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In an announcement first shared on New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series social media platforms, CEO Jeremy Booth revealed that, for the first time ever, the upcoming Main Event will feature a captain and co-captain.
FSS veterans R.J. Cope and Landon Brown were named captain and co-captain, respectively, for the ninth annual signature event, which has become one of the most anticipated on the amateur circuit and helped produce both current major leaguers and some of the top prospects in the game today.
One of the top two-way talents in the country and a contender to be selected in the first round in the upcoming 2026 MLB Draft, Cope, a 6-foot-8, 235-pound Vanderbilt commit, has participated in nearly every event the FSS holds over the past several years, including appearances in the Underclass Elite, Underclass Premier and last year’s Main Event.
Cope, who will soon participate in USA Baseball’s 40-man roster trials, played in this year’s National Combine as both a hitter and pitcher, and spun a 1-2-3 frame on Thursday on the mound, touching up to 95 miles per hour with his fastball, an event high.
“RJ Cope has been here for four years and embodies our culture and who we are,” Booth said. “It’s been an unbelievable honor to be a part of his path and his growth and to be part of his development.”
Brown is a Mississippi State commit who can also count himself among the top two-way talents in the land. A veteran of the FSS who was named our Player of the Year for 2024, Brown showed he remains elite on both sides of the ball; he was responsible for one of just two homers hit during the entire National Combine, and was up to 93 miles per hour on the bump during a brief outing in Houston.
“Landon Brown is one of those special guys,” said Robbie Moen, director of scouting and player development. “He takes the best of both worlds and maximizes what he can do…I think he’s going to be a two-way guy, and they’re going to have to tear one of those things away from him until he can’t do it anymore. He’s an unbelievable baseball player and young man, all he wants to do is talk baseball.”
Cope and Brown will lead their respective Main Event rosters, which will be announced in the upcoming selection show. Final details on event dates and venue are also expected to be formally announced soon.
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.
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- Leaf Trading Cards, Future Stars Series partner for upcoming baseball cards - July 11, 2025
