Frank Mozzicato, Carter Jensen to represent Royals at Futures Game at All-Star week

Go Future!

Royals fans will get a glimpse of the future during All-Star week as Catcher Carter Jensen and pitcher Frank Mozzicato were named to the Futures Game in Atlanta next month. Jensen was just promoted to Triple-A after hitting .292/.360/.420 with six home runs in 68 games at Double-A. Mozzicato earned a promotion to Double-A after posting a 1.24 ERA in seven starts for High-A Quad Cities.

Jensen is a local product, graduating from Park Hill High School before the Royals made him a third-round pick in 2021. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the #86 prospect in all of baseball before the year, and the third-best prospect in the Royals’ farm system, a ranking echoed by Baseball America. He is a left-handed hitting catcher with a good blend of power and speed and a patient eye at the plate. Last year, he drew 72 walks, the third-most in the entire farm system. He is off to a rough start upon his promotion to Triple-A, hitting 1-for-22 with a home run.

Mozzicato was the Royals’ first-round pick in 2021 out of high school in Connecticut. He boasts one of the best curveballs in the minors, but can struggle with command at times and has not developed velocity as much as some observers would like. The 22-year-old lefty struck out 37 in 36 ¹⁄₃ innings with 22 walks in High-A this year, but has struggled in Double-A with 27 walks in 26 ²⁄₃ innings and an 8.44 ERA in seven starts.

Jensen and Mozzicato will be on the American League squad, managed by Marquis Grissom, with Chipper Jones managing the National League. The game will feature some of the best prospects in baseball, including Padres shortstop Leo De Vries, Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter, Cardinals shortstop JJ Wetherholt, and Rockies outfielder Charlie Condon, as well as Grissom’s son, Marquis Grissom Jr., a pitcher with the Nationals.

The game will be played on Saturday, July 12 at 3 p.m. CT at Truist Park in Atlanta, to air live on MLB Network and MLB.TV.

Past Royals Futures Game Representatives

2000 – P Jeff Austin and P Chris George

2001 – P Chris George

2002 – SS Angel Berroa

2003 – OF Alexis Gomez and P Zack Greinke

2004 – 2B Ruben Gotay and SS Andres Blanco

2005 – 1B Justin Huber

2006 – 3B Alex Gordon and OF Billy Butler

2007 – P Luke Hochevar

2008 – P Julio Pimental

2009 – P Danny Duffy

2010 – 1B Eric Hosmer and 3B Mike Moustakas

2011 – OF Wil Myers and P Kelvin Herrera

2012 – OF Wil Myers, P Yordano Ventura, and P Jake Odorizzi

2013 – P Yordano Ventura and P Miguel Almonte

2014 – P Christian Binford

2015 – 1B Balbino Fuenmayor, SS Adalberto Mondesi, and 3B Cheslor Cuthbert

2016 – OF Hunter Dozier and OF Jorge Bonifacio

2017 – P Foster Griffin

2018 – OF Seuly Matias

2019 – P Brady Singer, P Kris Bubic

2020 – No game played

2021 – 1B Nick Pratto, SS Bobby Witt Jr.

2022 – 1B Nick Pratto (selected, but promoted to MLB), P Alec Marsh (replacement)

2023 – P Will Klein

2024 – P Ben Kudrna and OF Gavin Cross