Will Graves: May Mauer never forget the old times

Joe Mauer and J.D. Durbin will be coming to a TV set near you.

The former Fort Myers Miracle duo, who are now playing with Double-A New Britain, were selected Monday to play in Major League Baseball’s All-Star Futures Game on Sunday, July 13 in Chicago.

The seven-inning game, which features minor league baseball’s premier prospects, is the first of three days of All-Star events at U.S. Cellular Field and will be televised live at 5:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

Mauer, the top pick in the 2001 draft, hit .335 for the Miracle. Durbin went 9-2 with a 3.09 ERA in Fort Myers. Neither player could be reached for comment. The duo were in Binghamton, N.Y., playing for the Rock Cats.

Mauer and Durbin will play for the U.S. team, which will be coached by Hall of Famer Carlton Fisk. Minnesota Twins great and eight-time All-Star Tony Oliva will manage the World Team.

Each major league organization is represented, and the World Team roster includes players from seven foreign countries and Puerto Rico.

There are currently 76 players from the first four Futures Games on major league rosters, including Adam Kennedy of the Anaheim Angels, MVP of last year’s American League Championship Series, and Adam Dunn of the Cincinnati Reds, among the National League leaders in home runs this season.

Six current Florida State League players were also selected, including Vero Beach’s Franklin Gutierrez, Clearwater’s Gavin Floyd and St. Lucie’s Justin Huber.

— The Associated Press contributed to this report.