Kyle Schwarber shines for team USA in Futures Game win

Steve Gardner | USA TODAY Sports

Show Caption Hide Caption Kyle Schwarber named Futures Game MVP Ohio native Schwarber had over 100 friends and family in attendance at the All-Star Futures Game.

CINCINNATI – By his own estimation, Ohio native Kyle Schwarber had over 100 friends and family in attendance at the All-Star Futures Game. By delivering the key hit and winning MVP honors, he gave them plenty to cheer about.

"I could hear 'em yelling," Schwarber said after Team USA's 10-1 victory Sunday. "To have them be able to share this experience with me really meant a lot."

The Chicago Cubs catching prospect made an immediate impact in his first at-bat, drilling an 0-2 pitch into the right field corner for a two-run triple that put Team USA ahead to stay.

Schwarber – who was born roughly 40 miles north of Great American Ball Park in Middletown –delivered the key blow in a three-run third inning after the World team had taken an early 1-0 lead.

"It was awesome to come out here and step on a field I grew up watching games played on," he said. "My eyes lit up when I stepped out there, but once it was time to go, it's time to go."

One of two players in the game with major league experience, Schwarber, looked entirely comfortable in a big-league setting.

"I learned a lot being able to sit next to guys like David Ross and Miggy Montero, being around guys like Anthony Rizzo and Jon Lester," Schwarber said before the game. "They're all great people. They made it easy on me to go up there and hop in."

The fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft, Schwarber hit .364 with a homer and six RBI in 22 at-bats for the Cubs during a brief call-up earlier this season, serving almost exclusively as a designated hitter during interleague play.

However, with Montero jamming his thumb on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox, Schwarber could conceivably return to the majors and do some catching when play resumes after the All-Star break.

His offense may be ahead of his defense right now – he has a 32 homers and a 1.033 OPS in 144 minor league games -- but Schwarber has his sights set on being a complete player. As if to prove it, he threw out the only runner on Sunday who attempted to steal against him.

"It's my job to prove that I can catch," he said. "That's what my mind is set on and that's what the plan is."

Schwarber wasn't the only member of Team USA to shine in the Futures Game.

Outfielder Michael Conforto, hitting .312 for the New York Mets Class AA affiliate in Binghamton, singled and scored Team USA's first run on a third-inning single by J.P. Crawford (Philadelphia Phillies).

"My first picture in my head of this day going right would have been a base hit," Conforto said. "And that's the first thing that happens. That's pretty cool."

Conforto went 2-for-2 at the plate and made the defensive play of the game, throwing out Ketel Marte (Seattle Mariners) trying to score from second base to end the top of the third.

First baseman Josh Bell (Pittsburgh Pirates) padded Team USA's lead with a two-run home run to right-center field in the fourth inning.

Team USA broke the game open with a five-run sixth inning. Shortstops Trevor Story (Colorado Rockies) and Trea Turner (Washington Nationals) plated three runs with back-to-back doubles. Turner also added a two-out triple in the eighth.

And the pitching was solid – led by starter Lucas Giolito (Nationals), who threw a pair of scoreless innings for a staff that limited the World team a single unearned run.

"I was impressed with all of them," Team USA manager Ken Griffey said. "They played like they were having fun, which is important to me."