When thinking about Boston Baro‘s enormous run with the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series — and it’s one that includes appearances in the Underclass Combine, National Combine, Main Event, Caribbean Classic and even winning a National Championship as a member of Trombly Baseball — it’s hard to not remember the UCLA blue and gold constantly surrounding him.
The slick California-born middle infielder had committed there as he continued to move up the prep ranks, and it seemed like a perfect fit.
One problem.
He was never going to get there. Baro’s continued development with Trombly, Future Stars Series events and elsewhere helped him evolve into one of the top prep infielders in the country, and the New York Mets took him in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft, which was far below where he could have gone given the strength of that commitment. A well-above slot bonus of $700,000 helped make it a no-brainer, but only after he was able to self-evaluate and realize that he was prepared in every way to make the jump.
“I felt like it was a pretty easy decision to sign with the Mets,” Baro told FSS Plus recently. “Really strong organization, and also I felt like both mentally and physically, when I was 18, I was ready to go start my career early and play professional baseball.”
If there was a knock on Baro at all, it would be a slightly smaller frame, with some room for projection left if he was willing to put in the work. Turns out, he was. Assigned to the Mets Florida Complex League team immediately after signing, he knew he needed to add to unlock more of the power that his smooth lefty stroke has in it.
“When I got there, we got right into it in ’23, just taking the weight room serious,” Baro said. “I would say that was the first time really grinding in the weight room. Looking back at it, thank God I did, because I’ve been able to gain weight and stay healthy. I knew I needed to bulk up. I think everybody in the country knew I needed to bulk up. It was me just taking it super serious and seeing what bulking up can do; throwing, running, hitting, all that coming together with throwing the ball harder and hitting the ball harder.
Baro put together a big year in 2024 between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn, hitting .278 with four homers, 42 RBI and 46 walks compared to just 76 strikeouts. Between that and a big showing this spring, national media has started to take notice, labeling the 20-year-old as a possible breakout star moving forward.
“I don’t really pay attention to any of that, I just try to keep my head on straight and go on with my day,” he said. “Act like none of it is around me.”
Baro has done little to quiet the hype this far with the Brooklyn Cyclones, already homering in the first few weeks of the season, despite having to make the adjustment to a different climate than what he’s used to from growing up on the west coast.
“Definitely need to make the adjustment to playing in Brooklyn with the cold weather,” he said through a laugh. “But, it’s been a fun time out here so far with the team and the coaches. Once you get moving around out there, all the (cold) just goes away and you’re just playing the same game.”
It’s a game that we’ve seen Baro play many, many times before as one of the more decorated players to come through the Future Stars Series. Although he’s now three years removed from playing at FSS events, he remains grateful for the foundation it helped set.
“I think going to the Future Stars Series and being able to play in front of that competition, having those scouts around evaluating you and rising up to the occasion, just playing the game and having fun out in Louisiana when it was there,” he said. “All the guys at Future Stars I played against, they’re pretty much all in college now playing, or professionally. But, the talent there was great. Especially playing at Fenway Park. Dominican Republic was great, I got to experience that with the Future Stars Series. It was just awesome.”
Since 2003, he has covered multiple 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 seven Super Bowls, 11 Stanley Cup Finals, the 4 Nations Face-Off, the NBA Playoffs, College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Frozen Four, Daytona 500, major UFC events and much more as he approaches 3,200 games covered in his career.
An avid card collector and sim racer, he lives with his wife, Sarah, their son William, and their beloved dog, Bailey, and cat, Smokey.
- Catching up with 2022 Main Event, Caribbean Classic alum Boston Baro - April 22, 2025
- Catching up with 2017 International Week alum Andrew Walling - April 21, 2025
- 2025 Georgia Premier Scout Day produces numerous invites to signature events - April 15, 2025
