June 28th, 2016

Naylor and O’Neill named to SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game World roster

By Adam Morissette
Baseball Canada
OTTAWA - A pair of Junior National Team alumni were named to the “World Roster” for the annual SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, which will be played on Sunday, July 10th at Petco Park in San Diego as part of Major League Baseball’s All-Star weekend.

MLB Network will exclusively televise and MLB.com will live stream the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game.

Josh Naylor (Mississauga, ON) and Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) were among 25 players named to the World Roster who will take on the US squad who also named 25 players to its roster. Major League Baseball earlier today on MLB Network’s “The Rundown” announced both rosters.

Naylor, 19, a 2015 first round draft selection of the Miami Marlins, is currently in his first full professional season with Greensboro in the Single-A South Atlantic League. The first baseman is hitting .257/.316/.441 with 8 home runs and 43 RBI in 63 games played. He was named to the South Atlantic League’s Northern Division All-Star team earlier this month. Naylor joined the Junior National Team program in 2012 as a 15 year old and represented Canada at three different WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cups (2012, 2013 and 2015) where he helped Canada win a silver medal in 2012. At the 2015 World Cup in Japan, he led the tournament with three home runs and was named to the tournament’s All-Star team. Naylor is the #2 prospect in the Marlins system according to MLB.com.

O’Neill, 21, was a third round draft pick of the Seattle Mariners in 2013. He is currently in his third full professional campaign where he is a member of the Jackson Generals of the Double-A Southern League. O’Neill is enjoying a tremendous season with the Generals where he is hitting .310/.371/.532 with 13 home runs and 59 RBI.  He is second in the league in home runs and first in RBI, and was a Southern League All-Star earlier this month. 

O’Neill has three international tournaments on his resume including the 2013 WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup where he was a tournament All-Star and in 2015 as member of the National Team that captured a gold medal at the Pan Am Games before representing Canada at Premier 12 last November. His 2015 season saw him named Mariners Minor League Player of the Year after leading the California League circuit with 32 homers despite playing in just 106 games. He is currently the Mariners #4 prospect according to MLB.com.

Naylor and O’Neill are set to become the 29th and 30th Canadians to participate in the annual contest that began in 1999.

All-time Canadian Futures Game participants:
First Last Team Year
Phillippe Aumont 2008 Mariners
Erik Bedard 2001, 2002 Orioles
Jeff Francis 2004 Rockies
Tyson Gillies 2009 Mariners
Rich Harden 2003 A’s

Shawn Hill 2003 Expos
George Kottaras 2006 Padres
Pierre-Luc LaForest 1999 Devil Rays
Brett Lawrie 2009, 2010 Brewers
Jordan Lennerton 2013 Tigers

Kyle Lotzkar 2012 Reds
Adam Loewen 2005 Orioles
Trystan Magnuson 2010 Blue Jays
Scott Mathieson 2005 Phillies
Russell Martin 2005 Dodgers

Chris Mears 1999 Mariners
Justin Morneau 2002, 2004 Twins
Aaron Myette 1999, 2000 White Sox
Josh Naylor 2016 Marlins
Ntema Ndungidi 2000 Orioles

Tyler O’Neill 2016 Mariners
James Paxton 2011 Mariners
Dalton Pompey 2014 Blue Jays
Michael Saunders 2007 Mariners
Scott Thorman 2003 Braves

Rene Tosoni 2009 Twins
Phillippe Valiquette 2010 Reds
Jimmy VanOstrand 2007 Astros
Joey Votto 2006, 2007 Reds
Nick Weglarz 2009 Indians

(2015 - no representative)