Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Three players with Kentucky ties have been named to the United States roster for the 12th annual All-Star Futures Game, to be played July 11 at Anaheim, Calif.

Ben Revere

Lexington Catholic graduate Ben Revere, a Minnesota Twins prospect with the New Britain Rock Cats of the Eastern League (Class Double-A) is among five outfielders on the roster.

Jordan Lyles

Christian Friedrich

The 10-man pitching staff includes Double-A right-handers Christian Friedrich and Jordan Lyles. Friedrich, out of Eastern Kentucky University, is a Colorado Rockies prospect who is with the Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League. Lyles, who played for the Lexington Legends last season, is with the Texas League’s Corpus Christi Hooks.

Yonder Alonso

Phillippe Valiquette

The World roster includes a pair of Louisville Bats, Triple-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds: Cuban-born infielder Yonder Alonso and Canadian-native left-handed pitcher Phillippe Valiquette.

No Lexington Legends were named, but the South Atlantic League will be represented by a pair of players. Hagerstown Suns outfielder Eury Perez, a Dominican, is on the World roster. Lakewood BlueClaws right-hander Jarred Cosart is on the U.S. pitching staff.

The Futures Game, held in conjunction with the Major League All-Star Game, is a showcase event for top minor-league prospects. The July 11 game is part of “All-Star Sunday” and is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. EDT. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and MLB.TV. The Major League All-Star Game will be played at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, July 13.

The first 11 editions of the Futures Game has produced 62 Major League all-stars, including Bowling Green native Corey Hart and former Legends slugger Hunter Pence. There are 201 Futures Game graduates currently on big-league rosters, including Hart, Pence, University of Kentucky product Joe Blanton and former Legends John Buck and Fernando Nieve.