Michael Busch Makes Most of Futures Game Stage
The Dodgers prospect became the fourth Tar Heel to play in the showcase
In the two years since the Los Angeles Dodgers selected him 31st overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, former North Carolina standout Michael Busch has steadily climbed the prospect ranks, establishing himself as one of the game’s brightest young stars.
At his current pace, Busch could make his Major League debut as soon as next season. On Sunday, though, he got a brief glimpse of what his Dodgers future might look like playing in the All-Star Futures Game at the Colorado Rockies’ Coors Field.
Busch came on as a defensive replacement in the fifth inning of the National League’s 8-3 win over the American League and cleanly fielded the only grounder hit his way. An inning later, the second baseman stepped to the plate for what proved to be his lone at-bat and ripped a 99.7 mph fastball to right field for a single.
With his appearance, Busch became the fourth Tar Heel to play in the Futures Game since its 1999 inception, joining Mike Bynum (2000), Chris Iannetta (2005) and Matt Harvey (2011). J.B. Bukauskas was selected to the 2019 event, but didn’t pitch.
The No. 69 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America, Busch is slashing .223/.373/.415 with nine homers and 20 RBIs in 51 games with the Double-A Tulsa Drillers this season. He’s hit safely in six of his past seven games, homering three times in that span.