MLB All-Star Week officially kicks off on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Globe Life Field with the Futures Game, followed by two events later in the day: the Futures Skills Showcase and the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.
The Futures Game has taken place every summer since 1999. It features MLB hopefuls who are currently playing in the Minor Leagues, but this year’s game will shake things up with new features at the festivity.
According to MLB.com, the Futures Game will include multiple “staples of Minor League games across the country,” including a plethora of mascots, ballpark dogs, entertainment between innings, and more.
The Texas Rangers will have three prospects participating in this year’s Futures Game, as shortstop Sebastian Walcott and pitchers Emiliano Teodo and Winston Santos will all be playing in some capacity.
Walcott currently ranks as the Rangers’ top overall prospect playing in the Minor Leagues, while Teodo and Santos rank as the organization’s 14th and 15th top prospects, respectively.
Being named to the MLB Futures Roster is a significant accomplishment since 88% of the over 1,100 players selected for the first 24 games have gone on to play in the Major Leagues, along with 21% being selected to an All-Star Game later in their careers, according to MLB.
Shortly after the completion of the Futures Game, certain players will compete in the MLB’s first-ever Futures Skills Showcase, where prospects will be able to compete in a variety of events to demonstrate their skills.
This showcase will feature three different events: Hit it Here, Call Your Shot, and Swing for the Fences. The MLB states that these events will “all focus on different skills and tools, whether it be power, precision/hit tool, and even bunting.”
Although the Rangers have three players participating in the Futures Game, only Walcott will participate in the Future Skills Showcase.
Finally, the events for Saturday will conclude with the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game at 7:45 p.m.
The full roster of celebrities participating in the softball game can be found on the MLB website. The rosters consist of a combination of former and current athletes, actors and actresses, and singers and songwriters.
Those who wish to attend any of the three events can purchase tickets here and will be granted access to all of the events taking place throughout Saturday.