases in 27 games. He also had seven home runs and 26 RBI.
In all, the 23 All-Stars were at Perfect Game events as far back as 1999 and as recently as 2008: New York Mets third baseman David Wright and Pirates right-handed closer Joel Hanrahan were both at the 1999 PG World Showcase and Los Angeles Angels outfielder and rookie sensation Mike Trout played in the 2008 PG WWBA World Championship in Jupiter, Fla.
Other notables include Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander and 2011 NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw and San Francisco Giants righty Matt Cain, who earlier this season threw a perfect game.
Other PG alumni named to the AL squad include:
Matt Harrison, LHP, Texas; Chris Perez, RHP, Cleveland; David Price, LHP, Tampa Bay; Chris Sale, LHP, Chicago White Sox; Matt Wieters, C, Baltimore; Adam Jones, OF, Baltimore; Mark Trumbo, OF, L.A. Angels; Billy Butler, DH, Kansas City.
Other PG alumni named to the NL squad include:
Lance Lynn, RHP, St. Louis; Wade Miley, LHP, Arizona; Stephen Strasburg, RHP, Washington; Ian Desmond, SS, Washington; Jay Bruce, OF, Cincinnati.
There is still a chance more PG alumni could be added to the rosters. A fan vote will determine the final player named to each team, and other players are added as those currently named withdraw from their respective rosters due to injury or other conflicts.