The New Balance Future Stars Series is widely regarded as the premier and unquestioned leader in player identification and development in baseball. FSS specializes in identifying undervalued talent and advancing players to college baseball, professional baseball, and Major League Baseball careers through a proven blend of elite scouting, analytical forecasting, and objective performance data.
FSS has long been recognized for its ability to marry the analytical and objective with the human and subjective, projecting not only what players are today, but what they are capable of becoming. That philosophy has driven success in draft forecasting, competition matching, and long-term development through a national and international network of partners.
Over the past three years, FSS alumni have comprised approximately 35% of MiLB’s Top 100 prospects, 16% of MLB Draft selections, and one-third of MLB Draft Combine participants, underscoring the organization’s central role in modern talent identification. Collectively, players identified and developed through Future Stars Series platforms have earned signing bonuses nearing half a billion dollars.
With that said, it’s time to take a look at the players to be keeping an eye on as Spring Training gets underway in the big leagues, with a wide variety of players in camp as members of 40-man rosters or as non-roster invitees (NRI), many of them with a chance to make the Opening Day roster.
NEW YORK YANKEES
Elmer Rodriguez (40-man)
For a while, it seemed as though the 2020 New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series International Week event was going to be a perfect preview of what was ahead for Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz.
There he was, on the mound at Fenway Park, racking up the strikeouts for the World Team, a full year before the Boston Red Sox would take him in the fourth round with the 105th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. Instead, on December 11, 2024, Rodriguez-Cruz and some international bonus pool money were sent to the New York Yankees in exchange for catcher Carlos Narvaez.
“That was a cool experience,” Rodriguez-Cruz told FSS Plus in 2025 of playing for the World Team at International Week. “Pitching there, that was my first big league stadium I ever stepped in playing-wise, so that was a fun experience. I used to look at videos of it, remember the good times. Being drafted by Boston, that was a cool moment…but you have to keep growing, take the best of everything and put it in play…I mean, I was shocked (at the trade), to be honest. I just got home, and I got the call and got the news, and it was like, ‘Wow.’ But, at the same time, baseball is a business, so you just have to keep going, keep moving forward, keep grinding. Yankees-Boston, big rivals, so there’s not many trades that happen often between them, but I’m excited for the opportunity to be here and to showcase my talents and see where it takes me.”
Where it’s taken him is to the cusp of the big leagues, and he’s already made two starts for the Yankees this spring, allowing two runs over six innings of work on a walk and two hits while striking out five. With the Bronx Bombers rotation being what it is, ERC is likely ticketed for a Scranton return this season, at least to start, would be first in line for a promotion should the need arise.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Silas Ardoin (pictured, NRI), Levi Wells (NRI)
Baltimore’s fourth rounder in 2022, Ardoin has found success in their system ever since, thanks in part to his willingness to be versatile; he’s added first base to his repertoire of late, and his prowess there, combined with a .791 OPS in Triple-A last year, puts him firmly on the radar to be under consideration to get the call should the need arise. Ardoin has a long history with the FSS, including a 2018 appearance at International Week at Camelback Ranch, and told us in a 2022 interview that he credits a lot of that time to his success since, including a star run during his collegiate career at The University of Texas.
“Looking back at that experience, it has a lot to do with where I’m at in my career,” he said.
“It’s been a pleasure to work with the Future Stars Series and all the guys who are there, Jeremy (Booth, CEO and President) and just everybody that has helped me get to where I am today. Â The Future Stars Series has played a big role in where I am with the University of Texas. Â Going to that week of work with those guys was awesome, there was a lot of great competition and a lot of great players out there; some of the best of the country, but what I liked best about it was it wasn’t only our country, there was international players from all over the world. Â You got to see the best. Â That was my first experience of what it’s like of professional baseball and what it’s like to work with those former big leaguers each and every day, teaching us how to go about our work and how to play the game. Â It was a lot of fun, and something I’ll hold on forever.”
Wells stood out for the Houston Athletics at the 2018 National Tournaments in Cypress, Texas. He was, at the time, considered to be the No. 6 prospect out of the event, and faced US Elite Baseball in one of his outings. This his second Spring getting a look in big league camp; the 24-year-old righty has already made two appearances for the Orioles in 2026, and will likely return to Triple-A Norfolk at some point before Opening Day, having wrapped up last season there with five starts.
TORONTO BLUE JAYS
Adam Macko (40), Ricky Tiedemann (40)
Macko has spun two scoreless, hitless outings for the Blue Jays so far this spring, his first one with the Toronto organization after they acquired him via trade prior to the 2023 season. Another 2018 International Week alum — he pitched on the World Team as a Slovakia native that year — Macko has battled some injuries throughout his pro career, but spent the majority of last year in Triple-A Buffalo, where he struck out 65 batters in 64 innings of work. His name has been in the conversation for a look at the big league level before, and likely will be again for the defending American League champs.
The news is unfortunately not as kind to Tiedemann, who has thrown just 158 pro innings since being drafted in the third round by the Blue Jays back in 2021, and missed all of last year as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Multiple published reports have Tiedemann taking a break due to elbow soreness this spring, and as such, he’s yet to pitch in big league camp. Tiedemann was a high-upside southpaw at both 2020 International Week and the 2021 Pre-Draft Combine, and at one time was considered to be one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball. Still just 23 years old, there’s plenty of time for him to live up to that well-deserved hype.
About New Balance Future Stars Series
The New Balance Future Stars Series presented by Program 15 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 below.
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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 eight Super Bowls, 12 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 3,300 games covered in his career.
An avid trading card enthusiast, 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.
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