When the New Balance Baseball Future Stars Series Baseball League was looking into adding teams to get the inaugural installment of the circuit going in Canada, there were a few programs that kept coming up.
It was hard to poke around up North and not hear about the Midwestern Ontario Bearcats.
It was hard to not hear about the quality of the people associated with them.
Among that group is Director of Player Development Luke Baker, a well-decorated former pro in Canada who won IBL MVP honors in 2002, still holds the league record for most hits in a single season and won multiple All-Star honors as both a player and a manager.
As he was looking to move on to the next step of his baseball journey, he worked on establishing himself as both a mental performance coach as well as a strength, speed and conditioning coach—in short, a deeper dive into the more oft-overlooked elements of player development.
“For myself, the biggest motivation was giving back—teaching players the lessons I wish I had learned earlier in my own career,” Baker told FSS Plus.
“After running my own business and staying involved in baseball, it was a natural progression to move from playing to managing. I spent a few seasons with the IBL Panthers—a team I had played with for years. Baseball has always been central to my life, though I did step away for a time. When Mark Couch, our Program Director and a close friend, approached me about starting a new organization, I saw a chance to return as a Mental Performance Coach. Back in 2001, I began studying the mental side of baseball, and it transformed my career. I was a late bloomer, and that shift was pivotal—something I wish I had discovered much earlier.”
There was a time where Baker had essentially moved on from baseball, electing to pursue a career path as a firefighter. But, with the vision Couch had set for the organization, it turned out to be the perfect fit to continue to give back.
“What sets us apart is our unwavering focus on player development and creating real opportunities for athletes to reach the next level,” Baker said.
“Mark and I, along with our ownership group and staff, have built a strong, intentional culture. We are creating the kind of program we wish we had as young athletes—one that fully supports development both on and off the field.”
“When I spoke with Jeremy Booth (CEO & President of Future Stars Series) and Sean Travers (HPP Tigers Director of Player Development), everything they said about the Future Stars Series Baseball League mirrored our own organization’s goals. It felt like a perfect alignment.”
“What makes the Midwestern Ontario Bearcats stand out is our commitment to preparing athletes not just for the next level of baseball, but for life. Whether they become pro players, doctors, engineers, or anything else, our mission is to position them for long-term success. Baseball teaches lessons that translate far beyond the field.”
As the Bearcats finish up their fourth season as a program that has already expanded to six teams, a partnership with the like-minded Future Stars Series is something they see as being mutually beneficial, particularly in the exposure element, which can still be lacking in some areas for Canadian players.
“Exposure has been our biggest hurdle,” Baker said.
“Canada has often lagged behind in that area, but some organizations have done tremendous work in changing that narrative and helping Canadian players gain recognition.”
“We have always been strong in player development. The missing piece has been exposure—getting our athletes in front of the right eyes.”
“By using tools like TrackMan and Synergy, we are creating real visibility for our players. That level of integration sets us apart from all other programs in the region.”
The FSSBL should go a long way towards that, and is seen as a big step forward in helping players up north get in front of the decision-makers who need to be seeing them.
“There is a massive need for this,” Baker said.
“We have a lot of talented players who are ready to compete at the next level. This platform gives them the visibility they deserve.”
“From the moment I heard about the league, it was a no-brainer. After digging into the details, it only confirmed what I already felt—this is exactly what we have been looking for.”
“Being that the Bearcats have only been in operation for 4 years, we are very proud and excited to be invited to the FSSBL, an invite-only league. That says a lot about what we have built and the passion we bring to it. We are fired up about the future of baseball in Canada.”
42-year-old Mike Ashmore is a New Jersey-based writer with 23 years experience in professional baseball.
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.
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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