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This year's edition of Future Stars features Bryson Stott, Matt Brash, Michael Harris II, and more.

By Joshua Khan on June 7, 2022 at 11:48AM PDT

Cue the bat drops and K struts: MLB The Show 22's Future Stars are here. This month's new featured program in Diamond Dynasty puts an emphasis on the Future Of The Franchise-a fan favorite series that was introduced in 2017 to highlight baseball's top prospects and what their projected ratings could look like in three years. Ever since, it's drawn attention to names such as Byron Buxton, Rafael Devers, Tyler O'Neill, Bo Bichette, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Wander Franco, and remains an avenue for diehards and casuals to become more familiar with their teams and the next generation of baseball.

The Future Of The Franchise XP path features 30 new bosses (one from each team), a mixed bag of new bat skins, retro uniforms, and themed choice packs (Big Dog, Always Intense), and a long list of legends and flashbacks, including 1993 Postseason Joe Carter, 2002 Veteran Jeff Bagwell, and 2016 All-Star Kris Bryant. It also comes with a new Lou Gehrig Day Program, the Colorado Rockies Nike City Connect Program (think '90s), and two new player card collections for binder enthusiasts with unique rewards such as 1980 Retro Finest George Brett and Takashi Okazaki Series Babe Ruth.

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With Future Stars cards being mid-90 overalls that are all about pop, speed, and nasty break pitches, below is a quick cheat sheet on the best additions to grind for before the All-Star Program in July.

Austin Hendrick has huge Christian Yelich energy. The former Pittsburgh prep star turned heads with his elite bat speed before going to the Reds as the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 Draft and driving in seven home runs and 29 RBI in 63 games in Single-A. He whiffed at a 37.6% rate last year, but posted exit velocities near 110 mph--dipping into a gross display of power and athleticism that The Show has turned into 110 pop against righties and above average fielding that goes diamond at P5.

All hustle and flow, the Blue Jays' fifth overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft was traded to the Twins last summer and ended with 25 extra base hits and a .796 OPS in 93 games of Double-A ball. Martin had more physical power during his time at Vanderbilt--with a career line of 368/.474/.532--and his arm and reaction are average at best, but his line drive swing and insane contact makes him a versatile righty that can swipe bags, play five positions, and crush doubles on Legend and Hall Of Fame.

One word: Outlier I. The Dodgers No. 1 pitching prospect dominated his 2021 pro debut, with a 2.40 ERA and 70 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings while holding hitters to a .192 average, and he's bound to do the same in Ranked Seasons thanks to a higher 3/4 arm slot that throws 100 mph fastballs with 95 break. His stats fit the Future Stars pitcher build--no stamina with high H/9 and K/9--but he's a 6'5 goon with a unique five-pitch mix that can break hands with inside sinkers, sliders, and splitters.

The Philadelphia Phillies phenom might not be the 300 pounds of beef that San Diego Studio wants him to be, but trust: his swing plays. Stott knocked in an RBI double during his MLB debut (April 8th) and recently returned to the majors with a walk-off, three-run shot against the Angels (June 5th)--just in time for a Future Stars card that has the contact, speed, and glove for every difficulty. He's also a 6'3 shortstop with range and a highly accurate arm that can throw out 97s with ease.

Regarded as the best Cleveland prospect since Manny Ramirez, Valera made his full debut in 2021, racking up 19 home runs, 65 RBI, 11 steals, and .910 OPS in 86 games. He's a power lefty who can hold his own against lefties and in the corners, and then there's the hidden perks. Valera's fielding can be improved to a diamond rating at parallel four and his 97 contact and 110 power versus right handers is attached to Ozzie Albies' swing animation and its love for sending baseballs into orbit.

Jackson Jobe is all filth. The 19-year-old from Irving, Texas was selected third overall in the 2021 MLB Draft after having a High School Player Of The Year-type season that resulted in a 9-0 record, a 0.13 ERA, two no-hitters, and a state championship. The secret to his ownage? A surprising mix of pitches and speeds that are used to set up a low 80s slider from hell that eclipses 3,000 RPM (revolutions per minute). His 99 break stat needs more than 89 control, but that's what parallels are for.

The California Golden Bear standout leveled up from High-A to Triple-A in 2021, finishing the year with 11 home runs, 18 doubles, and a .778 OPS. His swing is beloved by the community thanks to his Prospect Series card from The Show 21, but his power and infield versatility come with plus defense and a 6'2 frame that maxes out at 69 speed. He also has a cannon for an arm that does work at both catcher and third base, and it makes him a better pre-summer addition than Bart, Davis, or Perez.

Masyn Winn is basically a fever dream for Cardinals fans. The ex two-way phenom shoved 98 mph before fully committing to shortstop last year and he has already started his 2022 minor league run with a bang, putting up .333/.394/.563 with three homers, seven triples, 17 doubles, and 16 steals in 45 games. He reps the Birds with diamond defense and ridiculous speed, but his bat plays above its stats and his glove maxes out at 98 fielding, 95 reaction, and both 99 arm strength and accuracy.

The Kingston, Ontario right-hander completed his first official season of pro ball in 2021, dominating the minor leagues with a 2.31 ERA and 142 strikeouts across 20 starts. He limited opposing hitters to a .180 batting average and a 13.1 strikeout rate in 97.1 innings of work, thanks to pitch break that can only be described as "wiffle ball movement". His mix includes a brain melting slider, slurve, and change, and his 94 velo stat can be upgraded to add more heat to a four-seam with 95 break.

There's no denying Michael Harris II. The byproduct of DeKalb County, Georgia wheeled 27 doubles and 27 steals in minor ball in 2021, before raking a .305 average with another 16 doubles in just 43 games and earning a call-up to the Braves in May. His "wide receiver" archetype mirrors another rival Future Star (Garrett Mitchell), but Harris stands out in the program as he's a left-handed contact bat with sneaky speed, diamond fielding in the outfield, and glitchy power that screams "Prime Time".

The Colorado Rockies' first round pick in 2019 showed off his sweet swing in Double-A ball last year, hitting 22 home runs and 84 RBI--including a two-run, 444-foot moonshot in Coors Field during the Futures Game. He has Gold Glove potential at first, hence the diamond shield, but he builds on his RoboCop-like fielding and reaction with a switch bat and +110 power. He also makes POTM Rizzo look like gold Paul Molitor and that's if he's not already chasing down line outs in the corners.

Peraza is still going rounds with another Yankees shortstop prospect (Anthony Volpe) because of his physical tools and a full 2021 season in the minors that produced 18 home runs, 138 hits, 38 steals, and a .297/.356/.477 slash line. His 95 overall Future Stars card is a lot like Diet Gleyber Torres, but in a good way as his contact-to-power ratio and speed around the bases make him an extra base hit machine in every ballpark. His diamond fielding is an added bonus, especially at second base.

The future of Braves Country is now the Oakland A's No. 1 prospect (and for a good reason). After a solid 2021 campaign, Langeliers has started his 2022 season clubbing 11 home runs, 30 RBI, and 47 hits in 47 games for the Las Vegas Aviators (AAA). He's still a defensive tank--as his max 97/99/97/92 fielding line is no joke--but his Future Stars diamond shows his power bat some love with 90/102 and 85/97 hitting splits that can still work off of Roy Halladay, Greg Maddux, and The Big Unit.

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