True Blue LA - 2014 MLB Futures Game: Julio Urias, Corey Seager make impact in MinnesotaWhere The Dodger Dogs Are Always Grilledhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/49563/truebluela_fav.png2014-07-13T21:06:16-07:00http://www.truebluela.com/rss/stream/56612282014-07-13T21:06:16-07:002014-07-13T21:06:16-07:00The growing legend of Julio Urias
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<p>One scoreless inning on Sunday put the Dodgers' prized 17-year-old prospect in the front of everyone's minds.</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> 17-year-old pitching phenom was introduced to a much larger audience at Sunday's MLB Futures Game, and the left-hander did not disappoint. Urias threw a perfect inning for the World team in the fifth, including one strikeout, throwing 11 strikes in his 14 pitches.</p>
<p>"He was composed. Whoom! Whoom! Whoom! My goodness gracious," said U.S. team manager Tom Kelly, <a target="_blank" href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/17-year-old-lhp-urias-impresses-futures-game">per the Associated Press</a>.</p>
<p>Urias has opened eyes within baseball, striking out more than a batter per inning and holding his own in the hitter friendly California League. Just last week Urias <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/7/5878005/julio-urias-joc-pederson-corey-seager-top-20-prospects-dodgers">was named the Dodgers top prospect</a> - over highly-regarded hitting prospects <span>Corey Seager</span> and <span>Joc Pederson</span> - in midseason rankings by both Baseball America (No. 13 overall in baseball) and Baseball Prospectus (No. 15). Keith Law of ESPN will release his midseason rankings this week, but <a target="_blank" href="http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10166140/byron-buxton-tops-2014-ranking-top-100-prospects-mlb">in the preseason Law had Urias ranked No. 14</a>.</p>
<p>Before the Futures Game, Urias stood out among several players as <a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/futures-showcase-who-do-general-managers-want-to-see?ymd=20140713&content_id=84498724&vkey=news_mlb">a player that MLB team executives wanted to watch</a>.</p>
<p>He did not disappoint on Sunday, on the big stage at Target Field in Minnesota.</p>
<p>Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports <a target="_blank" href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/is-18-too-soon-for-dodgers--phenom-prospect-julio-urias-014942848.html">took the Urias baton and ran with the idea</a>, floating the possibility of Urias pitching in the majors before turning 19 in August 2015. But the best part of the article is listening to other top prospects talking about Urias:</p>
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<p>"I remember last year I faced him in Fort Wayne," said <span>Hunter Renfroe</span>, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a>' first-round pick in 2013 out of Mississippi State. "I'd just gotten moved up and was hearing about this 16-year-old they had. I was like, a 16-year-old? No chance he's any good.</p>
<p>"I'm hitting third. And of course the first two guys who go up there, he throws three straight fastballs by them. I'm wondering what happened. They didn't even look that hard. So I get up there and watch the first pitch. That one kind of got on me a little bit. Next pitch I swung and fouled it straight back. I'm thinking, 'I'm on you now.' Next pitch is a curveball, and I walked back to the dugout."</p>
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<p>"He's unbelievably composed," Seager told Passan. "His maturity is through the roof."</p>
<p>For all the growing hype, Urias seems ready for the challenge.</p>
<p>"It's what God gave me and that's what I do, and there's no reason to be nervous," Urias said, per the AP.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/13/5897141/julio-urias-legendEric Stephen2014-07-13T15:41:21-07:002014-07-13T15:41:21-07:00Urias, Seager showcased at Futures Game
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<figcaption>Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A pair of prized <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> prospects made their mark at Target Field in Minnesota on Sunday. <span>Julio Urias</span> made history at 17 years old as the youngest player in the history of the MLB Futures Game, while <span>Corey Seager</span> reached base in one of his two plate appearances.</p>
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<img src="http://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/35561908/20140713_jla_sl8_043.jpg.0.jpg" width="300"><span>Photo: Jerry Lai | USA Today Sports</span>
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<p>Seager started at shortstop and batted third for the U.S. team. He lined out hard to right field in the first inning against right-hander Jose Berrios of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a>. He was hit by a pitch to load the bases in the third inning by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> prospect <span>Edwin Escobar</span>, but did not score.</p>
<p>Seager played four innings at shortstop before coming out of the game. He fielded two ground balls, one in the second inning and a force out at second base in the fourth.</p>
<p>Urias pitched the fifth inning for the World team and turned in a scoreless frame with one strikeout. Urias threw 14 pitches, 11 for strikes.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.amazinavenue.com/">Mets</a> catcher <span>Kevin Plawecki</span> lined out to first base, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.federalbaseball.com/">Nationals</a> outfielder <span>Michael Taylor</span> struck out swinging, then <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.southsidesox.com/">White Sox</a> second baseman <span>Micah Johnson</span> grounded out to shortstop to end the inning.</p>
<p>Urias will return to Class-A Rancho Cuamonga at some point next week, while Seager, 20, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/13/5740798/corey-seager-promoted-double-a-chattanooga-dodgers">has been promoted to Double-A Chattanooga</a> and will make his Southern League debut on Thursday.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/13/5896137/julio-urias-corey-seager-futures-game-resultsEric Stephen2014-07-13T08:30:03-07:002014-07-13T08:30:03-07:00Seager to bat 3rd for US, Urias pitching 5th
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<p>Two of <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/7/5878005/julio-urias-joc-pederson-corey-seager-top-20-prospects-dodgers">the Dodgers' three top prospects</a> are on display on Sunday afternoon in Minnesota for the Futures Game. <span>Corey Seager</span> bats third for the U.S. squad on Sunday, while <span>Julio Urias</span> will be the fifth pitcher for the World team.</p>
<p>The Futures Game is the start of meaningful All-Star activities at Target Field in Minnesota, and will begin at 2 p.m. PT. The game will be televised on MLB Network and simulcast on MLB.com, with Matt Vasgerisan and <span>Sean Casey</span> on the call, with Heidi Watney and Jonathan Mayo as well.</p>
<p>Seager, hitting .352/.411/.633 with 18 home runs, 34 doubles and 70 RBI in 80 games for Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, starts at shortstop for the U.S. team, which will be managed by former <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.twinkietown.com/">Twins</a> manager Tom Kelly. Among the minor league coaches on the U.S. coaching staff is Double-A Chattanooga hitting coach <span>Shawn Wooten</span>, with whom Seager will be be intimately familiar with very soon.</p>
<p>Urias, with a 3.44 ERA, 58 strikeouts and 25 walks in 52⅓ innings at age 17 in the California League, will be the fifth pitcher to take the mound for the World team. Jose Berrios (Twins) starts for the World team, with Domingo German (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fishstripes.com/">Marlins</a>), <span>Edwin Escobar</span> (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a>) and Luis Severino (<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a>) to follow before Urias' turn.</p>
<p>The World team will be managed by former Twins pitcher Burt Blyleven.</p>
<h5>Game info</h5>
<p>Time: 2 p.m. PT</p>
<p>TV: MLB Network</p>
<p>Online: MLB.com</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/7/13/5895249/corey-seager-julio-urias-futures-game-schedule-lineups-tvEric Stephen2014-06-24T12:48:21-07:002014-06-24T12:48:21-07:00Seager, Urias named to Futures Game
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<p>A pair of Quakes will be in Minnesota for All-Star festivities on Sunday, July 13.</p> <p>LOS ANGELES -- A pair of top <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.truebluela.com/">Dodgers</a> prospects will represent the club next month at the All-Star Futures Game in Minnesota. Shortstop <span>Corey Seager</span> and left-handed pitcher Julio Uiras, both currently with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga, have been selected to play in the 16th annual prospect showcase during the midsummer festivities.</p>
<p>The Futures Game will be played at 2 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 13 at Target Field in Minnesota, two days before the All-Star Game. The game will be televised by MLB Network and shown online on MLB.com, with Matt Vasgersian, <span>Sean Casey</span>, Jonathan Mayo and Heidi Watney on the call.</p>
<p>Seager, 20, is hitting .353/.405/.613 with 27 doubles, 13 home runs, 52 RBI and 49 runs scored in 65 games. The 2012 first-round pick by the Dodgers ranks among the top three in the California League in hits, extra-base hits, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS.</p>
<p>Urias, just 17, is 1-1 with a 3.35 ERA in 14 appearances with the Quakes, with 48 strikeouts and 21 walks in 45⅔ innings.</p>
<p>Seager is on the U.S. roster, and Urias is on the World roster.</p>
<p>Current Dodgers to have played in both the Futures Game and All-Star Game include <span>Josh Beckett</span>, <span>Carl Crawford</span>, <span>Adrian Gonzalez</span>, <span>Zack Greinke</span>, <span>Clayton Kershaw</span> and <span>Hanley Ramirez</span>.</p>
https://www.truebluela.com/2014/6/24/5839026/corey-seager-julio-urias-futures-game-2014-dodgersEric Stephen