Major League Baseball's All-Star Game is the best version of a superstar showcase in all of sports. Whereas the NBA All-Star Game and NFL's Pro Bowl often see a lack of effort due to players either not caring about the outcome or worrying that an injury could occur, MLB's All-Star Game sees the best ballplayers in the world giving their all to prove their talent under some of the brightest lights.
However, while MLB has seemingly perfected the All-Star Game itself, what often leads to controversy is the selection process of the players who participate in the Midsummer Classic. A combination of fan voting, player voting, and commissioner-appointed All-Stars often results in some household names earning a spot in the ASG when their resumes suggested that they weren't worthy of the honor, while less-established, more-deserving stars are on the outside looking in simply due to a lack of name recognition.
Last season, the Milwaukee Brewers were at the center of some ASG drama. After several other starting pitchers declined invitations to the ASG, MLB invited rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski, who had just five major league starts to his name. The situation led to a great deal of debate about the purpose of the All-Star Game and what MLB was prioritizing by inviting the players that they did when finding replacements for injured All-Stars.
Regardless, Miz earned his first All-Star nod last year, and when he tossed a scoreless eighth inning against some of the best hitters in the game, no one was doubting his worthiness for the Midsummer Classic. Ironically, despite many folks in the national media being the ones to discredit Miz's All-Star appearance last year, ESPN has now predicted that he and one other Brewer will return to the All-Star Game in 2026.
ESPN expects Jacob Misiorowski and William Contreras to be All-Stars in 2026
On Thursday morning, David Schoenfield of ESPN posted his predictions for the 2026 All-Star Game rosters and included on his list were Misiorowski and 2x All-Star William Contreras. Schoenfield offers excellent analysis of each of his picks in his article, which is free to read over at ESPN.com and linked below for your convenience.
Way-too-early 2026 MLB All-Stars: AL, NL roster predictions
The Misiorowski pick is especially interesting. Given the controversy that played out last year, Miz is unlikely to get any help in the player vote, and another invitation from the commissioner's office would undoubtedly have Rob Manfred once again answering questions about the purpose of the All-Star Game. Therefore, if Miz is to make his second-consecutive All-Star Game appearance, he will have to do so by being undoubtedly one of the best starting pitchers in the National League over the first half of the season.
Meanwhile, the Contreras pick is an astute one from Schoenfield, though "Wild Bill" certainly faces his fair share of competition in the National League. Players like Wisconsin native Drake Baldwin of the Atlanta Braves, who won NL Rookie of the Year last year, and Hunter Goodman of the Colorado Rockies, who beat out Contreras for the Silver Slugger Award in 2025, figure to have strong candidacies for the Midsummer Classic, as does perennial All-Star candidate Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even still, with Contreras now healthy after battling a fractured finger for much of the 2025 season, expect the Brewers' backstop to have a big year in 2026 -- one that could absolutely include his third All-Star Game appearance.
While I certainly don't disagree that both Misiorowski and Contreras could make the All-Star Game in 2026, I do think there are a few Brewers who might be better bets than at least the former. Brice Turang, who has just missed out on the All-Star Game in each of the last two seasons, is an excellent bet to finally break through and earn his deserved spot in the Midsummer Classic. Additionally, Jackson Chourio, who has posted 20/20 seasons in each of his first two years in MLB, is a good bet to make his first All-Star Game appearance in 2026. Whoever emerges as the Brewers' closer, whether it be Abner Uribe or Trevor Megill, figures to have a good argument for the 2026 All-Star Game as well. Miz and Contreras might return to the Midsummer Classic in 2026, but don't expect them to be the only two Brewers there.