A trip to the Fall Stars Game

MESA, Arizona — I had hoped to bring you a recap of the Fall Stars Game that included fine performances by Cubs prospects James Triantos and Kevin Alcántara.

Weirdly, neither started this game, even though Triantos might be named AFL MVP later this week, as he currently leads the league with a 1.205 OPS and five triples.

The A.L. Fall Stars won the game 6-3 and four home runs were hit, three by A.L. stars. Triantos entered the game in the top of the sixth inning and went 0-for-2, a pair of groundouts. Alcántara also came into the game around then, in the bottom of the sixth. He also went 0-for-2, a strikeout and a ground out.

So let me tell you about a couple of guys I saw in this game who impressed me.

Colson Montgomery was the White Sox’ No. 1 pick (22nd overall) out of high school in Indiana in 2021. He smashed a 409-foot home run in the fourth [VIDEO].

Montgomery also singled. He was named the Fall Stars Game MVP. He hasn’t yet played above Double-A and is just 21 years old, but was already in the Top 40 of all MLB prospects before the 2023 season. The Sox are in a rebuild. They could do worse than installing him as their starting shortstop now that Tim Anderson has been non-tendered.

Check out this home run from Guardians prospect Kyle Manzardo [VIDEO].

This is a slick defensive play by Brewers prospect Eric Brown Jr. [VIDEO].

As I noted, there wasn’t much from Cubs prospects in this year’s Fall Stars Game, unlike last year when Matt Mervis homered twice and was named MVP. But they did play the bottom of the ninth even though the “home” American League team had already won the game. This was so Ike Buxton, the last player who hadn’t participated in the game, could get a bit of playing time. Everyone participated! (FWIW, Ike Buxton, a Marlins pitching prospect, is not related to Twins outfielder Byron Buxton.)

The N.L. certainly had chances in this game — they went 0-for-13 with RISP. Also, there were a lot of strikeouts — 14 by A.L. pitchers, 12 by N.L. pitchers. There were also four stolen bases, three by Cardinals prospect Victor Scott II, and four wild pitches.

1,607 attended on a gorgeous fall evening in Mesa, a decent crowd for a game of this type. I’m planning on going to the Mesa Solar Sox game on Wednesday and should have more on Triantos and Alcántara then.