The wait is almost over. Just four more days of regular-season games remain until the brightest stars in MLB descend on Truist Park in Atlanta for All-Star Weekend 2025. Ronald Acuña Jr. is in midseason form as he gets set to swing for the fences in front of his hometown crowd in the Home Run Derby — and he's just the tip of the iceberg, with electric young talents like Oneil Cruz and James Wood joining the field in recent days. And the All-Star Game itself will be even more loaded: This year's NL lineup might be the best we've seen in recent memory, and good luck trying to decide which aces deserve to take the mound first.
But really, why wait for the players to show up? There's so much going on in Atlanta that not even one weekend can contain it all. And to help you keep track, we've put together a handy day-by-day schedule, from the start of festivities on Friday night to the end of the Midsummer Classic on Tuesday.
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Friday, July 11
7 p.m. ET: HBCU Swingman Classic
Before the big-league stars take the field on Tuesday, it'll be the college kids' turn, as 50 Division I players from HBCUs around the country come together for the third annual Swingman Classic. It's a chance for often-overlooked athletes to take center stage and get the chance to impress Major League players, coaches and scouts. Rosters are determined by a committee including Ken Griffey Jr., representatives from MLB and MLBPA and pro scouts.
Saturday, July 12
4 p.m. ET: MLB All-Star Futures Game
Then, on Saturday afternoon, it's the prospects' turn, as some of the best players from around the Minor Leagues face off in this year's Futures Game. A whopping 32 of MLB Pipeline's most recent list of the top 100 prospects in baseball will be participating, including future five-tool stars like San Diego Padres shortstop Leo de Vries, Texas Rangers shortstop Sebastian Walcott and Milwaukee Brewers infielder (and All-Name Team candidate) Jesús Made. And each MLB team will be represented, so every fan base will have a chance to see their brightest future talents up close.
So many current MLB stars have come through this event over the years; no one who watched Jacob Misiorowski blow smoke in the 2023 Futures Game should be surprised by how he's carving up the Majors right now as a rookie. Who will be the next young stud to make a name for themselves? There's only one way to find out.
After the Futures Game: MLB All-Star Celebrity Softball Game
As soon as the Futures Game concludes, it's time for a tradition unlike any other: the Celebrity Softball Game. This event always takes on a local flavor based on wherever All-Star Weekend is being held, and the 2025 edition is no different, with Atlanta icons like Quavo, Big Boi and Mariah the Scientist all taking part (not to mention managers Jermaine Dupri and former Atlanta Braves catcher Javy Lopez).
The rosters also included sports celebrities like Terrell Owens, Jordan Chiles and Jennie Finch and CC Sabathia, all of whom will play five innings of slow-pitch softball. May the best stars win.
Sunday, July 13
6 p.m. ET: 2025 MLB Draft
Starting in 2021, MLB made the decision to move its draft to All-Star Weekend, raising awareness around the event and allowing the biggest names in the class to rub shoulders with current big-league stars. The 2025 MLB Draft is scheduled to get underway at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12, with the first 43 picks — the entire first round, plus a compensatory round and a competitive-balance round. Will Ethan Holliday, son of Matt and younger brother of Jackson, go No. 1 overall to the Washington Nationals? Or will the team swerve and take LSU ace Kade Anderson with the top pick?
The rest of the 615 selections will be completed on Monday.
Monday, July 14
8 p.m. ET: Home Run Derby
Now we're getting to the really good stuff. The Home Run Derby will be held on Monday night, and while we don't yet know the final field and bracket as of this writing, we know we're in for a good time. Acuña will be the hometown favorite, and he's competed in the event before, losing in the first round to Pete Alonso back in 2022.
Will that experience come in handy this time around? Or will he be outdone by Wood or Cruz, two precocious young talents who hit the ball as hard as just about anyone in the sport? Add in a finally healthy Byron Buxton and Big Dumper himself, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, and you've got all the makings of an instant classic.
Tuesday, July 15
8 p.m. ET: MLB All-Star Game
After walking down the red carpet in their All-Star best during the afternoon, it's time for the 94th edition of the Midsummer Classic. Will we finally see Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes square off as starters for the AL and NL, respectively? Which ace will Shohei Ohtani inevitably take deep? And how many Yankees fans will look away rather than watch Aaron Boone? Coverage begins on FOX at 7 p.m. ET, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET.