Boston Baro’s First Full Season For Mets Goes Smoothly
Mets scouts were drawn to SoCal prep Boston Baro before last year’s draft because of his smoothness handling grounders at shortstop and turning the double play.
New York drafted Baro in the eighth round and bought him out of a UCLA commitment for $700,000, a figure more than three times the slot value.
He opened this season in extended spring training before reporting to Low-A St. Lucie on April 30. He has shown promise offensively in the Florida State League in addition to maintaining his defensive edge.
The 19-year-old hit .259/.344/.386 with three home runs and five stolen bases through 49 games.
“He’s got a real aggressive eye at the plate and the ability to play shortstop and any other infield positions we might ask,” Mets farm director Andrew Christie said. “And the ability to make contact pretty intensively.
“I think some of that contact you now see is starting to translate into a little bit more power.”
Baro didn’t show much power in high school, but “but it was something we felt like, especially given the hitter that he looked like as a high schooler, it’s something we felt was there,” Christie said.
Baro has hit the weight room and added about 25 pounds of good weight since he was drafted, according to Christie. Coming out of the draft, the lefthanded hitter was listed at 6 feet and 170 pounds.
He was named “Boston” because of family roots in the city on his father’s side. Baro’s father had a strong rooting interest in the city’s sports teams.
In a change from the previous regime’s philosophy, the Mets want their prospects—particularly middle infielders—gaining experience at as many positions as possible. Much of Baro’s action this season has been at third base, but he’s also received a steady dose of shortstop and second.
“He’s got maturity and a passion for the game and he works his butt off,” Christie said. “He’s kind of realized the importance of nutrition and the weight room in helping him get to his end goal of getting to the big leagues.”
