The minor league season has begun to come to an end as the lower levels have wrapped up their regular seasons. While AA Binghamton and AAA Syracuse still have a week or two left of action, the vast majority of the New York Mets' prospects have already wrapped up their 2024 campaigns. One of the highlights from the lower minors is Boston Baro, who is the focus of this week's edition of Minor League Mondays.
Baro, 20, was the Mets' eighth-round pick in 2023 out of Capistrano Valley High School in Southern California. The Mets gave Baro a $700,000 signing bonus to forego a collegiate commitment to UCLA, which is well over slot for his draft position, because they were so eager to get him into their minor league system. The decision has seemingly paid dividends for the Mets as Baro showed flashes of brilliance in a rookie ball cameo last year and built on it with a tremendous 2023 campaign.
The Mets saw Baro spend most of the year with Low-A St. Lucie, where he hit .288 with four home runs, 42 RBI and a .767 OPS in 84 games. That performance earned Baro a late-season promotion to Brooklyn, where he finished the campaign on a solid note. There is a lot to like with Baro, who has a strong approach at the plate and the potential to develop more power and base-running skill as he fills out his 6-foot-2 frame.
While Baro grew up playing shortstop, the Mets will likely look to move him off the position with Francisco Lindor locked up long-term at the big league level and plenty of other talented shortstops already in the farm system. The Mets have already exposed Baro to both second and third base, with second being a more likely fit since it will allow the team to take full advantage of his athleticism by keeping him in the middle of the diamond.
Baro has been one of the biggest risers in the Mets' farm system this year, going from an unranked prospect to No. 16 on the organization's Top 30 list after MLB.com's mid-season update. The fact that Baro is already in Brooklyn just over a year after finishing high school is encouraging for his development, which doesn't need to be hurried given the amount of middle infield options the Mets have in the organization.
Expect to see Baro return to Coney Island next spring to try and master A+ ball before a potential in-season jump to AA Binghamton. There is a lot to like in Baro's game and don't be surprised if the Mets bring him to the big league complex for a few exhibition games in the spring to let the big league talent evaluators get a look at the talented young middle infielder.
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