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The first-place present has distracted a bit from the Giants’ future, but the Futures Game should change that for a day.
On Wednesday two Giants prospects, shortstop Marco Luciano and outfielder Heliot Ramos, were named to the All-Star Futures Game that will be held before the All-Star Game on Sunday, July 11, at Coors Field. The game is meant as a showcase for the top minor league prospects.
This year it will be an NL-vs.-AL format, and Luciano is one of seven NL infielders to make the roster cut, while Ramos is one of six NL outfielders. This will be Ramos’ third Futures Game, having played alongside Joey Bart in 2019 and Shaun Anderson in 2018.
Luciano, whom MLB Pipeline ranks as the 12th best prospect in baseball, has looked the part in his first action in full-season ball. The 19-year-old shortstop has torn up the Low-A West for San Jose, his 12 home runs leading all of Low-A ball and his .928 OPS the 15th best in his league despite his young age. He could be a fast-riser and has said he is targeting next season for his big-league debut, which is ambitious and yet is no longer impossible because of young stars like Fernando Tatis Jr., Ronald Acuña Jr. and Juan Soto.
Ramos, remarkably, is only 21, even if it feels as if he has been nearly ready to debut for a few years, which might be true. The No. 63 prospect in MLB immediately made it known he had progressed through the pandemic, stealing headlines in spring training and winning the Barney Nugent Award, awarded to the player who performed best in his first major league camp.
He has shown flashes, if not extended flashes, at Double-A Richmond this season, in which he is slashing .236/.330/.388 through 203 plate appearances with five home runs and six steals. A hot streak could move the five-tool players up to Triple-A, where he would become another piece of a big jumble of intriguing Giants outfielders.
Speaking of the River Cats, their pitching coach, Garvin Alston, will be on the AL’s coaching staff for the game.