Manuel Margot, Eloy Jimenez flash big league promise with defensive gems in Futures Game
The 2016 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game took place on Sunday afternoon at Petco Park, pitting some of the game's top young players against each other in a game that serves as a sneak preview of things to come for many clubs.
One such club is the Padres, hosts of this season's All-Star festivities. Outfielder Manuel Margot backed up his No. 1 organizational ranking by MLB Pipeline with an undeniably impressive home run-stealing catch in the sixth inning. His victim was Cardinals prospect Carson Kelly, who absolutely smoked the baseball but had nothing to show for it in the end:
Get a closer look at Margo's robbery, because it deserves a second viewing:
While folks were still processing Margot's airborne theft, Cubs youngster Eloy Jimenez -- Chicago's No. 10 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline -- pulled off a scene-stealer of his own, pursuing a pop foul down the right-field line and making a slick leaping grab before nearly tumbling into the stands in the seventh:
Of the two, Margot seems the most likely to make it to the big leagues this season, considering he's hitting .299/.349/.422 with Triple-A El Paso and can already make defensive plays like this at Petco. It's only a matter of time before he gets the all-important call.
Jimenez is playing well at the Class A level for the Cubs, hitting .332/.372/.527 ... and as he showed on Sunday, he's already capable of some big-time plays on the Major League diamond, too. He also can crush three-run homers with ease:
The next crop of top-tier MLB talent was on full display Sunday, and it definitely looks like it's going to be a bright one for several teams around the league.