Fall Stars Game highlights through the years

The Arizona Fall League started an All-Star Game kind of exhibition back in 2006, first calling it the Rising Stars Showcase, then the Rising Stars Game. It’s been known as the Fall Stars Game since 2013, but whatever you call it, it’s been a must-watch over the years for those who care about the future of baseball, with soon-to-be Major League All-Stars and award winners filling the rosters since its inception.

• Complete AFL coverage | Fall Stars Game history

Here’s a year-by-year look at the highlights in each Fall Stars Game:

2023: AL Fall Stars 6, NL Fall Stars 3
In the second year of the Fall Stars Game moving to an American League vs. National League format, White Sox phenom Colson Montgomery took home MVP honors by going 2-for-2 with a home run to lead the AL to victory. There were four home runs hit in the contest combined, with Eric Brown Jr. (Brewers), Kyle Manzardo (Guardians) and Will Robertson (Blue Jays) smashing the others. The pitching staffs combined for 26 strikeouts while mustering just 13 hits. Gameday ?

2022: NL Fall Stars 9, AL Fall Stars 3
The exhibition took on a new format with players being divided into the leagues of their parent organizations. Cubs prospect Matt Mervis mashed the contest's only home run and was named the MVP. When the game was extended to the bottom of the ninth despite the home team leading, Cardinals prospects Tink Hence and Jordan Walker faced off in a lighthearted moment. Gameday ?

2021: AFL East 6, AFL West 5
After a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Fall Stars Game returned in exciting fashion. Phillies prospect Bryson Stott -- who was starting in the World Series a year later -- kicked off the scoring with an RBI double in the first inning. Marlins prospect J.J. Bleday went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs en route to claiming MVP honors. Gameday ?

2019: AFL East 4, AFL West 2
Twins top prospect Royce Lewis, who would go on to win league MVP honors, was also named the MVP of this game thanks to a two-run homer in the second inning that gave the East a 2-0 lead. Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson each hit solo shots for the West. Gameday ?

2018: AFL West 7, AFL East 6
This will forever be remembered as the game when the Mets’ Pete Alonso turned around a 103-mph fastball from Blue Jays right-hander Nate Pearson for a solo home run that left the yard at 110 mph, according to Statcast. Phillies outfielder Austin Listi hit a three-run shot for the East and outfielder Buddy Reed, then with the Padres, was named MVP after he tripled in the tying run in the ninth before scoring the game-winner for the West. Gameday ?

2017: AFL East 4, AFL West 2
Two up-and-coming NL East center fielders squared off in this one. Ronald Acu?a Jr. of the Braves, who was the AFL’s MVP for the season, went 1-for-4 in this game. The Nationals’ Victor Robles was the game’s MVP after going 1-for-3, with two runs scored, an RBI, a walk and a stolen base. He drove in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run in the East’s three-run eighth. Gameday ?

2016: AFL West 12, AFL East 4
The West put up a crooked number thanks to two-run homers from game MVP Willie Calhoun and soon-to-be NL Rookie of the Year Cody Bellinger (The Rockies’ Ryan McMahon and the Tigers’ Christin Stewart also homered for the East.). But just as impressive, if not more so, was Brent Honeywell’s two perfect innings to start the game for the West, during which he struck out five of the six batters he faced. Gameday ?

2015: AFL West 8, AFL East 3
The fall before finishing second in the AL Rookie of the Year race, Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez was Fall Stars MVP thanks to a two-run homer in the fourth inning which knotted the score at two. Then-Pirates outfielder Austin Meadows had a pinch-hit two-run home run and Reds infielder Alex Blandino also had a two-run shot for the West. Gameday ?

2014: AFL East 6, AFL West 2
Greg Bird, then with the Yankees, would end up being both this game’s and the league’s MVP. He homered in the second inning to put the East on the board. Then-starter Archie Bradley tossed two scoreless as the East beat a West roster that included Francisco Lindor and Corey Seager. Gameday ?

2013: AFL West 9, AFL East 2
Rangers first baseman Brett Nicholas homered twice and drove in two while Mariners outfielder Stefen Romero also homered twice and delivered three RBIs to help the West rout the East. Alex Meyer, then with the Twins, tossed three scoreless as the West starter in a game that included Kris Bryant and Byron Buxton. Gameday ?

2012: AFL East 9, AFL West 4
Brian Goodwin set the tone early as the Nationals outfield prospect homered to lead off the game for the East. He added a double as well to earn game MVP honors. Padres outfielder Rymer Liriano had three hits and the Reds’ Billy Hamilton had two steals in a losing effort for the West. Gameday ?

2011: AFL West 11, AFL East 2
The West jumped all over East starter Gerrit Cole, scoring five in the first inning. Mariners infielder Nick Franklin hit a two-run homer en route to a four-hit MVP performance. The Braves’ Joey Terdoslavich also homered and drove in three while Royals outfielder Wil Myers had three of the West’s 16 hits. The East roster included Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Nolan Arenado. Gameday ?

2010: AFL West 3, AFL East 2
With the score tied at two, Rays outfielder Leslie Anderson led off the ninth with a walk-off home run to give the West the win and earn himself game MVP honors. He was the only hitter to collect more than one hit, while Indians infielder Jason Kipnis and the D-backs’ Marc Krauss were the only others to have extra-base hits in the game. Gameday ?

2009: AFL West 8, AFL East 7
The East scored all seven of its runs in the first inning, with the D-backs’ Brandon Allen delivering a three-run homer in that opening frame. The West scored two in the first, four in the third and the deciding two in the eighth on a two-run shot by Indians catcher Matt McBride. Reds slugger Yonder Alonso had three hits and two RBIs for the West. Gameday ?

2008: AFL National 7, AFL American 6
The American squad put up a four-spot in the first behind two-run homers from the Padres’ Chad Huffman and Josh Reddick of the Red Sox. Blue Jays catcher JP Arencibia put the American team on the board with a solo shot in the sixth before putting up five runs to take a one-run lead in the eighth. The National team tied it in the top of the ninth, only to see the American roster win it on a walk-off walk issued to Reds outfielder Drew Stubbs in the bottom of the inning. Gameday ?

2007: East Rising Stars 3, West Rising Stars 2
This one went extras as it took 10 innings for the East to win on a Ryan Sweeney (White Sox) single that plated Travis Snider of the Blue Jays. Nationals outfielder Justin Maxwell homered for the West, but the future star power really belonged to the East as Max Scherzer struck out the side in his inning of work and Andrew McCutchen singled and stole a base. Gameday ?

2006: East Rising Stars 3, West Rising Stars 1
In the inaugural Rising Stars Game, Hunter Pence had a pair of hits, including a double, and the then-Astros prospect also scored a run, drew a walk and stole a base. The East broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the seventh on a double by Jamie D’Antona (D-backs) and a single by Fernando Martinez (Mets). Gameday ?