A Schelling For Your Thoughts

MILWAUKEE — Second baseman Brett Lawrie, the Brewers’ first-round pick in the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, will represent the club at the 12th annual XM All-Star Futures Game, it was announced Tuesday.

“It’s an incredible honor for him to receive,” Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said. “He’s very well-deserving of the honor. He’s worked hard, and he’s made some necessary adjustments that have allowed him to become more consistent on offense and defense.”

A British Columbia native, Lawrie was listed as a member of the World Team and is the Brewers’ lone representative in the game.

The Futures Game, which features many of the top Minor League prospects in the league, will begin at 5:00 p.m. CT on Sunday, July 11. The game will air live on ESPN2, ESPN2 HD and MLB.TV. Additionally, XM will provide satellite radio play-by-play coverage on XM 175.

Each Major League organization is represented in the game, and the World Team features players from 10 different countries and territories.

The selection is Lawrie’s second in a row; he joins just 58 players to have played in the game at least twice.

Lawrie joins current Brewers shortstop Alcides Escobar as the only current Brewers player to make two Futures Game appearances.

Through 69 games entering Tuesday, Lawrie batted .297 with six home runs and 40 RBIs for Double-A Huntsville.

Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid, who was the club’s West Coast cross-checker when Lawrie was drafted in 2008, has not seen Lawrie play in nearly a year but remains impressed with the young second baseman.

“We feel he has the potential to be an everyday Major League player for us,” Seid said. “He’s had a really good year. Being named to the Futures Game means being recognized as someone who has the potential to play at the next level, and we certainly see that in Brett.”

Current Brewers who played in the All-Star Futures Game include Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Chris Narveson, Rickie Weeks, Escobar, Yovani Gallardo and George Kottaras.

Braun, Fielder and Hart are among 62 players to have played in both the Futures Game and the All-Star Game.

At just 20 years old, Lawrie is one of the Brewers’ most highly regarded prospects. Ash said he was impressed with the way Lawrie has “excelled with the challenge” of playing for the club’s Double-A affiliate at his age.

“He’s got unlimited potential,” Ash said. “He’s a great athlete, and he could play anywhere on the field for us.”

Jordan Schelling is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.