The annual MLB All-Star Futures Game takes place on Sunday in Philadelphia, and the Milwaukee Brewers will be represented by two of the top young infield prospects in the game, as Jesus Made and Luis Pena will be participating for the National League squad this year.
Made, who ranks as the number one overall prospect in the game, has enjoyed a terrific season at Double-A Biloxi, where he’s been a key part of a Shuckers roster that already clinched a Southern League playoff spot by winning their division in the first half of the year.
Through 75 games with the Shuckers, Made is hitting .280 with 14 doubles, five triples and nine home runs, while stealing 26 bases, scoring 56 runs and knocking 58 runs.
Pena, has had a few more hiccups along the way this season, missing a good chunk of games due to injuries and illness, but when he’s been on the field for Class-A Wisconsin, he’s been electric.
In 28 games with the Timber Rattlers, and three additional rehab outings in the Complex League, Pena is batting .311 with 19 steals. He’s collected 33 hits and scored 27 runs in his 31 total games, and carries an OPS of .826.
The Futures Game dates back to 1999, when right-handed pitcher Kyle Peterson was selected as the first player to represent the Milwaukee Brewers in the game. Playing for the USA Team, Peterson went just one-third of an inning, allowing a home run to Alfonso Soriano.
A year later, it was Ben Sheets on the big stage, as Milwaukee’s lone representative, with Nick Neugebauer being chosen the following season. In 2002, both Corey Hart and Bill Hall were picked for the game, which was played at Miller Park, and in 2003, the Brewers had JJ Hardy and David Krynzel as their two selections.
Perhaps the most memorable season came in 2004, when youngsters Prince Fielder and Rickie Weeks were picked to participate at the event in Houston. Then after Nelson Cruz and Hernan Iribarren repped Milwaukee in 2005, the Brewers sent another strong contingent in 2006, with Ryan Braun and Yovani Gallardo playing at PNC Park in Pittsburgh.
Alcides Escobar made his first of two appearances in 2007, with Mat Gamel earning an invite in 2008. Escobar went back for a second time in 2009, and was joined by Brett Lawrie, who also was selected to play in 2010.
The Brewers sent current Nashville Sounds pitching coach Tyler Thornburg to the game in 2011, and followed that with Scooter Gennett in 2012, Jimmy Nelson in 2013, Jorge Lopez in 2014, Orlando Arcia in 2015 and Josh Hader in 2016.
2017 saw a record-high three Brewers selected for the first time, with Corey Ray, Lewis Brinson and Maurico Dubon all appearing in the game. 2018 featured Keston Hiura and Luis Ortiz, and 2019 saw Devin Williams get his turn in the spotlight.
2020 was the only time in the past 28 years that the game was not played, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Left-hander Ethan Small was chosen when the game returned in 2021, and a strong Milwaukee farm system was on display in 2022, with Jackson Chourio, Joey Wiemer and Antoine Kelly all participating.
The Brewers again sent three players to the game in 2023, with Chourio going back for a second time, being joined by Jacob Misiorowski and Jeferson Quero, before Cooper Pratt was selected as Milwaukee’s participant in 2024.
Last season, Made was selected to play in the game for the first time, and he got the start at second base for the National League team at Truist Park in Atlanta. In three plate appearances, Made went 1-for-3 and scored a run, as the NL picked up a 4-2 victory over the AL.
This year’s event from Philadelphia is scheduled for an 11:00 AM start time, and will be aired live on NBC and also streamed on Peacock. The game will again feature the National League prospects against the American League prospects, rather than the USA vs World format that had been used in some earlier versions of the game, and is scheduled for seven innings.
• Milwaukee’s top outfield prospect, 21-year-old Luis Lara was called up by the Brewers on Tuesday, and made his MLB debut in game two of the team’s doubleheader in St. Louis.
The switch-hitting Venezuelan made an immediate impact for Milwaukee, collecting his first Major League hit and driving in a pair of runs, as the Brewers took four out of five games from the Cardinals.
• Right-handed pitcher Jake Woodford, who the Brewers acquired at the start of the season, was granted his release on Saturday, allowing him to sign as a free agent with the Chicago Cubs.
Milwaukee traded RHP K.C. Hunt to Tampa Bay on March 24th in exchange for Woodford and he began the season in the Brewers bullpen. After struggling to a 6.94 ERA through 16 outings, Woodford was designated for assignment on June 5th. After going unclaimed by any other team, Woodford elected free agency, but ultimately wound up re-signing with the Brewers and heading to Triple-A Nashville, where he made five appearances before moving on to the Cubs.
• The Brewers announced their Minor League Players of the Month for June this past week, with Josiah Ragsdale and Josh Knoth winning the full-season awards, and Ricki Moneys and Joan Pena taking home complex league honors.
Ragsdale, who was recently promoted to Double-A Biloxi, reached base in every game he played in June, hitting .420 with five home runs. He finished the month with an OPS of 1.337, with more than half of his hits going for extra bases.
Knoth made five starts in June at Class-A Wisconsin, going 2-0 with a 3.74 earned run average. Knoth racked up 20 strikeouts over 21.2 innings, while walking just five batter, and held opposing hitters to a .238 average.
Moneys, who signed with the Brewers this past January for a reported $1.15 million, finished the month of June with an OPS of .918, hitting three home runs, and collecting more walks than strikeouts.
Pena, a left-hander from the Dominican, who was selected to the DSL All-Star team last season, made five appearances in the Arizona Complex League last month, going 1-1 with a 2.66 ERA, striking out 21 over 20.1 innings and shutting down ACL offenses, with hitters batting just .197 against him.
• The 2026 MLB First-Year Player Draft starts tomorrow at noon, and the Brewers hold the 25th overall pick in the first round, with two picks in the top 100, and a third just outside, at number 102.
The first four rounds of the 2026 Draft will be held on Saturday, with rounds 5-20 scheduled to take place on Sunday. The Brewers have a total bonus pool of $8.042,900 this season, and will have 20 picks in total, after sending their second-round comp pick to the Red Sox in the offseason trade that brought Kyle Harrison, David Hamilton and Shane Drohan to Milwaukee.
Nashville Sounds (AAA) – Overall record: 51-39. Current second half record: 8-7, 2nd place in the International League West Division, 3.5 games back of first place Durham (Rays).
Biloxi Shuckers (AA) – Overall record: 44-36. Current second half record: 9-6, Tied for 1st place in the Southern League South Division with Pensacola (Marlins) and Columbus (Braves). Biloxi won the first half and has already qualified for the playoffs.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (A+) – Overall record: 47-32. Current second half record: 13-4, 1st place in the Midwest League West Division, 2.0 games in front of second place Beloit (Marlins).
Wilson Warbirds (A) – Overall record: 45-39. Current second half record: 9-9, 2nd place in the Carolina League North Division, 1 game back of first place Fayetteville (Astros).
ACL Brewers (R) – Current record: 24-26, 4th place in the Arizona Complex League Central Division, 4.5 games back of first place ACL Guardians, ACL Reds and ACL Angels.
DSL Brewers Blue (R) – Current record: 15-12, 2nd place in the Dominican Summer League Northwest Division, 6.0 games back of first place DSL Padres Gold.
DSL Brewers Gold (R) – Current record: 13-13, 3rd place in the Dominican Summer League Central Division, 1.5 games back of first place DSL Guardians Goryl.