Rising Stars in the AZ Fall League

Phoenix, Arizona - The Arizona Fall League, known throughout professional baseball as a finishing school for Major League Baseball's elite prospects, stages its seventh annual Rising Stars Game at 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. AZ) on Saturday, November 3 at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick to help celebrate the league's 20th anniversary season.

Scouting and farm directors from every major-league organization, in consultation with Fall League Director Steve Cobb and his baseball personnel staff, selected the players for the annual showcase that pits elite prospects from the Fall League's East Division and West Division clubs.

Each major-league organization is offered the opportunity to be represented by at least one player. The East Division roster fields players from the Mesa Solar Sox (Astros, Cubs, Dodgers, Orioles, Tigers), defending-champion Salt River Rafters (Blue Jays, D-backs, Nationals, Rockies, White Sox) and Scottsdale Scorpions (Angels, Giants, Indians, Pirates, Yankees).

The West Division roster is stocked by the Peoria Javelinas (Mariners, Padres, Phillies, Reds, Twins), Phoenix Desert Dogs (Athletics, Braves, Brewers, Marlins, Rays) and Surprise Saguaros (Cardinals, Mets, Rangers, Red Sox, Royals).

Managers Matt Williams of Salt River (East Division) and Dusty Wathan of Peoria (West Division) and their coaching staffs earned the right to manage Saturday's contest by having their clubs in first place in their respective divisions through the end of play last Saturday.

Rosters - Nineteen of this year's Rising Stars are ranked among MLB.com's current Top 100 - 8 outfielders, 6 infielders, 2 pitchers and 1 catcher. The rosters also are dotted with 12 first-round draft choices and 11 players participated in the 2012 Futures Game during the All-Star Game weekend.

West Division shortstop Nick Franklin (Peoria/Mariners) was MVP of the 2011 Rising Stars Game.

TV & Radio - The contest will be nationally televised by MLB Network and online via MLB.com. Paul Severino (play-by-play) and Tom Verducci (game analyst) will call the game. Sirius/XM will offer the action to a national radio audience. Mike Ferrin (play-by-play) and Cliff Floyd (game analyst) form the broadcast team.

First Six Rising Stars Games - The first six Rising Stars Games showcased some of baseball's current standouts, including Ryan Braun, Jacoby Ellsbury and Hunter Pence in 2006, Brett Gardner and Andrew McCutchen in 2007, Gordon Beckham, Tommy Hanson and Drew Stubbs in 2008, Starlin Castro, Ike Davis, Buster Posey, Drew Storen and Stephen Strasburg in 2009, Dustin Ackley, Brandon Belt, Eric Hosmer, Jason Kipnis, and Ben Revere in 2010, and Bryce Harper, Mike Olt, Derek Norris, and Mike Trout last year.