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Best streams of 2019: All-Star Games

Robert reigns as MVP; Betts walks off with another Derby win
The Triple-A, Texas, Southern and Midwest League All-Star Games all created memorable moments in 2019.
@jtbloss
June 22, 2020

There’s no better time to see the brightest stars of baseball’s future than at Minor League All-Star Games, when the best of the best get the chance to battle for bragging rights after earning a spot during the first half of a long season. It's a reward for the players,

There’s no better time to see the brightest stars of baseball’s future than at Minor League All-Star Games, when the best of the best get the chance to battle for bragging rights after earning a spot during the first half of a long season. It's a reward for the players, a treat for the fans.

Here are four of the most exciting All-Star Games from the 2019 season, all of which are available to watch during the MILB.TV free preview. Head over to Twitter to vote on which one will be streamed on YouTube and Facebook this Thursday!

France powers PCL to another All-Star win

The El Paso Chihuahuas set a Pacific Coast League record with 258 home runs last season, so it was only fitting that a few of their own provided the fireworks during the Triple-A All-Star Game that took place in their home park. Ty France -- en route to being named the BUSH’s Beans Top Star for the Pacific Coast League -- and Luis Urías each went deep, while Austin Allen added an RBI single to plate the PCL’s final run in a dominant 9-3 win. To add to the drama of a memorable midsummer exhibition, eight of the PCL’s nine runs scored with two outs recorded. Full Story | Highlight: France bashes All-Star blast | Watch Game

Robert puts on show at All-Star Game

There are moments in a top-ranked prospect’s rise through the Minors that will be remembered long after that player graduates to the Majors. Luis Robert’s 2019 was stuffed with them, the Double-A Southern League All-Star Game being no exception. The No. 3 overall prospect doubled down the left-field line to open the scoring in the first inning, then tripled in the next frame as the South broke open what would become a 7-3 win over the North. Robert wasn’t done either, blasting a deep fly ball to center field in his third and final at-bat that top Braves prospect Cristian Pache hauled in just shy of the wall. Robert, who will turn 23 in August, moved up to Triple-A less than a month later, went on to sign a lucrative long-term deal with the White Sox in the offseason. Full Story | Highlight: Robert smacks RBI triple | Watch Game

All Betts are on at Midwest All-Star Game

Because All-Star Games don’t count toward the standings, they offer an opportunity to try some new things. So when the Class A Midwest League All-Star Game stood at a 3-3 tie after nine innings, the East and West engaged in a home run derby to determine the champion. The West turned to Kane County’s Blaze Alexander, who launched a single home run in the allotted 90 seconds. The East elected Bowling Green’s Chris Betts, walk-off champ of the previous night’s Home Run Derby. The Rays prospect -- finally healthy after battling serious injuries early in his career -- burned a minute without leaving the yard, then cranked back-to-back dingers to send South Bend’s Four Winds Field into a frenzy. He and the East were walk-off winners once again. Full Story | Highlight: Betts blast wins it | Watch Game

Barrera leads South to Texas All-Star win

Tenth-ranked A's prospect Luis Barrera did it all from the leadoff spot, finishing the night 3-for-5 with two runs scored to take home the MVP award in the South Division’s 5-1 win over the North Division in the Texas League All-Star Game. But maybe the most memorable moment that night at Tulsa’s ONEOK Field came in the dugout, when Drillers manager Scott Hennessey pulled top Dodgers prospect Gavin Lux aside after removing him from the game. With cameras rolling and Lux unaware of the reason, Hennessey told Lux that the infielder was headed to Triple-A. It was an emotional moment and a milestone amidst a breakout summer that saw Lux ascend to the Dodgers’ playoff roster. Full Story | Highlight: Tulsa's Lux Receives Surprise Call-Up to Triple-A | Watch Game

Joe Bloss is a contributor for MiLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @jtbloss.