Former Washington State star first baseman Kyle Manzardo selected to play in MLB’s All-Star Futures Game

From staff reports

Former Washington State star first baseman Kyle Manzardo, a fast-rising MLB prospect in the Tampa Bay Rays organization, was selected Monday to play in the All-Star Futures Game.

The MLB’s annual showcase for prospective big leaguers will be held at 4 p.m. on July 8 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.

Manzardo is the No. 42-ranked overall major league prospect, according to MLB.com. The 22-year-old from Coeur d’Alene – a second-round draft choice in 2021 – has been playing this season with the Durham Bulls.

Through 65 Triple-A games, Manzardo is batting .245 with 10 home runs, 17 doubles, 34 RBIs, one triple and 28 runs scored. He is slugging .455 and has an on-base percentage of .353.

As of Tuesday, Manzardo ranks second among Rays minor leaguers in doubles, third in extra-base hits (28), fourth in walks (39), sixth in total bases (106) and is tied for sixth in home runs.

Manzardo was named Rays minor league player of the year after the 2022 season. He opened that season with High-A Bowling Green, then was promoted to Double-A Montgomery in early August. Between the two teams, Manzardo led all Rays minor leaguers with a .327 batting average. He hit 22 homers and 26 doubles, drove in 81 runs and scored 71 . Manzardo slugged .617 and reached base at a .402 clip.

After earning Inland Empire League MVP honors as a senior at Lake City High, Manzardo enrolled at WSU . He started 107 games during his three-year stay with the Cougars (2019-21), recording a career batting average of .336 and totaling 16 homers, 37 doubles and 105 RBIs.

Manzardo was a two-time All-American at WSU. He was named to the Collegiate Baseball All-America first team in 2021 after batting .365 with 11 homers, 19 doubles and 60 RBIs during his junior season.

He also set a program record in 2021, reaching base in 43 consecutive games.

Manzardo was selected by the Rays with the 63rd overall pick in the 2021 MLB draft.