Two Diamondbacks prospects selected for MLB All-Star Futures Game

Ketel Marte isn’t the only player selected to represent the Diamondbacks during All-Star Weekend.

D-backs prospects Daulton Varsho and Alek Thomas have been invited to participate in the Futures Game on July 7 in Cleveland.

While both are ranked among the best D-backs prospects, they’re left off MLB’s top-100. This year’s showcase event will feature 37 of the top 100 prospects.

Varsho and Thomas are just getting their careers started, being drafted in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

Varsho, the D-backs No. 4 prospect, catches for the Double-A Jackson Generals and is a versatile athlete who can hit with power and command his position well, having only committing three errors in 43 games. He’s also stolen nine bases this year.

Halfway through the season, he holds a .267/.346/.444 slash.

Thomas, the D-backs No. 7 prospect and son of White Sox director of strength and conditioning, Allen Thomas, hits exceedingly well for a prospect right out of high school. In 65 games the outfielder has 73 hits, 25 of which were for extra bases. He currently leads the Class-A Kane County Cougars in average (.296), runs (45), home runs (7) and RBI (34).

This year’s prospect All-Star game is different than in past years.

Instead of fielding a World squad versus a U.S. team, players will be grouped as National League or American League, depending on the major league club they are representing. Additionally, this year’s contest will only last seven innings.

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