From Rochester to the Midsummer Classic: Former Wings Make Their Mark on the 2025 MLB All-Star Game
IL Rochester Red Wings

From Rochester to the Midsummer Classic: Former Wings Make Their Mark on the 2025 MLB All-Star Game

July 8, 2025 - International League (IL)
Rochester Red Wings News Release


As the 2025 MLB All-Star Game takes center stage at Truist Park in Atlanta, Red Wings fans have plenty of reason to tune in with pride. This year's Midsummer Classic features FOUR FORMER ROCHESTER RED WINGS, each one having sharpened their skills on the field at Innovative Field before ascending to baseball's brightest stage.

JAMES WOOD - Washington Nationals (NL Reserve Outfielder)

BYRON BUXTON - Minnesota Twins (AL Reserve Outfielder)

BRENT ROOKER - Oakland Athletics (AL Reserve DH)

MACKENZIE GORE - Washington Nationals (NL Pitcher)

Whether their time in Rochester was part of a rehab assignment, prospect development, or a key step on the comeback trail, each player's story intersects with the Flower City, and their journeys to the 2025 All-Star Game are worth celebrating.

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James Wood - Washington Nationals (NL Reserve Outfielder)

James Wood didn't spend long in Rochester-but he made every inning count.

After being acquired from the Padres in the 2022 Juan Soto trade, Wood arrived in Rochester in 2024 as one of the top prospects in all of baseball. In just 52 games with the Red Wings, he hit .353 with 10 home runs (all road homers, oddly enough), a 1.058 OPS, and 40 walks, displaying plate discipline, raw power, and advanced instincts well beyond his years.

Wood made his MLB debut on July 1, 2024-and just one year later, he's not only an All-Star, he's swinging for history as a participant in this year's Home Run Derby. He's the first former Red Wing to compete in the Derby since Miguel Sanó finished as runner-up in 2017 (Aaron Judge - NYY), and now has a chance to become just the third former Wing to win it outright, joining Justin Morneau (2008) and Cal Ripken Jr. (1991).

With 23 homers, 67 RBIs, and a .943 OPS at the break, the 22-year-old has emerged as one of the most electric young players in the sport. Wood ranks second in Major League Baseball with 12 home runs hit harder than 110 MPH behind only Shohei Ohtani (13), and he leads Major League Baseball with four home runs that traveled longer than 445 feet ahead of Aaron Judge (3). For Rochester fans, it's been a quick but unforgettable rise from prospect to superstar.

Byron Buxton - Minnesota Twins (AL Reserve Outfielder)

There may be no more fitting All-Star story than that of (Georgia Native) Byron Buxton, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 Draft and arguably the most electrifying talent in the game. Now...he's a two-time All-Star (2022).

Buxton made his Red Wings debut in 2015 and returned in 2016, 2017, and 2018, developing into a force to be reckoned with during his time in Rochester. In 115 career games with the Wings, he slashed .306/.360/.539 with 21 home runs and 13 stolen bases, showcasing the elite speed and power that would eventually define his Big League career.

In 2025, Buxton has not only stayed healthy, he's thrived. With 19 home runs, 15 stolen bases, and highlight-reel plays in center field, he's earned his second All-Star selection.

And in case anyone forgot how loud his tools can be, Buxton launched the longest home run in Major League Baseball this season-a jaw-dropping 479-foot shot off Jack Leiter, the son of former MLB pitcher Al Leiter. That blast was vintage Buxton: explosive, effortless, unforgettable.

For Red Wings fans who watched him fly around the bases and steal hits away in center field...or in right and left while PLAYING centerfield... at Innovative Field, this second All-Star nod feels like the next chapter in a remarkable journey-one that's all but certain to end with Byron Buxton in the Red Wings Hall of Fame someday.

Brent Rooker - Oakland Athletics (AL Reserve DH)

Power was Brent Rooker's calling card long before the league took notice. In 2019 with the Red Wings, he appeared in 65 games (injury) and posted a .281 batting average, 14 home runs, 47 RBIs, and a .933 OPS, instantly becoming one of the most dangerous hitters in the International League.

Drafted 35th overall by the Twins in 2017, Rooker made his MLB debut in 2020 and has since carved out a role as a premier slugger in the American League. Now in his age-30 season and playing for the A's, he's a two-time All-Star and in the midst of another standout campaign, on pace for his third straight 30-homer season.

Rochester saw it first. And now, the rest of the baseball world is seeing what Wings fans have long known: Rooker can mash with the best of them.

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MacKenzie Gore - Washington Nationals (NL Pitcher)

MacKenzie Gore's time in a Red Wings uniform may have been short, but it was part of a significant turning point in his career.

Acquired alongside Wood in the Juan Soto deal, Gore made four starts for Rochester in 2022 as part of a rehab assignment, marking the first appearance within the Nationals organization for the lefty. Though he pitched just 12 innings, the former No. 3 overall pick used that time to get healthy and prepare for a return to the big leagues.

Now, in 2025, he's put it all together. Gore entered the break with a 3.11 ERA and 131 strikeouts, establishing himself as a frontline arm for the Nationals and earning his first career All-Star selection.

From high school phenom to Padres top prospect, to rehab work in Rochester-his road to Atlanta reminds us that development isn't always linear. But talent rises.

Rochester Roots, All-Star Results

Baseball's Midsummer Classic is all about honoring the best of the best. And for those of us in Rochester, it's a chance to reflect on the incredible talent that's passed through our city, players who once suited up in Red and Black before taking the national stage.

Our All-Stars started here. Celebrate their journey with official Red Wings player tees and jerseys, shop now.

James Wood. Byron Buxton. Brent Rooker. MacKenzie Gore.

All All-Stars.

All former Red Wings.

Their journeys are our legacy.

So as they take the field under the bright lights of Truist Park, we'll be watching-not just as fans of baseball, but as part of their story.

Catch the Game:

Tuesday, July 15 | 8:00 PM ET | Truist Park, Atlanta, Georgia | FOX

Check out the Rochester Red Wings Statistics



International League Stories from July 8, 2025


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