Hillcat Duo Impresses on National Stage at MLB Futures Game

Jaison Chourio and Ralphy Velazquez impressed in their MLB All-Star Futures Game debuts on Saturday afternoon at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas with the National League winning 6-1.

Playing for the American League, the Lynchburg Hillcat duo showed out in front of a national audience on MLB Network. Chourio, the Guardians #3 overall prospect, received the start in left field, a positional first for him as a member of the Hillcats. He would also be responsible for the AL’s lone run of the afternoon.

The game started out slowly, as neither team could get anything going at the dish. It was not until the third inning when Cam Collier of the National League would drive a solo shot to center to put them up one.

The fourth inning followed a much different formula, the National League took advantage of struggling American League pitching to put a three-spot on the board. The National League was in full command heading to the bottom of the fourth.

Still with only one hit in the game, the American League came to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two aboard, Chourio would step in after having struck out in his first at-bat. He would knock a base-hit up the middle for the American League’s only run of the afternoon, plating Spencer Jones.

One batter latter, manager Adrián Beltré would turn to his bench for the first time in the ballgame, looking towards Ralphy Velazquez to keep the inning going. Velazquez would show tremendous patience in his at-bat, walking on four pitches to load the bases.

However, their teammates would leave them stranded, keeping the National League well in front.

The National League would tack on another run in both the sixth and the seventh inning, putting the game out-of-reach for the AL.

The day was a tremendous experience for the pair of Hillcats. The pair arrived on Friday in preparation for Saturday’s festivities and were able to spend the day with friends and family.

Saturday morning was eventful, as they experienced first-hand the flow and demand of a Major League Gameday. They were met with open clubhouse availability upon arrival and interacted with national and international media members.

Once that concluded, they headed to the field for stretching and batting practice. Chourio was up first for BP, as he displayed both his contact and emerging power ability. His patented line drive swing was on full display, with flashes of power, sending several over the Globe Life Field wall for home runs.

Later in the morning, Velazquez took his turn at the dish, showing off fireworks from inside the dome. The right field bleachers were peppered with baseballs as the Hillcats left-handed power bat showed off his 55-grade power. His final blast, wrapping up BP, landed three-quarters of the way up the bleachers with a sound of the bat that echoed through the slow-filling ballpark.

Amidst the chaos, both players spent time picking the brains of a few of the Texas Rangers’ all-time greats who served as coaches for the American League. Velazquez was seen in conversations with Prince Fielder and Raúl Ibañez, deepening his understanding and appreciation of the game.

The pair also spent more time with the media, specifically Chourio, who was in high demand from reporters from across the globe. The brother of Jackson Chourio, who appeared in this game in 2022 and 2023, had many eyes on him throughout the early part of the afternoon.

As the dust settled, it was time for baseball and a celebration of the games top prospects. Chourio and Velazquez, both 19-years-old, showed that they could hang tough with the best in the world, adding excitement and anticipation for their careers next steps.

The duo now heads onto the All-Star Break before returning to Lynchburg to hit the road at the end of next week. Tickets for the Hillcats next homestand, beginning July 30th, are available at Lynchburg-hillcats.com.