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All-Star Week isn’t only for Major League Baseball veterans.

The 2014 Futures Game kicks off Sunday’s action at Target Field with many of the world’s most talented up-and-coming players set to take center stage.

According to Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, 27 of the Top 100 Prospects will partake in the action, as the U.S. Team takes on the World Team. He also notes that of the 23 players who aren’t ranked, 20 of them are in their respective team’s Top 20 Prospects lists.

That’s a whole lot of young talent on one field.

So, which players should we be on the lookout for once the game commences? Let’s take a look.

Francisco Lindor

Lindor hails from Puerto Rico and will be taking the field for the World Team on Sunday.

He’s ranked as the No. 5 overall prospect on MLB.com, No. 1 shortstop and No. 1 prospect of the Cleveland Indians. Lindor was drafted by Cleveland in the first round in 2011 and currently plays for the Akron RubberDucks.

This year with Akron, Lindor is batting .282 with 89 hits, 11 doubles, four triples, six home runs and 45 RBI. A quick baserunner, he’s also accumulated 23 steals.

Lindor‘s speed makes him dangerous on defense as well. His instincts are phenomenal, and paired with his quickness and strong arm, he’s no stranger to turning double plays, having racked up 58 this year.

According to this tweet from the Eastern League, he’s on a major roll heading into the Futures Game:

Keep a keen eye on this potential future star.

Javier Baez

Baez has plenty in common with Lindor. Not only is he also from Puerto Rico and will be playing for the World Team at shortstop, but he was selected by the Chicago Cubs just one spot after Lindor in the 2011 draft.

Currently, Baez is MLB.com’s No. 9 overall prospect and No. 4 shortstop. He’s also the No. 1 prospect of the Cubs and currently plays for the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

This season, Baez has struggled at the plate a bit, as his average dipped to .240; however, his power is still very much on display. In 2014, he’s accumulated 74 hits, 18 doubles and 14 home runs while recording 53 RBI.

The shortstop has looked better recently, and perhaps a recent addition in Iowa sparked his surge, according to Josh Norris of Baseball America:

Baez doesn’t have a tremendous amount of speed—and may eventually be moved to third base—but his good arm and solid glove have allowed him to remain at shortstop for now.

Noah Syndergaard

Syndergaard is one of many talented pitchers on the U.S. Team who has a chance to see some time on the mound on Sunday.

Ranked as MLB.com’s No. 12 overall prospect, No. 4 right-handed pitcher and the New York Mets’ No. 1 prospect, Syndergaard‘s power is what allows him to excel on the mound.

The right-hander has a plus fastball that’s capable of reaching upward of 96 mph on a consistent basis. His power also shows through on his curve and changeup, which could lead to a nice future three-pitch repertoire.

Syndergaard has nice control over his pitches despite standing at a towering 6’6″ due to a repetitive delivery.

This season, he’s struggled a bit with the Triple-A Las Vegas 51s. He’s maintaining a 5.31 ERA in 16 starts, allowing 97 hits and 47 earned runs. However, his power on the mound has also been prevalent, as he’s struck out 82 batters over that span.

Robert Brender of SNY.tv tweeted some strong praise for the pitcher after a dominant performance earlier this month:

Expect to see Syndergaard as a front-line starter in the near future.

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This season isn’t looking too great for the Chicago Cubs or Chicago White Sox in the standings, but the two teams sure know how to engineer an online campaign to get their stars to the MLB All-Star Game.

The results are in, and the final two MLB All-Star roster spots are filled. The White Sox’s Chris Sale and the Cubs’ Anthony Rizzo were named as the winners of the online fan vote.

MLB’s official Twitter account has the word:

Per Mark Newman of MLB.com, there were a total of 52.5 million votes cast for the candidates. Here’s a look at the final order after the votes were cast.

The Chicago White Sox fans and media personnel deserve a ton of credit for getting Sale recognized. Obviously, Sale did his job on the field with an 8-1 record and an ERA of 2.08, but White Sox fans and media have proven to be a force in the Final Vote process.

This was the fourth time a member of the team has won the Final Vote. That’s a record for the relatively new process of selecting the final two All-Stars.

Sale came away with 6.7 million votes to beat out the Detroit Tigers’ Rick Porcello, the Houston Astros’ Dallas Keuchel, the Los Angeles Angels’ Garrett Richards and the Cleveland Indians’ Corey Kluber.

Most believe the 25-year-old, hard-throwing left-hander should have been selected for the team conventionally, but he was one of the more notable snubs. The Final Vote effectively righted a wrong.

Check out how Sale’s numbers compare to the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Clayton Kershaw:

This is Sale’s third-straight All-Star selection.

He joins White Sox teammates Jose Abreu and Alexei Ramirez in representing the American League this year.

Anthony Rizzo had his own strong case to be part of the National League All-Star team before the Final Vote. Heading into Thursday, Rizzo’s 20 home runs were second only to Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton’s 21 in the National League.

Still, Rizzo had to mount 8.8 million votes to beat out the Colorado Rockies’ Justin Morneau, Miami Marlins’ Casey McGehee, Atlanta Braves’ Justin Upton and the Washington Nationals’ Anthony Rendon.

Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper says the fans got the right guy:

To go along with the 20 dingers, Rizzo is hitting .277 with 49 RBI and an OPS of .890. This is the first All-Star selection for the 24-year-old.

After word came down that Rizzo was the one selected to represent the Cubs and the National League, he tweeted this gratuitous message:

Some might shun the concept of allowing the fans to select two more spots on the All-Star rosters, but it’s hard to criticize Rizzo or Sale’s inclusion.

If the Final Vote continues to ensure that worthy players get recognized in the All-Star Game, then it would seem that the process is working just fine. Also, anything that encourages millions of baseball fans to participate can’t be a bad thing.

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The winner of the All-Star Game MVP award is more unpredictable than the regular-season award. If you look at the last 10 years, there’s been a diverse mix of elite superstars, one-year wonders and retiring closers who have been bestowed the honor. 

As the 2014 All-Star Game approaches, the list of potential MVP candidates that you can rattle off the top of your head is vast.

Do you choose the best player in the sport (Mike Trout)?

How about the best pitcher (Clayton Kershaw)?

Does Jose Abreu’s prodigious power put him in line to shine in his All-Star Game debut?

Even with no shortage of names to choose, there are a few that stand out for the rest for reasons that we will get into. Here are our top three choices to be named MVP of the Midsummer Classic on July 15. 

No. 3: Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Miami Marlins

In a game loaded with power hitters like Abreu, Trout and Jose Bautista in the American League and Troy Tulowitzki in the National League, no one hits more impressive or majestic homers than Miami star Giancarlo Stanton.

The 24-year-old led the NL in homers through Thursday with 21 and home run-to-fly ball percentage at 21.4. Then there is this little nugget, courtesy of ESPN Stats & Info, about how prodigious Stanton’s power is:

Even though he will be going up against a pitching staff that features power arms like Max Scherzer, Felix Hernandez, Yu Darvish and David Price, Stanton has so much natural strength that he doesn’t have to square a pitch up to hit it out. 

All it takes is one of those majestic moon shots for Stanton to jump up everyone’s list of MVP candidates at the All-Star Game. Given what we know about the Marlins’ young stud, that shouldn’t be a problem. 

No. 2: Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

I wanted to make a joke about how Trout can’t win a regular-season MVP award, so he will have to settle for being the best player in an exhibition game, but something tells me that awards recognition won’t elude the Angels superstar much longer. 

Since most players aren’t going to be on the field for all nine innings, it’s easier to get recognized if you can do everything instead of specializing in one area. As much fun as it is to watch Stanton blast homers, he doesn’t bring a lot of diversity to the table in the field or on the bases. 

Trout, on the other hand, specializes in being able to do anything on a baseball field that he wants. The 22-year-old isn’t stealing as many bases as he did the last two years, but speed is still very much a part of what makes him special. 

Combine that with the best power production of his career (.590 slugging percentage) and improved defensive numbers compared to 2013, Trout has the potential to make at least two spectacular plays as long as he’s in the lineup. 

No. 1 Derek Jeter, SS, New York Yankees

Let’s be honest. We are talking about an exhibition game for the fans, despite the pointless slogan telling us “this game counts,” and since the fans play a role in determining the MVP, sentiment will trump everything. 

Like last year’s game, which saw Mariano Rivera awarded MVP honors for pitching one scoreless inning in the AL’s 3-0 triumph, the New York Yankees will send another icon to the Midsummer Classic for the final time. 

Derek Jeter has been the face of baseball since debuting in 1996. Even though he’s not the hitter he used to be, The Captain still warrants more of a reaction at the plate than anyone in the sport. 

Fans are still buying his No. 2 jersey in droves, proving how popular the Yankees shortstop remains even as his skills decline. As long as Jeter doesn’t completely botch a play at shortstop, or strike out three times, it will take a strong effort from someone else to prevent him from being named MVP of the All-Star Game for the second time in his career. 

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

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We are in awe of the incredible feats of strength Major League Baseball players show, both in games and during batting practice, but not all power is created equal.

In the case of the 2014 Home Run Derby, Target Field isn’t a hitter’s paradise, so having extra pop is essential to winning. 

The field was finalized on Thursday, with captains Jose Bautista and Troy Tulowitzki announcing that Oakland’s Josh Donaldson and Colorado’s Justin Morneau will round out the 10-player field. 

Target Field has been surprisingly effective at helping hitters this season, since it has a reputation as a big park where balls die in the outfield. According to ESPN’s park factors, Minnesota’s stadium is 10th in homers (1.093). 

As a result, the competition would appear to be wide-open for Monday’s Home Run Derby. However, don’t get fooled into thinking the park will play the same for everyone. There’s a gap between the best and worst power hitters in the field, which will become apparent as soon as the event begins. 

The players we want to talk about have the natural strength and raw power to make Target Field look like the park where they hold the Little League World Series. 

Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

In keeping with the idea that there are home run hitters and HOME RUN HITTERS, what better place to start than with Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton, who leads the National League in homers. 

The 24-year-old leads all of baseball with an average distance of 423.8 feet per homer this season, according to ESPN.com’s Hit Tracker. Only San Francisco’s Mike Morse is within three feet of Stanton in that category. 

On top of that, Stanton has clubbed more 450-foot home runs than any team in baseball this season, via ESPN Stats and Information. 

Working in Stanton’s favor is his home run prowess comes despite playing home games in one of the worst parks for power in baseball this season. 

Everyone knows that Stanton has been among the best power hitters in baseball since debuting in 2010—he ranks sixth in MLB with 138 homers, despite having the fewest games played of anyone in the top 10—so it won’t be a surprise to see him standing tall when the Home Run Derby ends. 

It will still be a lot of fun to watch. 

Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds

The fact that Todd Frazier is hitting for power isn’t a surprise. He was drafted by the Reds with the 34th pick in 2007 based on his ability to drive the ball. 

Baseball America’s (subscription required) pre-draft scouting report noted the one drawback to his offensive skill set was being able to hit for average due to “unorthodox swing mechanics.”

Patience and contact weren’t Frazier’s strengths at the MLB level for most of 2011-13, despite hitting 44 homers during that span, but even with little change in his strikeout and walk rates this season, the power is playing better than ever. 

The Reds third baseman has nearly equaled his career high (19) in homers already with 17 through Thursday’s games.

He’s a prime example of a player whose raw power is going to be better served in a home run exhibition because it plays better in batting practice. 

For instance, Frazier’s average home run distance this season is 401 feet. That’s a ton of power for a normal hitter, but it ranks just fourth among the NL Home Run Derby participants. 

Don’t let that number fool you. Frazier will put on a hitting display at Target Field that will only be rivaled by Stanton. 

Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland Athletics

This one is cheating a little bit because we got ample evidence from last year’s Derby, when he brought down the house at Citi Field, that Yoenis Cespedes can shine on the home-run hitting stage. 

Despite his prodigious raw power, Cespedes hasn’t been as proficient showing it off during games this year. He does have 14 home runs, which ranks third on Oakland behind Donaldson and Brandon Moss, but hasn’t gone deep since June 19 against Boston.

Plus, when Cespedes has hit homers this year, they aren’t traveling as far as you would expect. His 383.5-foot average distance is only ahead of Minnesota’s Brian Dozier among the Derby field. 

That slump could carry over to the Home Run Derby, which puts more pressure on his swing to drive the ball, though the batting practice-style nature of the competition makes things easier for Oakland’s big basher.

Sometimes the bright lights and nature of hitting home runs opens things up for a player in a hitting slump. Cespedes didn’t have any problems showcasing his muscle in 2013, when he hit just .225/.293/.420 with 15 homers before the All-Star break. 

If you want to talk sports, hit me up on Twitter. 

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Four days ago, the Oakland A’s threw all their chips into a 2014 World Series title run when they acquired Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Chicago Cubs. The A’s paid a hefty price to reel in two of the most prized free-agent arms. Shortstop Addison Russell—the A’s top prospect and the No. 12 overall prospect in the MLB—and outfielder Billy McKinney—the A’s No. 2 prospect—were sent to the Cubs farm system, which is now overflowing with talent.

In the wake of this latest move by the A’s, it seems a bit anticlimactic to utter the word “future” when talking about this ballclub. After all, giving up prized minor-league talent for quick-fixes shows that 2014 is the team’s focus. With the best record in the majors at 56-33, who could blame them?

But with the onset of the 16th annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and Stockton Ports (the A’s Single-A affiliate) third baseman Renato Nunez earning a second consecutive selection, it is important to understand that all is not lost for the A’s minor league system.

The 20-year-old Nunez was scorching hot right before he was selected to the World All-Star team and then proceeded to justify his selection by continuing to obliterate Single-A pitching.

Over the past three weeks (a span of 20 games), Nunez has launched 11 home runs and gapped five doubles, culminating in an absurd .408/.489/.908 triple slash line. Nearly every Rotoworld update on him simply states that he had another multi-homerun game or another pedestrian four-hit game. Just past the midway point in his second full season, Nunez has 20 home runs, 57 RBI and a .287 batting average.

Nunez was signed out of Venezuela in 2010 and is currently in the Class A-Advanced California League. With the departure of Russell, Nunez has jumped to the No. 4 prospect in the A’s organization, and if he continues to swing a white-hot bat, he will likely be promoted to the Double-A Texas League in the near future.  

The A’s project Nunez to reach the big leagues by 2016, according to their official scouting report. Though his arm is above average (rated a 55 on a scale of 80), Nunez will likely be converted into a first baseman, since his footwork and hands will eventually become a liability at the hot corner.

Judge for yourself after watching this video.

The A’s organization once worried about Nunez’s patience at the plate, as the 6’1″, 185-pound right-handed hitter has a track record of striking out because of an overly aggressive approach. However, in the span of a year, Nunez has decreased his strikeout rate from 25.0 percent in 2013 to 19.8 percent in 2014 and has increased his walk rate from 5.1 percent in 2013 to 7.4 percent in 2014.

Players from all full-season minor leagues were eligible for an All-Star selection. Nunez was the lone member from the A’s organization who was chosen.

But to reiterate a point, Nunez is the A’s No. 4 prospect.

This means that the organization rates three players better and more advanced than a two-time minor league All-Star, who ranks second in the California League in home runs, ninth in RBI and ninth in slugging percentage.

So when second-guessing the A’s decision to part with their two top prospects in Russell and McKinney in order to maximize their chances at a title run this year, just remember that Renato Nunez and company are blazing a hot trail to O.co Coliseum.

Here is a video of Nunez hitting some bombs in last year’s minor league home run derby to help with that.

Follow Jacob Garcia on Twitter @Jake_M_Garcia or connect with him on LinkedIn.

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Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig was among the more notable absences from MLB All-Star weekend last year, as he was just 38 games into his big league career.

This year, his talents will be on full display at Target Field in Minnesota, and he has a chance to steal the show.

Not only was he voted to start in the NL outfield, joining Andrew McCutchen and Carlos Gomez, but it was also announced on Tuesday that he will participate in the Home Run Derby.

Dodgers MLB.com beat writer Ken Gurnick confirmed the news:

Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (18 HR) was named the captain of the National League side, so it was him who selected Puig to participate.

“He has tremendous power, watching him from afar,” Tulowitzki told Thomas Harding of MLB.com last week when mentioning Puig as a potential candidate.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista (17 HR) will captain the American League squad, and he’ll be joined by reigning champion Yoenis Cespedes (14 HR), Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones (16 HR) and second baseman Brian Dozier (16 HR) of the host Minnesota Twins.

Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton (21 HR) and Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier (17 HR) will join Puig and Tulowitzki on the NL side. One more participant from each league has yet to be announced, per an MLB press release.

Nelson Cruz, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout all declined invitations from Bautista to swing it for the AL side, according to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports.

Trout noted that he’d rather take the event in as a spectator, while Cabrera didn’t want to mess with his swing.

Puig made it clear he was not worried about his numbers suffering as a result of his inclusion in the Derby, joking that he has already been struggling of late:

Puig was hitting .344/.436/.615 with 11 home runs at the end of May, ranking as one of the most productive hitters in baseball.

However, he’s hit just .252/.324/.362 since the start of June.

Recent struggles aside, Puig was made for this kind of event.

He has tremendous raw power and has always played with a flair that borders on cocky. Now he’ll legitimately be the center of attention and have a chance to put on a show on the national stage.

Puig will be looking to follow in the footsteps of fellow Cuban defector Cespedes, who put on a show in last year’s Derby with 17 home runs in the first round and 32 overall on his way to claiming the trophy.

Moonshot home runs are what the Home Run Derby is all about, and while Puig ranks just 27th in the NL in long balls, his average distance of 417.3 feet is good for third in all of baseball.

We could dive into all sorts of advanced statistics for Puig and his power numbers through his first year-and-a-half in the league, but instead let’s just watch some video of his more notable bombs.

A 453-foot bomb off Jacob Turner of the Miami Marlins on May 3 of this year, the longest of his career:

A 451-footer off Adam Ottavino back on July 2 of last year in the launching pad that is Coors Field:

A 444-footer off Chase Anderson of the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 17 of this year:

A 442-footer off Brandon McCarthy that is the definition of a moonshot:

The one disappointing part of Puig in the Derby? No bat flips.

Luckily, the Los Angeles Dodgers Twitter feed has you covered there:

Who knows, maybe it will come down to a slug-off to end it, and Puig can still work a bat flip in with a walk-off winner. Regardless, Puig in the Derby should make for good television.

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The MLB All-Star game is all about watching baseball’s top performers put on a show while competing against their most productive peers.

Very rarely does one player absolutely take over the Midsummer Classic. When put against top competition, the game’s best players often post semi-pedestrian stats. That said, there’s always a chance for a breakout performance when there are so many stars on one diamond.

Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota will play host to this year’s crop of stars on July 15. There will certainly be fireworks, but which players will post the best numbers? Which ones will struggle?

You’ll find predictions below.

American League: Mike Trout

Mike Trout led off for the American League in last year’s installment of the Midsummer Classic, and he went 1-for-3 with a first-inning double off National League starter Matt Harvey.

This is how he should fare against the National League on July 15:

Trout is having another fine season. He’s slashing .308/.402/.603 with 20 home runs, 64 RBI and 10 steals. He’s arguably the most dynamic player in the game today, and that makes him a lock to lead off.

Hitting against Kershaw isn’t a small task, however.

His mix of speeds and ability to set hitters down with his incredible breaking ball will play to his favor against an AL lineup that will look to be aggressive out of the gate.

Trout will grab a base hit in the game, but it won’t come off Kershaw. He’ll probably get it in his second at-bat against a guy like Madison Bumgarner.

American League: Felix Hernandez

Shockingly, Felix Hernandez has never started an All-Star game. That will likely change on July 15. Matt Snyder of CBS Sports also thinks Hernandez should start:

Given King Felix’s pedigree, his excellent numbers and that he’s possibly having his best season — this time for a legitimate contender — he would make a fine choice. Factor in that he’s scheduled to start Friday and then the first game following the All-Star break, he would have to have a “throw day” in between. The first two innings of the All-Star Game will work perfectly. The pick seems logical and obvious, especially when you factor in he’s one of the generation’s best pitchers and hasn’t yet started an All-Star Game.

What should we expect from Hernandez in his first-ever start in the event? More dominance, of course:

Hernandez is one of the many reasons why the Seattle Mariners have been successful. In previous years, a shortage of run support has prevented him from winning his fair share of games. While wins don’t mean everything, pitchers certainly love seeing a bunch of tallies in the win column.

The NL lineup is very deep, so Hernandez probably won’t cruise through his two innings. I predict a baserunner or two, but look for him to keep the Senior Circuit off the scoreboard.

National League: Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig is one of the many first-time All-Stars this year, and you can bet that he’ll be amped up to play on this stage. He might get a little out of hand, though, and that could impact his performance:

He won’t have jitters, necessarily, but the excitement could easily get to him. This could cause errant throws from the outfield, over-aggressiveness on the basepaths and maybe even a few swings out of his shoes.

While every fan in the seats will be on the lookout for one of his signature bat flips, they probably won’t see one this time around.

He’s enjoying a great year thus far, slashing .307/.393/.516 with 12 homers and 50 RBI. Last year’s showing wasn’t an anomaly, and Puig will likely make several more trips to the All-Star game during his career as a result.

National League: Clayton Kershaw

Thirty-six. That’s the number of scoreless innings Kershaw has tossed in a row. He is on top of his game right now, and that’s a scary thought for the rest of the baseball world. There’s some time for him to surrender a run before the All-Star break, but that doesn’t mean he won’t throw shutout frames on the board at Target Field:

Kershaw’s catcher, A.J. Ellis, has noticed something different about Kershaw during this run, via Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times:

The biggest thing for me has been the consistency of the breaking balls. Usually, he’ll have his ‘A’ slider but maybe his ‘C’ or ‘D’ curveball or vice versa, where the slider’s not working but the curveball is. During this run, he’s had an ‘A’ curveball and an ‘A’ slider this entire time. They’re both just electric strikeout pitches, which is why I think you’re seeing him have strikeout totals that have been unmatched in his career. He gets to two strikes, he could go either way.

It’s going to be a long two innings for the AL if both his curve and slider are working again on July 15. When he can mix those pitches in with his fastball, he’s difficult to even make contact against—evidenced by his 115 strikeouts in 87.1 innings pitched this year.

Kershaw pitched a scoreless frame in last year’s game, and he’ll probably throw more zeros on the board in this one.

Other Stars

There are more than the aforementioned stars in this Midsummer Classic. Below are a few more players and how they’ll fare at Target Field:

Follow Kenny DeJohn on Twitter: @KennyDeJohn_BR

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Do you like monstrous power at the plate? How about unhittable pitching with some of the nastiest stuff from some of the best hurlers in the game? Throw in a few hints of unbelievable defensive gems, and that’s exactly what fans will feast their eyes on during the 2014 MLB All-Star Game.

Multiple mashers like Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Andrew McCutchen and Troy Tulowitzki will look to put on a show at Target Field. But with aces in Felix Hernandez, Yu Darvish, Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright looking to silence those big bats, a battle of attrition will take place during every at-bat.

As for the depth of the rosters, it appears the American League might just have the upper hand. With huge hitters in Jose Abreu and Yoenis Cespedes on the bench along with Chris Sale missing out on the initial roster, there is plenty of talent to go around for the AL team.

With the All-Star Game set to start on July 15, here’s a look at the full rosters after the reveal and some of the top projected performers for the Midsummer Classic.

Projected Top AL Performers

Mike Trout, OF, Los Angeles Angels

In a loaded AL lineup, there are several offensive players worthy of taking this honor. But with Trout, baseball fans get a little bit of everything.

The five-tool player is capable of just about anything on the diamond and flashes every tool almost every time he takes the field. Rather than getting big-headed about his ability, Trout remained humble when he earned the starting nod:

Then there’s what he’s done on the field already this season. Hitting .308 with 20 home runs, a 1.005 OPS and 63 RBI, Trout leads the Angels in each category. In a lineup that includes both Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton, that’s saying something for the 22-year-old.

He’s also been one of the most clutch players in the MLB this season, as ESPN Stats & Info notes a pretty remarkable stat:

Don’t worry, he’s still flashing the leather as well. MLB’s official account passes along footage of an insane catch from earlier this month:

If he doesn’t do it with the bat or glove, Trout has a good chance of stealing the show on the basepaths as well. With 10 stolen bases this year, Trout literally could impact every part of the Midsummer Classic with his ability.

Felix Hernandez, RHP, Seattle Mariners

During a season where the Seattle Mariners are working hard to establish themselves as a contender in the AL West, Hernandez has been one of the biggest reasons—as usual.

As absurd as it sounds, Hernandez might just be putting together his best season yet, per MLB:

The 28-year-old might be in line for yet another Cy Young Award with those numbers, but he’s also established himself as the best in the AL so far. King Felix leads the AL in ERA (2.11) and innings pitched (136.1) thus far this season.

Though he likely won’t have several innings to make a difference in the game, Baseball Tonight believes he is one of three starters who might potentially start the contest:

Whether it’s his 90-plus fastball or his devastating breaking pitches, Hernandez has an entire arsenal that will baffle NL hitters. Regardless of whether or not he starts, Hernandez will make an impact for the deep pitching staff.

On the biggest stage during the regular season, Hernandez will come out and prove yet again why he’s considered one of the best in the game.

Projected Top NL Performers

Carlos Gomez, OF, Milwaukee Brewers

We could have stayed with the young guard and said Yasiel Puig. Or maybe gone with last year’s NL MVP in McCutchen. Then there’s the league leader in batting average in Tulowitzki, who also has 18 home runs this season.

But on the All-Star stage, something about Carlos Gomez just screams out MVP potential. For one of the hottest teams in the MLB, Gomez has led the Milwaukee Brewers this season and truly put himself in the same category as some of the National League’s best outfielders.

As the MLB account notes, it’s difficult to crack such an athletic group of players:

The irony here, of course, is that Gomez and Puig, two of the most polarizing figures in the game, both earned starter duties by the fans. While fellow players and some fans might get riled up by their antics, both Gomez and Puig have done enough to be revered by the majority of the MLB audience.

Ian Casselberry of The Outside Corner provides his thoughts on the situation:

Regardless of what some fans might think of Gomez, he’ll certainly bring the wood on July 15. Much like Trout, he has the potential to change the game in a multitude of ways, but his bat will shine at Target Field—a park where he hit a three-run homer just last month.

On a star-studded roster with several potential top performers, look for Gomez to shine.

Clayton Kershaw, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers

You didn’t think the best pitcher in the game was going to be left off the list, right?

Despite missing the first part of the season for the Dodgers, Kershaw has still been phenomenal. The two-time Cy Young winner is making a case yet again with a 10-2 record, 1.85 ERA, 115 strikeouts and, of course, a no-hitter.

How unhittable has Kershaw been this season? Mark Simon of ESPN shares a look at a heat map from his last four starts:

Kershaw has also made a case to be the All-Star starter on a deep roster with his recent pitching. Along with the low batting average against him, every team during the last 36 innings has been unable to put up a run against him, as ESPN Stats & Info notes:

In a rotation that includes teammate Zack Greinke, Johnny Cueto and Wainwright, Kershaw will once again be the top player to toe the rubber at Target Field. Coming into the game pitching some of the best baseball of his career, he’ll do the same on the All-Star stage.

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Who will represent the Tampa Bay Rays in the 2014 MLB All-Star Game?

This question is a reflection of how the team has played so far this season both individually and collectively. 

Since 2008 the question surrounding the Rays’ All-Star selections has been how many players the team would send. The franchise has sent at least two players to the Midsummer Classic each season since changing the name to the Rays.

This year will likely be very different. Based on the recent voting results, the Rays will not have a player starting in this year’s All-Star Game. Evan Longoria came the closest, but Josh Donaldson from the Oakland A’s is running away with the lead in votes for third base.

It would be plausible to envision a scenario where the Rays have no player on the team if the rules did not guarantee representation from every team.

Since somebody has to go, who will it be?

This list will look at the most likely candidates to represent the Rays in the 2014 All-Star Game. 

The players were selected based on performance this year and popularity. The criteria for the list are the same as the criteria that usually factor into All-Star selections. 

Players like Derek Jeter do not have to be the best player at their position by statistics or perception. Due to his global popularity, he will receive a large quantity of fan votes each season. There is nothing wrong with that since it is the All-Star game, not the All-Stats game. Fans want to watch their favorite players. 

That does not mean that performance is unimportant. Players who are excelling at their position usually earn their way onto the roster.

This was the case for Fernando Rodney in 2012 on his way to his record-breaking .060 ERA season. He had a 0.93 ERA and 25 saves before the All-Star break and earned his first career All-Star selection that year.

Here is a look at the Rays’ best candidates for the 2014 MLB All-Star Game.

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Major League Baseball does so many things right by its fans, especially when it comes to putting on a show, but the one mystery the people running the sport have never figured out is the All-Star Game. 

The fan voting is an integral part of the process, as it should be. Despite what Bud Selig might have you believe, the game doesn’t really count; it’s just a fun way to get the biggest stars on one field to market the game. 

However, the problems come when the rest of the rosters get filled out. Too often, we look just at the first three months of the year as the definitive word on who should be in these games, which is how you end up with Bryan LaHair and Jeff Locke being included. 

Instead of simply looking at three months of stats, we wanted to give kudos to established players and youngsters with high upside—they are the future of MLB, after all—who have earned the right to be All-Stars in 2014 and will need help to get there. 

Jose Altuve, 2B, Houston Astros

The diminutive second baseman is at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to All-Star voting because he plays the same position as marquee names like Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler and Dustin Pedroia, all of whom were above Jose Altuve in All-Star voting on MLB.com’s last update. 

If we put Altuve‘s numbers this season up against the three players ahead of him, the voting makes less sense:

These numbers are hardly a fluke for the Houston second baseman, who has hit .290 and .283 in his first two MLB seasons. His home run numbers can’t match Kinsler’s, but 30 extra-base hits is more than Cano and Pedroia, and Altuve adds a dimension on the bases that Detroit’s slugger can’t match. 

The other problem Altuve has is playing in Houston. The Astros are better this season than they have been in a long time, but there’s still not enough national attention around the team. George Springer is the Astros’ best-known player because of his power output (16 homers in 68 games). 

It’s unfortunate that there’s not more attention coming Altuve‘s way, because not only is he worthy of starting for the American League in the All-Star Game, but he is one of the best and most valuable players in baseball. 

Jonathan Lucroy, C, Milwaukee Brewers

At last check, St. Louis Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina was leading the NL vote for starting backstop at the All-Star Game. No one will ever argue that he isn’t worthy of that role, but this year, there happens to be someone better in the same division. 

Jonathan Lucroy has flown under the national radar for three years, racking up 11 FanGraphs wins above replacement through July 3, yet he hasn’t made an All-Star team in the process. He’s a rare breed as a catcher who can play defense at a high level and hit. 

In fact, there isn’t a better hitting catcher in the National League than Lucroy. He’s hitting a robust .331/.399/.511 with 38 extra-base hits this season. No other NL catcher who qualifies for the batting title has an average higher than .287 or a slugging percentage over .422. 

There’s little doubt that Lucroy will make the roster when it’s announced Sunday, but no catcher in either league has been better or more valuable than Milwaukee’s backstop. He deserves to stand alongside the other starters in his league. 

Todd Frazier, 3B, Cincinnati Reds

For our final selection, we go back to the National League Central. Todd Frazier has always been a player with tremendous power, dating back to his days as a prospect in the minors. But he struggled to show it off because his hit tool wasn’t well developed. 

In 2012-2013, Frazier had 228 strikeouts and 86 walks in 953 at-bats. This year hasn’t been drastically different in that regard—73 strikeouts, 30 walks in 318 at-bats—but the walk rate is slightly higher (8.5 percent) and the strikeout rate (20.6 percent) is the best of his career. 

As a result, the Reds third baseman has nearly tied his career high in homers already with 17 and leads all NL players at the position with a .503 slugging percentage. He’s also one of the best defenders at the hot corner with five runs saved (tied for fourth in the NL) and an ultimate zone rating of 4.4 (second in NL). 

It would take a small miracle for Frazier to be named the starting third baseman in the NL since he trailed four players in the updated vote, more than 565,000 votes behind Aramis Ramirez, who has only played in 60 games thus far due to injuries. 

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