Meet the Future: World and US Catchers

While the 2006 XM Satellite Radio All-Star Futures Game features the most promising prospects from around the globe, no single position may span a greater geographical area than the catching corps.

From Kurt Suzuki, a Hawaii native, to George Kottaras, whose family hails from the Greek Isles, the four backstops on this year's rosters comprise a diverse cultural and geographical group.

But beyond the differences in hometown or first language, each has followed a different path to reach the Futures Game.

Here is a look at the four catchers participating in the 2006 Futures Game at PNC Park on July 9:

Kurt Suzuki, US Team, Midland (Double-A, Athletics)
It wasn't difficult to predict Suzuki's rise through the Minor League ranks following his very eventful Cal State-Fullerton career. Nicknamed "Kurt Klutch" in his final season with the Titans in 2004, Suzuki earned the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's best catcher and the first-ever Brooks Wallace Award as the nation's most outstanding player, while leading Cal State to a College World Series title. His RBI single in the final game of the Championship Series brought in the winning run, capping off an All-American campaign in which he batted .413 with six home runs and 87 RBIs.

Suzuki's professional career began when he was selected in the second round of the 2004 draft by Oakland. Since his selection, Suzuki has quickly moved up the ranks and become the top catching prospect in the Oakland farm system.

In 2005, the Wailuku, Hawaii, native benefited from a string of injuries and was bumped to high Class A to open the season. Suzuki showed he belonged, batting .277 with 43 extra-base hits and 65 RBIs for Stockton. Suzuki has been even more productive in 2006, clubbing six home runs and 41 RBIs while batting .307 for Midland in 61 games, including an eight-RBI game on Thursday against Tulsa.

George Kottaras, World Team, Mobile (Double-A, Padres)
Kottaras' unique background has been a source of pride for the 23-year-old prospect out of Markham, Ontario. Born to Greek parents, Kottaras cut his professional season short in 2004 to play for the Greek National team at the Olympics in Athens. While he went just 3-for-12 as a backup in the Games, Kottaras made up for lost time when he returned to professional baseball in 2005, hitting .303 with nine home runs and 50 RBIs in 91 games with Lake Elsinore in High Class A, before moving up to Double-A Mobile in his first full season as a pro.

The Padres didn't draft Kottaras until the 20th round in 2002 under the draft-and-follow rule, but the gamble paid off for San Diego, who signed the left-handed hitting catcher to a fourth-round salary in 2003.

After his stellar 2005 campaign, Kottaras jumped to the second-highest rated prospect in the Padres' system, according Baseball America. This season he has lived up to his billing, leading Mobile in home runs (eight) to go along with a .274 average through the first half of the season.

Neil Walker, US Team, Lynchburg (Class A, Pirates)
The Futures Game may be the first time that many Pirates fans will see Neil Walker take the field at PNC Park, but it almost certainly won't be the last. Despite a wrist injury that has slowed the 20-year-old's progress, Walker is on the fast track to the Major Leagues.

At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, Walker can hit from both sides of the plate for average and with power. His talent makes sense -- baseball is in his genes. His father, Tom, was a pitcher in the Majors for six seasons. His uncle and brother each have professional baseball experience. Baseball America rates Walker as the top prospect in the Pirates system. All told, big things are expected from the Pittsburgh native, who was selected in the first round in 2004.

Injuries have hampered Walker through his brief professional career. In December 2005, Walker tore a ligament in his left wrist while swinging during an Arizona Fall League game. He had surgery later that month and spent the early part of the 2006 season in extended Spring Training. Since returning to Lynchberg Walker has hit .266 in just 33 games.

Salomon Manriquez, World Team, Harrisburg (Double-A, Nationals)
At age 23, Manriquez is the oldest and most experienced catcher on either of the Futures Game rosters. He signed with the Expos in 1999 and until the 2005 season floated around Rookie ball and Class A as a backup utility player.

But in 2005 Manriquez was finally given the chance to serve as an everyday catcher and made the most of the opportunity at Class A Potomac, batting .287 with 15 home runs and 68 RBIs in 119 games.

This season Manriquez is making his second stint with Harrisburg. After getting only four hits in 27 at-bats with the club in early 2004, Manriquez is making this trip to Double-A count. He is 14th in the Eastern League in batting average at .286, and has also hit three home runs while driving in 19. A Venezuela native, Manriquez will join a number of his countrymen on the World squad. Out of 25 players on the roster, six hail from Venezuela.