The 2023 MLB Futures Game will take place during All-Star Weekend and is set to showcase some of the game’s most promising young talents. But which pitching prospects are the ones that you should keep a close eye on? Here’s a look at the five names that interest us the most.
Related: When is the 2023 MLB Trade Deadline?
Mick Abel
One of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, Phillies RHP Mick Abel will head back to the Pacific Northwest come July. The Oregon native has dealt with an up-and-down 2023 campaign, but still profiles as a high-end starter thanks to a hard fastball and wipeout slider.
Abel, one of our fantasy prospects to watch this month, will get a chance to show Phillies fans what made him a first-round pick three years ago.
Clayton Beeter
After a rough first half to the 2022 season for Joey Gallo, the Yankees offloaded the power-hitting outfielder to the Dodgers for former Texas Tech hurler Clayton Beeter. Beeter, a second-round pick by Los Angeles (NL) in 2020, showed a lot of promise in limited action last season. The 24-year-old hurler has been stretched out in 2023 by the Yankees and has excelled. Through 13 starts (66 IP), Beeter struck out 82 over 60.2 IP and posted a strong 2.32 ERA across two levels.
Beeter is currently in AAA with Scranton Wilkes-Barre, so it’s not out of the question that the right-hander could be an option for the Yankees at some point this season.
Kyle Harrison
The Giants will send a couple of big-name left-handers to Seattle, as Carson Whisenhunt and Kyle Harrison will be on the Futures Game roster. Harrison is the higher-profile of the two, although he has struggled quite a bit this season in Sacramento (AAA). The 21-year-old struck out 82 over his first 49.2 IP, but walked 39 along the way.
Harrison possesses legit stuff, but consistency with his command will be the difference.
Tink Hence
Cardinals RHP Tink Hence was a second-round pick three years and has developed quite nicely for St. Louis thus far. In his third pro season, Hence has struck out 42 over 40 innings, and opposing hitters have hit just .210 off the 20-year-old.
A 6′ 1” righty with premium velocity and solid secondary offerings, the Cardinals have largely limited him to four to five innings per outing in 2023. We’ll see how the stuff plays up when he moves up the ladder and gets stretched out, but Hence’s shown incredible promise in his development.
Owen White
Rangers fans got their first look at Owen White earlier in the year, when the 23-year-old made his MLB debut out of the bullpen on June 13. The 23-year-old White is back in the Minors in AAA, as he continues to develop as a starter. Through 61.1 total innings, White struck out 52 and opposing batters have hit just .195 off the righty this season.
As we noted earlier in June, White will likely get a chance to start for the Rangers in the near future, especially since several of their starters are set to hit free agency soon.
