It’s time for our 2029 grads to shine on the signature event stage. As part of an enormous week of baseball at Mississippi State Univerrsity’s Dudy Noble Field from September 11-13, we’ll be holding our annual Underclass Premier event, the culmination of a year’s worth of work at Scout Days and Combines for the players who earned their way to Starkville.
We recently unveiled rosters for Team Yellow and Team Gray across our social media channels, but you may looking for some names to try to keep an eye on. We can help. Here’s a quick glance at eight names you may know from this summer and previous ones with the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series.
Justin Monterosso, 3B/RHP; Team Yellow
A New Jersey native, Monterosso earned MVP honors at last year’s Fresh 50 in Hartford. Monterosso graded out well both as a position player and pitcher at our most recent Underclass Combine in Houston, flashing a three-pitch fastball-curveball-changeup mix with feel for all three. Our scouts believe his “ultimate ceiling will be determined by added physical strength and athleticism,” but the foundation is inarguably there.
Jonah Gregg, 2B/3B; Yellow
The winner of the Most Outstanding Hitter award after a breakout showing at the 2025 Fresh 50, Gregg kept the hits coming at this year’s Underclass Combine and earned his way to his second consecutive signature event. He’s yet another in a very long line of talent out of Georgia Premier Academy who’ve got a chance to do some damage at the next level, with our scouts saying he’s got “D1 upside with future strength gains.”
Marciano Scarfo, RF/RHP; Yellow
The Canadian-born Scarfo has been a staple at FSS events for the past year-plus now, and will also be making his second straight signature event appearance. There’s a lot of athleticism here and some upside both on the mound and at the plate, and his development be interesting to continue to watch as he checks another box with the FSS a month from now.
Alvin C. Thomas III, 1B/RHP: Yellow
We’ve had Thomas for a year and a half now, and he’s an intriguing one to keep an eye on at Mississippi State for sure. A multi-sport athlete with a sturdy frame, Thomas produces some loud, loud noises with the bat. If he can continue to stay on top of his body, our scouts like the “quick bat with quick hands” and believe a stick they last put a future 60 on can be the carrying tool here.
Hendrix Pope, 1B/3B; Team Gray
This will mark Pope’s third year with the FSS, including his signature event debut at last year’s Fresh 50. Our scouts put a future 55 on his power at the time, and we’ll see if that may be a touch light this time around; Pope is an imposing corner profile bat listed at 6-foot-4 and 235 pounds and has the juice to match the frame.
Rudy Rendon III, SS/2B; Gray
We seem to have some “this kid just hits” guys in our Underclass groups, and Rendon has to be near the top of that list. He dazzled at the most recent Underclass Combine both defensively and with the bat, and is 1000 percent a name you need to know heading into this event.
Jax Roman-Wood, CF/LF; Gray
Roman-Wood delivered at the Underclass Combine despite coming off a grueling run with Trombly Baseball at our National Tournament earlier in the week. There’s a lot to like here with a lot of feel for the barrel and athleticism both in the outfield and on the basepaths. Our scouts believe the “RHH bat/power potential (combo) give (him a) chance at everyday role at D1 level.”
John Tedesco, CF/LHP; Gray
We first saw Tedesco in Tulsa last year at a Sandlot Scout Day, and he quickly progressed through the Underclass Combine to make his signature event debut at the 2025 Fresh 50. Our scouts see him as a “legit two-way guy right now” and we’ll all be interesting to see what path the development has taken him on since we last saw him.
About New Balance Future Stars Series
New Balance Future Stars Series is a global platform for amateur baseball development and scouting, powered by a commitment to impact, integrity, and player-focused innovation. Its alumni can be found throughout professional baseball, and its events and partnerships have reshaped how talent is identified, nurtured, and celebrated.
Connect with New Balance Future Stars Series by visiting our website, www.futurestarsseries.com, by visiting our YouTube page, and by checking out the social media channels listed below.
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Since 2003, he has six World Series and has worked high-profile events ranging from the MLB All-Star Game to the World Baseball Classic. In addition to his role working for the Future Stars Series that he's held since 2017, Ashmore currently serves as the beat writer of the Double-A New York Yankees affiliate, the Somerset Patriots, as well as national hockey writer and New York Jets game day beat reporter for The Trentonian.
A regular contributor to Baseball America, Ashmore has worked eight Super Bowls, 13 Stanley Cup Finals, the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA Playoffs, the NCAA D1 Men's Basketball Tournament, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 3,300 games covered in his career.
An avid trading card enthusiast and motorsports fan, he lives with his wife, Sarah, their son, future No. 1 overall draft pick in 2042, William, their beloved dog, Bailey, and occasionally well-behaved cat, Smokey.
