2025 National League Futures Game Roster Preview
A Blog By Tobey
Last week I previewed the American League roster for this year’s Futures Game. With the game this weekend, it’s time to look into the National League roster. Here’s a brief overview of each player participating, as well as what to look out for from them.
Braves: JR Ritchie, RHP (No. 6) & Hayden Harris, LHP (No. 29)
Atlanta features a duo of pitching prospects for this year's game. Ritchie has excelled since 2024, owning a sub-3.00 ERA at every level in that stretch. His stuff is near unhittable for minor league hitters, especially his slider. Harris on the other hand is in the midst of a breakout year and has risen to AAA Gwinnett. He features a solid fastball from the left side, and currently has a 0.84 ERA in 27 AAA appearances.
Brewers: Jesús Made, SS/3B (No. 1/MLB No. 8)
Made was a no-brainer pick for the Brewers farm here this year. He’s been considered one of the best prospects in all of baseball by many outlets, and will showcase that in this game. His production hasn’t been jaw-dropping this year as an 18-year-old in Low-A, but the tools are all there. A phenomenal hit tool with plus power, he pairs that with a plus arm in the left side of the infield. Look for Made to flash his talents in the field and as a switch-hitter at the plate.
Cardinals: JJ Wetherholt, SS/2B (No. 1/MLB No. 19)
Wetherholt is another 2024 first rounder close to making his major league debut. He has incredible feel at the plate with a 65 grade hit tool and plus speed to complement. The West Virginia product is hitting above a .300 average this season, and should be a staple in St. Louis in the near future as he’s recently received the call up to AAA.
Cubs: Owen Caissie, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 43)
This nod could be more a showcase of a possible trade chip for the Cubs. Caissie has been one of the hottest hitting prospects in the minor leagues recently, and sitting in AAA, could make an immediate impact for an organization at the major league level. The current Cubs top prospect is OPSing over .950 this year, and has flashed his power constantly with 19 home runs.
Diamondbacks: Slade Caldwell, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 84) & LuJames Groover, 3B (No. 10)
The Diamondbacks feature an interesting tandem of prospects with Caldwell and Groover. Caldwell has broken out in his first full professional season since being Arizona’s 2024 first round selection. He still sports an above .800 OPS on the year, with his 70 grade speed being the calling card to watch for in this game. Groover gets the nod as well after an incredible first half in AA. An OPS north of .850 with 10 home runs, he’s an underrated name to watch here.
Dodgers: Josue De Paula, OF (No. 1/MLB No. 27) & Zyhir Hope, OF (No. 2/MLB No. 37)
The top prospect in the Dodgers system alongside another highly touted outfield prospect got nods to this year’s game. De Paula is another hitter with a tremendous hit tool as well as plus power with 10 home runs this year. Hope will also flash plus power but also features a 60 grade arm in the outfield as well. De Paula could be a possible trade chip at the deadline, so these are two very key prospects to watch in this game.
Giants: Carson Whisenhunt, LHP (No. 2) & Trent Harris, RHP (No. 10)
The Giants like the Braves feature a tandem of pitching prospects this year. Whisenhunt being the top arm in the system, he’ll get a shot to showcase his 70 grade changeup on a bigger stage. Harris will feature a fantastic fastball/curveball combo, and hopefully can use this experience to push a solid second half across after firing a 1.69 ERA in 13 AA appearances in 2025.
Marlins: Thomas White, LHP (No. 1/MLB No. 28) & Joe Mack, C (No. 4/MLB No. 94)
The Marlins have a great duo of prospects here for us to watch in this year’s game. White has been phenomenal the last couple of seasons, and this year owns a sub-2.20 ERA across two levels. Another lefty with a great fastball he combines it with an even better slider. Mack has been a very highly talked about prospect and has risen on many lists since the start of the year. He’s OPS’d north of .800 across two levels with 11 home runs. Watch for his arm behind the plate in this one as well.
Mets: Jonah Tong, RHP (No. 2/MLB No. 59) & Carson Benge, OF (No. 3/MLB No. 81)
There may not be a more exciting duo of prospects in this year’s game. Tong has become one of the most highly regarded players in the minor leagues. His numbers across the board are absurd, with a sub-2.00 ERA, sub-1.00 WHIP, and a .141 BAA. You won’t need to watch Tong closely to know he’s legit. His fastball velocity will stand out as some of the best among both rosters. Benge has proven to be another great pick out of the 2024 first round. He earns the nod after OPSing over .900 in the first half this year.
Washington Nationals: Alex Clemmey, LHP (No. 5) & Marquis Grissom Jr., RHP (No. 21)
No Sykora this year but Clemmey offers a very intriguing arm to this roster. Another great fastball paired with a devastating slider, he’s been very hard to navigate with a .213 BAA and a sub-4.00 ERA. Grissom looked great out of the bullpen in AA, but has since struggled in AAA. Regardless, he earned the nod and will get to showcase his nasty 70 grade changeup from the right side.
San Diego Padres: Leo De Vries, SS (No. 1/MLB No. 3)
De Vries could very well be the next top prospect in baseball, so watching him closely here might be more important to some. An unbelievable five-tool switch-hitting prospect, De Vries will flash his talent anywhere on the field and at the plate. In terms of big name prospects in this year’s game, there might not be a bigger name participating.
Philadelphia Phillies: Eduardo Tait, C (No. 4/MLB No. 63)
The Phillies give their nod to the 18-year-old catching phenom Tait. 60 grades on his power and arm behind the plate, he can make his presence known in a loud way on both sides. He’s been solid for Clearwater in Low-A this year, with an OPS just south of .800 and 11 home runs with 19 doubles.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Konnor Griffin, SS/OF (No. 2/MLB No. 13); Esmerlyn Valdez, OF/1B (NR)
While eyes will be all over De Vries you can expect just as many to be looking at Konnor Griffin. He’s exploded onto the pro scene since being drafted last year, and owns an OPS well over .900 across two levels at just 19-years-old. Some of the best raw talent and tools across the board, he shows everything of a young star in the game. Valdez gets the nod as well after having an amazing first half. He’s hit nearly .300 this year while being known for his power, recording 20 home runs. A fantastic duo of prospects to watch out for here.
Cincinnati Reds: Sal Stewart, 3B (No. 3/MLB No. 52) & Alfredo Duno, C (No. 6/MLB No. 93)
The Reds have been able to feature some great young talent in this game and this year is no different. Sal Stewart is a very intriguing 3B prospect, being a very consistent hitter at every level. He’s turned it up a notch in AA, hitting over .300. Duno is becoming more well-known by the year. The 19-year-old has OPS’d over .850 in Low-A in 72 games. Another great arm behind the plate to watch for.
Colorado Rockies: Charlie Condon, 1B/OF (No. 1/MLB No. 23) & Welinton Herrera, LHP (No. 20)
The Rockies feature two prospects here one being the 2024 Golden Spikes Award winner in Charlie Condon. He’s puzzled some as he’s hit for average this year, but not as much for the power he’s so highly regarded for. Regardless, that 70 grade power is very much in the tank, and something to watch out for. Herrera is our last arm we’ll talk about here. He’s been elite this year across two levels, sporting sub-1.00 ERA’s in both A+/AA. A shutdown reliever with a great fastball.