Next up on our list is an infielder.
Name: Boston Baro
Position: INF
Born: 8/23/2004
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 170 lbs.
Bats/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2023 MLB Draft, 8th Round (Capistrano Valley High School, California)
2024 Stats: 84 G, 323 AB, .288/.368/.399, 93 H, 16 2B, 4 3B, 4 HR, 41 BB, 61 K, 8/9 SB, .346 BABIP (Single-A) / 11 G, 44 AB, .205/.286/.318, 9 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 5 BB, 10 K, 1/1 SB, .265 BABIP (High-A)
A three-year letterwinner at Capistrano Valley High School in Mission Viejo, California, Boston Baro is a California native but named as such because he was born into a family of Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics, and Bruins fans. He began his baseball career on the Eagles junior varsity team in his sophomore year but was promoted to varsity in the 2020 season and never looked back, developing into one of the better middle infielders in California.
Originally committed to the University of New Mexico, Baro changed his commitment to UCLA prior to the 2023 MLB Draft. In the draft, the Mets selected the shortstop with their 8th round pick, the 246th player selected overall. The two sides agreed to a $700,000, well above the MLB-assigned slot value of $192,900. The 18-year-old was assigned to the FCL Mets and got into 7 games in total with them, hitting .316/.458/.421 in 19 at-bats with 2 doubles, 1 stolen base in as many attempts, and 5 walks to 1 strikeout.
Named the Mets’ 23rd top prospect in Amazin’ Avenue’s 2024 Top 25 prospects list, Baro impressed the Mets during fall instructs and spring training, but had his 2024 season debut pushed back a month because of a broken hamate. He got back on the field at the end of April and was assigned to the St. Lucie Mets to begin the season. Appearing in 84 games, he hit .288/.368/.399 for them, leading the team in batting average among qualified minor league hitters. He was promoted to the Brooklyn Cyclones at the end of August and finished the season in Coney Island, going 9-44 in 11 games; of note, he hit 6-41 in his first 10 games with the Cyclones, hitting one double, and in his last game of the year, he went 3-3 with two doubles and a triple, raising his triple slash line with Brooklyn from .146/.222/.171 to .205/.286/.318.
A left-handed hitter, Baro stands slightly open at the plate, holding his hands high and his bat wrapped behind his head at 10:00. He has a loose, easy swing, getting full extension of his arms. Thin and wiry, standing 6’0”, 170-pounds at the present, he shows gap power but should grow into foul-pole-to-foul-pole power in the future.
Baro did most of his damage against fastballs, hitting .329 against them with a .515 slugging percentage and .186 ISO; 11 of his 15 doubles with St. Lucie, all 4 of his triples, and all 4 of his home runs came off of fastballs. Additionally, he was extremely patient and rarely swung and missed them, striking out just 12 times all season versus pitches in the fastball family. He did not struggle against non-fastballs per se, hitting .250 against breaking balls and off-speed pitches, but swung and missed at slightly elevated levels and hit for minimal power.
On the dirt, Baro is a strong infielder who played shortstop, third base, and second base in 2024. He spent more games and innings at third base than he did at shortstop or second, and the hot corner is his most likely landing spot in the future. His arm is a bit stretched for the position, but his reaction times are above-average and he has enough range, agility, and footwork for man third base in the long term.