Padres phenom Ethan Salas named to Futures Game roster
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Ángel Cantú, Contributor
- July 2, 2024
Druw Jones, the No. 2 pick in the 2022 draft, will appear in the Futures Game
San Diego Padres prodigy Ethan Salas is one of two Venezuelan teens who highlight the rosters for the upcoming All-Star Futures Game. The Venezuelan American who signed out of his parents’ country is the youngest player scheduled to participate in the annual showcase of baseball’s top prospects.
Salas, 18, will be joined by Cleveland Guardians’ prospect Jaison Chourio, the 19-year-old younger brother of Milwaukee Brewers rookie sensation Jackson Chourio.
The seven-inning showcase will be held on All-Star Saturday, July 13, at the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field. Adrian Beltre, who will be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame later this month, will manage Chourio and the rest of the American League Futures Game squad. Fellow Texas Rangers great Michael Young will manage the National League prospects.
Ethan Salas is the Padres’ top prospect
Ethan Salas, who was born in Kissimmee, Fla., is ranked No. 6 on MLB’s prospect ranking. The slugging catcher has plenty of hype. Salas was 16 years old when he received a $5.6 million signing bonus as an amateur free agent in January 2023.
Chourio, 19, is Clevelands’ third ranked prospect. The Maracaibo, Venezuela, native batted .349 in the Arizona Complex League a year ago. Hitting is a family gene for the Chourios.
The younger Chourio is slashing .270 with a .793 OPS in Class A. He’s shown excellent patience with 50 walks. The slugging outfielder is a speed threat because he’s stolen 24 bases.
Druw Jones, the son of 10-time Gold Glove winner Andruw Jones, will represent the NL. The younger Jones was drafted second overall by the Diamondbacks in the 2022 Draft. The speedy center fielder has 60 hits, with 4 home runs and 36 RBIs. Jones is the third ranked prospect in Arizona’s organization.
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Former LSU outfielder Dylan Crews will make his first Futures Game. The Altamonte Springs. Fla., native is off to a scorching start. He’s played in Class AA and Class AAA this year. Crews has a .773 OPS and .331 average with seven home runs, 45 RBIs and 18 stolen bases overall this season.
James Wood, the Nationals’ top prospect, is making consecutive appearances in the Futures Game.
AL/NL represents
Catcher Samuel Basallo is representing the Orioles. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, native has shown tremendous power. He hit 20 home runs with 86 RBIs between Class A and Class AA. Basallo already has 11 home runs this year.
MLB’s seventh ranked prospect Marcelo Mayer is on his second Futures Game roster. The native of Chula Vista, Calif., has an astonishing .851 OPS and 82 hits in 68 games.
The AL will also have Astros pitching prospect A.J. Blubaugh, Yankees’ Spencer Jones, Detroit’s Max Clark and Nicaraguan Fernando Perez.
The NL will feature Dodgers’ Jeral Perez, Reds’ Cam Collier, Cubs’ Matt Shaw and Arizona’s Deyvison De Los Santos
Ángel Cantú
Contributor
Our Esquina contributor Ángel Cantú is a co-host for the Full Seam Ahead podcast. He joined Teach for America after graduating from Texas A&M University. He is currently a fourth grade teacher at KIPP Public Schools in Houston.
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