Royals prospects Gavin Cross, Ben Kudrna selected for 2024 All-Star Futures Game

The Kansas City Royals will be represented at the 2024 All-Star Futures Game.

On Tuesday, Royals prospects Gavin Cross and Ben Kudrna were selected for the annual showcase. Both players will take the field on Saturday, July 13, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.

The Futures Game will start at 3 p.m. Central on MLB Network. It will be simulcast on MLB.tv, MLB.com and the MLB app.

Cross, 23, was the Royals’ first-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. He is currently in Double-A with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.

This season, Cross is hitting .279 with eight home runs, 39 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. He is ranked as the Royals’ No. 7 prospect, per MLB.com.

“He’s extremely talented,” Royals director of player development Mitch Maier said. “No one doubts that. He’ll continue to make the adjustments necessary to progress.”

Kudrna, 21, has posted a 3.14 ERA in 12 starts for High-A Quad Cities. He has registered 64 strikeouts and limited opponents to a .207 batting average.

In his last start, Kudrna pitched six scoreless innings against the Peoria Chiefs (St. Louis Cardinals High-A affiliate). He allowed three hits, one walk and struck out nine batters on June 30.

The Royals selected Kudrna in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He is a Kansas native and starred at Blue Valley Southwest High School.

“He got a taste of High-A last year,” Maier said. “We saw what they did going back to (Single-A) Columbia and saw those steps. I think those guys are in a good spot to continue to progress.”

The Futures Game will feature both the American and National Leagues. The selected prospects in each league will play a seven-inning game under the AL vs. NL format.

The AL team will be managed by 2024 Hall of Fame inductee Adrian Beltre. Meanwhile, former Texas Rangers star Michael Young will manage the NL team.

Last season, the NL won 5-0 during the All-Star Week in Seattle, Washington.

The Futures Game is a good indicator of the next group of players. According to MLB, 87.9% of previous participants have appeared in at least one regular-season game.

Royals prospect Will Klein played in the 2023 All-Star Futures Game. This year, Klein made his MLB debut for the Royals. He posted a 6.35 ERA in five games and is currently in Triple-A with the Omaha Storm Chasers.