The Giants' Harrison and the A's Soderstrom have been invited to the annual prospect game for the second time in their careers.
The Giants and A’s representatives for the All-Star Game haven’t been picked yet, but the Bay Area teams will be highly visible for the festivities in Seattle in two weeks.
Concord’s Kyle Harrison, one of the top pitching prospects in the minors, and fellow left-hander Carson Whisenhunt will represent the Giants, while catcher Tyler Soderstrom and outfielder Lawrence Butler from the A’s were named to the rosters for the prestigious prospects game to be played on Saturday, July 8 as part of the All-Star Game weekend at T-Mobile Park.
Harrison, ranked as the majors’ No. 14 prospect by MLB.com, is the highest-rated pitcher currently scheduled to participate in the game. In all, 28 of the 50 players invited are currently in MLB.coms Top 100 prospects list, including No. 1 (Jackson Holliday of the Orioles), No. 3 Jackson Chourio (Milwaukee) and No. 5 Marcelo Mayer (Boston).
Former Seattle Mariners Harold Reynolds (AL) and Raul Ibañez (NL) will be the managers.
Who are you excited to watch play in the All-Star Futures Game?
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— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) June 26, 2023
This is the second-straight selection for Harrison, who was the victim of some tough luck and suffered the loss last year at Dodger Stadium. He allowed four runs, but only one was earned, and allowed two home runs, but struck out two. Harrison, 21, has a 4.53 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 39 walks in 49.2 innings pitched at Triple-A Sacramento, and if figures to just be a matter of time before the third-round pick from the 2020 draft is called up to the Giants.
Whisenhunt, 22, was a second-round pick out of East Carolina in last year’s draft. The left-hander has a 2.90 ERA with 71 strikeouts and 17 walks in 49.2 innings and has played at three levels already this season, starting at Class A San Jose before and now pitching for Double-A Richmond.
Both of the A’s representatives turned heads in spring training and continue to impress.
Soderstrom is one of 14 former first-round draft picks slected to the game. He’s also scheduled to make his second appearance. In 2021, at the age of 19, played first base and struck out in his lone at-bat.
Soderstrom, 21, went 26th overall in the 2020 draft. He played at three levels last season, ending the year with nine games at Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom has spent all of this season with the Aviators (playing first base as well as catching) and has hit 16 home runsin 61 games with a slash line of .255/.302/.526. He hit another home run in 34 at-bats in spring training.
Butler, 22, was a breakout star in Arizona, hitting .478 (11 for 23) scoring seven times with 10 RBIs in just 12 games. Butler has a .284/.350/.460 slash line with 9 home runs and 10 stolen bases at Double-A Midland.
