The National League All-Star team has eight former American Family Insurance ALL-USA high school baseball players and the American League All-Stars include five former ALL-USA players, with each squad having a former ALL-USA player of the year. The breakdown:
National League
Chicago Cubs third baseman and outfielder Kris Bryant has made the All-Star Game in just his first year in the Major Leagues. He has 12 homers and 51 RBI. He was a first-team ALL-USA selection in 2010 from Bonanza (Las Vegas).
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Gerrit Cole, who was an ALL-USA player from Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) in 2008, is having his best season. He leads the majors with 13 wins (he’s 13-3) and has an 2.74 ERA.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Zack Greinke (8-2) leads the majors with a 1.39 ERA. The 2002 ALL-USA pitcher from Apopka, Fla., won the 2009 American League Cy Young Award and is playing in his third All-Star Game.
Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is playing in his fifth All-Star Game and has 55 RBI and 18 homers so far this season. The Eastlake (Chula Vista, Calif.) player was an ALL-USA selection in 2000.
Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen is hitting .295 with 12 homers, 56 RBI and 48 runs scored. He was an ALL-USA pick in 2005 from Fort Meade, Fla. The 2013 NL MVP is playing in his fifth All-Star Game.
St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday is hitting .303 and was selected for the All-Star Game, though he won’t play because of a wrist injury. It is his seventh All-Star Game selection. He was a second-team ALL-USA selection in 1998 out of Stillwater, Okla.
San Diego Padres outfielder Justin Upton has 14 homers, 48 RBI and 17 stolen bases and is playing in his third All-Star Game. He was a two-time ALL-USA selection and was the ALL-USA Player of the Year in 2005 from Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.).
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw was the National League Cy Young winner last season and is leading the league with 160 strikeouts this season. He was the 2006 ALL-USA Player of the Year from Highland Park (Dallas) in 2006.
American League
Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado is playing in his second All-Star Game and is leading the league’s third baseman with a .298 batting average and .525 slugging percentage. He was an ALL-USA selection in 2010 from Miami’s Brito High.
Los Angeles Angels center fielder Mike Trout is playing in his fourth All-Star Game. He’s hitting .312 and is tied for the league lead with 26 homers. He was the 2012 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2014 AL MVP. In 2009, he was a second-team ALL-USA selection after hitting .531 with 18 home runs for Millville, N.J.New York Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, is a three-time All-Star and has 22 homers and 62 RBI this season. He was an ALL-USA player in 1998 from Mount St. Joseph (Baltimore).
Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas is hitting .297 this season. He was an ALL-USA selection in 2007 from Chatsworth, Calif.