By Mike Scarr / MLB.com

Baseball is a forward-thinking game with a respect for the past. While time-honored traditions are protected, the hope of developing new talent never ends.

So as Major League Baseball honors its top players with the annual All-Star Game, it allows a glimpse of what's to come with its annual Futures Game.

For the fifth time since 1999, the RadioShack All-Star Futures Game took place on Sunday. On the same field that the MLB All-Stars play, these future All-Stars battled at U.S. Cellular Field, the home of the Chicago White Sox, split into a U.S. team and a World team, and battled to a 3-2 thriller with the U.S. squad coming out on top.

Here is a quick look at the team made up of players from the United States:

U.S. ROSTER

Anaheim Angels
Jeff Mathis, C: Mathis replaced Joe Mauer at catcher and had one at-bat in the Futures Game. He's hitting .325 at Single-A Rancho Cucamonga.

Arizona Diamondbacks
Chad Tracy, INF: The left-handed hitter had a pair of at-bats on Sunday and played third. Tracy is hitting .314 with 51 RBIs at Triple-A Tucson.

Atlanta Braves
Adam LaRoche, 1B: LaRoche went 1-for-2 in the Futures Game. The 6-foot-2 left-handed batter is hitting .267 at Triple-A Richmond.

Baltimore Orioles
John Maine, RHP: Maine worked two-thirds of an inning on Sunday. The right-hander is 7-3 with a 1.53 ERA with 108 strikeouts in 73 innings at Single-A Delmarva.

Boston Red Sox
Kevin Youkilis, INF: The third baseman walked in Sunday's game. Youkilis is hitting .319 at Double-A Portland.

Chicago Cubs
David Kelton, OF: Kelton, who briefly was up with the Cubs, served as the DH on Sunday.

Chicago White Sox
Neal Cotts, LHP: Cotts, who has rung up an 8-3 record with a 1.97 ERA for Double-A Birmingham, started for the U.S., allowing one run in one inning while striking out two.

Cincinnati Reds
Stephen Smitherman, OF: The 6-foot-4, 235-pound right-handed hitter launched the game-winner, breaking a 2-2 tie to give the U.S. squad the 3-2 win. Smitherman also doubled.

Cleveland Indians
Grady Sizemore, OF: By going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a homer, Sizemore won the Larry Doby Award given to the Futures Game MVP.

Detroit Tigers
Preston Larrison, RHP: Larrison has struggled this season at Double-A Erie, but the 6-foot-4 right-hander picked up the win in the Futures Game by going one-third of an inning.

Houston Astros
Chris Burke, 2B: Burke, who got up twice on Sunday and struck out once, is hitting .316 with 30 RBIs at Double-A Round Rock.

Kansas City Royals
Zack Greinke, RHP: Greinke struck out two batters in the fourth and threw his first eight pitches for strikes.

Los Angeles Dodgers
Edwin Jackson, RHP: Jackson did not appear in Sunday's game. He is 4-6 with a 3.90 ERA at Double-A Jacksonville.

Milwaukee Brewers
J.J. Hardy, INF: The shortstop went 1-for-2 in the Futures Game. Hardy is hitting .305 with 47 RBIs at Double-A Huntsville.
Dave Krynzel, OF: Krynzel got the U.S. team on the board in the first by leading off with a walk, stealing second and scoring on Sizemore's RBI single.

Minnesota Twins
J.D. Durban, RHP: Durbin went one-third of an inning on Sunday, getting a strikeout. The right-hander is 1-2 with a 3.24 ERA at Double-A New Britain.
Joe Mauer, C: The No. 1 pick in the 2001 draft got two at-bats in Sunday's game. Mauer is hitting .337 at Double-A New Britain.

New York Mets
Royce Ring, LHP: Ring, who was sent to the Mets from the White Sox in the deal for Robert Alomar, picked up the save by getting the final out.

Philadelphia Phillies
Gavin Floyd, RHP: The 6-foot-4 hurler fanned two in the third in Sunday's game but felt he did not bring his "A" game.
Ryan Howard, INF: Howard got into the Futures Game and had one at-bat. The left-handed-hitting first baseman has 16 homers at Single-A Clearwater.

Pittsburgh Pirates
John Van Benschoten, RHP: Helped kick off a strong U.S. pitching performance with the first of three perfect innings when he relieved in the second.

San Diego Padres
Josh Barfield, INF: Had one at-bat and also made a putout and had an assist while playing second in the Futures Game. The son of Jesse Barfield is hitting .347 with 82 RBIs at Single-A Lake Elsinore.
Khalil Greene, SS: Greene got on at-bat and stuck out. The shortstop is hitting .316 at Triple-A Portland after being promoted from Double-A Mobile.

Seattle Mariners
Clint Nageotte, RHP: Nageotte went two-thirds of an inning in the Futures Game and allowed a game-tying homer to Alexis Rios.

St. Louis Cardinals
Chris Narveson, LHP: Narveson was credited with a hold on Sunday with a scoreless two-thirds of an inning, including a strikeout.

Mike Scarr is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.