By Matthew T.F. Harrington

Sunday afternoon, the Oakland Athletics pair of All-stars were stealing the spotlight with Sonny Gray outdueling the reigning Cy Young winner in a complete-game two-hit shutout in a start bolstered by Stephen Vogt’s two-run homer.While they were putting cherries on top of their All-league resumes, two other members of Oakland’s organization were getting a taste of the All-Star festivities in Cincinnati.

A pair of teammates for Oakland’s double-A affiliate, the Midland RockHounds, found themselves on opposite sides of the diamond in Sunday’s MLB Futures Game, a contest pitting some of the top American prospects against their World counterparts in a showcase of emerging talent. MudHounds first baseman Matt Olson saw his U.S. side trounce designated hitter Renato Nunez’s World team 10-1 in the classic before the Midsummer Classic.

Olson, a compensation pick in the first round (47th overall) of the 2012 amateur player draft, finished the day 1 for 2 with a run scored and a strikeout. The 21-year-old prospect, rated 73rd overall by MLB.com before the season, absolutely exploded onto the scene last season at High-A Stockton, mashing 37 homers with 97 runs batted in and a .262 batting average.

A move from the hitter-friendly California League to Texas League in his fourth professional season has led to a dip in power for the left-handed hitting slugger. Over 84 games, he’s only left the yard 8 times to go with a .227 average. The Atlanta, Georgia native still is on base for near 90 rbis though, having plated 38 runs already.

For Nunez, the honor was his second-straight appearance. He also appeared in the 2014 iteration from Target Field in Minnesota counting Joey Gallo, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant as some of his fellow All-Stars.  In 2014, he went 1 for 2 but failed to reach base Sunday in his encore, stranding a pair of runners in the process.

The 21-year-old Venezuelan may have had a worse performance than Olson, but his season so far has been impressive. Like Olson, Nunez raked in Stoctkon last season, launching 29 homers in 124 games. This year at Midland, he’s already ripped 12 dingers in just 60 games while splitting time at first and third base as well as DH.

While neither player will be in Oakland anytime soon, they’ll bring some strong expectations when they arrive at the show. Some players who have seen time in the majors that previously appeared as a member of the Athletics include Addison Russell (2013), Michael Choice (2012), Chris Carter & Jemille Weeks (2009) and Brett Anderson, Trevor Cahill & Cliff Pennington (2008).Of course, its no guarantee to superstardom, with unknowns like Grant Green and busts like Michael Ynoa also having donned the Futures game garb.

Only time will tell if this pair of would-be A’s will man the hot corners at the Coliseum in the future, but for now they’re on the fast track to stardom. Perhaps Sunday won’t be the last time the two are in the same place at the ballpark come All-Star Week.