Cincinnati Reds prospect Cam Collier hit a solo home run in the third inning that opened the scoring for the National League in the MLB All-Star Futures Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The NL went on to defeat the American League, 61, in Saturday’s seven-inning matchup of top MLB prospects.
Collier, 19, batted 1-for-2 in the game and was honored with the Larry Doby Award as the Futures Game Most Valuable Player.
The third baseman was the Reds’ No. 3 prospect coming into the season, according to MLB.com. He is hitting .231 with a .714 OPS in 78 games for High-A Dayton this season. Collier was Cincinnati’s first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft out of Chipola College in Marianna, Florida.
Everything is bigger in Texas, especially Cam Collier dingers!@DragonsBaseball | @RedsOnTheRise | @MLBDevelops pic.twitter.com/jDyGyb3ZD4
Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 13, 2024
Collier’s home run was off pitcher Caden Dana, the top prospect for the Los Angeles Angels. That was the only run Dana allowed in his one-inning appearance. The right-hander has 97 strikeouts in 90 1/3 innings and a 2.99 ERA for Double-A Rocket City this season.
Atlanta Braves prospect Drake Baldwin hit the NL’s other home run in the sixth inning. Baldwin, a 23-year-old catcher, is batting .309 with a .972 OPS in 24 games for Triple-A Gwinnett. The Braves’ 2022 third-round pick out of Missouri State, he was promoted after 52 games with Double-A Mississippi.
Drake Baldwin goes yard!The @Braves’ No. 11 prospect belts the hardest hit (107.3 mph) of the #FuturesGame.Watch LIVE: https://t.co/L1EdMRWjpq pic.twitter.com/bg67iHnTtq
MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 13, 2024
Baldwin’s opposite-field homer was off Fernando Perez, the Toronto Blue Jays’ No. 23 prospect. Perez, 20, has 81 strikeouts in 75 innings and a 3.81 ERA in 14 starts for Low-A Dunedin.
Chicago White Sox prospect Noah Schultz allowed three runs on three hits, putting the first four batters he faced on base in the fourth inning. That gave the NL a 41 lead that essentially put the game out of reach. Schultz, 20, was the White Sox’s 2022 first-round pick. He has a 3.66 ERA in 14 starts between High-A Winston-Salem and Double-A Birmingham, striking out 75 batters in 54 2/3 innings.