Last year at this time, Gary Sanchez was in the Futures Game. One month later, he was the American League Rookie of the Month.
And, now, one year after he appeared in the Futures Game, he is a major-league All-Star as the New York Yankees’ catcher.
That, in essence, is how quickly the standout prospects of the Futures Game, which will be played at 4 p.m. on Sunday at Marlins Park, can transform themselves into major-leaguers.
“It’s been a launching pad for a lot of players,” Baseball America editor John Manuel said. “It’s also three weeks before the trading deadline, so this game is heavily scouted.