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.
ATHLETICS
Tyler Soderstrom (40), Kenya Huggins (NRI), Henry Bolte (pictured, NRI)
Soderstrom was seen at the NorCal World Series in both 2018 and 2019, as well as a Pro Combine in his native California late in 2018 and became the third alum of the Future Stars Series to reach the big leagues when he debuted with the-then Oakland A’s during the 2023 season. Now a primary outfielder after coming up as a catcher, Soderstrom put together arguably the best MLB season for an FSS alum to date last year, posting 4.1 WAR in a campaign in which he posted an .820 OPS, 25 homers and even eight stolen bases.
Huggins, who just turned 23, was added by the A’s at last year’s trade deadline in a deal with the Cincinnati Reds, who took him in the fourth round of the 2022 MLB Draft. A two-way player who was mostly focused on pitching when we saw him in 2020, which included an appearance at International Week, it’s solely been on the mound for the New Orleans native as a pro; although he’s thrown just 121.2 innings due to injuries sidetracking him at times. As such, he hasn’t pitched above High-A yet, but has accounted well for himself in big league camp, spinning three scoreless outings thus far, striking out three while walking none.
Bolte is knocking on the door of his big league debut, and is making national headlines while doing so thanks to consistently impressive exit velocities during a big league camp in which he’s posted a .991 OPS over 32 plate appearances. Still just 22 years old, Oakland’s second-round pick in 2022 won a National Championship with us as a member of NorCal and also appeared at the Main Event in 2021. After finishing last year in Triple-A, he may very well start there again this year, but is firmly on the radar for a promotion if a need arises.
LOS ANGELES ANGELS
Grayson Rodriguez (40), Kyren Paris (40), Raudi Rodriguez (NRI), TJ Ford (NRI)
Rodriguez was the headliner in a shocking offseason deal that saw him shipped from Baltimore out west in exchange for Taylor Ward. Baltimore’s first rounder at No. 11 overall in the 2018 MLB Draft after a breakout showing at the inaugural International Week event a year prior, Rodriguez has 43 big league starts under his belt with Baltimore, but missed all of last season due to injury. This spring, he’s been off to an up-and-down start as he works his way back; he’s struck out seven in eight innings of work, but also had some command issues at times.
Paris, a standout at 2018 International Week, has yet to completely find his footing in the big leagues after three partial seasons spent in the majors. Between 2023-25, the 24-year-old has seven homers and 11 steals in 80 games with the Angels, but hasnt’t been able to find the kind of consistency to allow to him stick up top. The signs in big league camp have been encouraging, however; he’s hitting .333 over a 14-game sample size.
One of the Angels most decorated prospects, Rodriguez, a 2022 Main Event and Caribbean Classic, would seem to be in line for a fast track through their system this year after curiously spending all of 2025 at one level despite a monster year. Just 22 years old, Rodriguez put up an .842 OPS last year at Low-A Inland Empire, swiping 38 bags while hitting 14 homers and driving in 83 runs.
Ford is perhaps one of the more under the radar FSS alums, having been taken in the 14th round by the Angels last year. A 2023 Underclass Elite alum, we first saw him at an East Coast Dodgers Scout Day in 2022, as well as the Underclass Combine in the summer of 2023. Yet to make his official pro debut, the 20-year-old infielder has appeared in two big league Spring Training games.
SEATTLE MARINERS
Michael Arroyo (NRI)
Arroyo dazzled both at the plate and in the field at the 2020 World Combine, which had a heavy presence from big league scouts and high-ranking executives, and emerged as one of MLB’s Top 50 International prospects shortly thereafter. Seattle signed him for $1.3 million as an international free agent, and it’s been something of a bargain ever since given that he’s emerged as a consensus Top 100 prospect in all of baseball. He spent the second half of last year in Double-A, and at just 21 years old, could find himself emerging as a candidate for a big-league call up by the end of this season. He’s already homered in big league camp and went 4-for-13 with three walks and two steals for Colombia in the World Baseball Classic.
TEXAS RANGERS
Sebastian Walcott (NRI)
A consensus Top 20 prospect in all of baseball, Walcott would seem ticketed for Triple-A to start his 2026 season after a full year at Double-A Frisco in 2025 in which he hit .255 with 13 homers and 59 RBI. Still just 19 years old, Walcott is an electric shortstop who can also play third base; the Bahamas native was seen internationally by FSS, and given high marks at the time.
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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