Boston Baro consistently showed a quality hit tool and the attributes to stick at shortstop long-term throughout the showcase circuit last summer. It was a breakout performance for Baro. It also gives him confidence for his senior season at Capistrano Valley (Calif.) High School.
Baro enters this spring as a must-watch player and one of the top position players in the 2023 prep class. His development and success over the last year have led to increased attention from professional scouts. Baro is garnering interest in preparation for July’s MLB draft, with scouts projecting him as a likely early-round pick.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I have had a dream of playing professional baseball,” Baro said. “Seeing that my dream is coming into reality is awesome. But the work isn’t over. I still have to put in the work to make it happen.”
Baro is a 6-foot, 172-pound left-handed hitter with a smooth swing, an above-average approach and a knack for consistently squaring up the baseball and driving it into the gaps. He is a line-drive, contact hitter, but he should grow into more power as he matures physically.
Scouts rave about his feel for the strike zone and his ability to limit his strikeouts and consistently square up the baseball.
“I’m always putting the ball in play and rarely striking out,” Baro said. “I also can hit foul pole to foul pole line drives. I can showcase some power when I get that good pitch to hit.”
Defensively, Baro has the skill set and potential to remain at shortstop long-term. He has clean fundamentals and smooth actions. He also makes all the necessary plays at shortstop.
Baro is an athletic defender with above-average arm strength, an accurate arm, range and quality baseball IQ. He also has the leadership traits teams seek in a shortstop.
“I make the routine plays look easy, and the hard plays I make routine,” Baro said. “I spend a lot of time working on defense. My arm strength has improved. I’m super confident and relaxed in the infield.”
Besides his status as a draft prospect, Baro is a UCLA commit. He committed to UCLA after also considering Alabama, Oregon and Kansas State. UCLA is a premier program in college baseball. It consistently competes at a high level while developing high-level players for the professional ranks.
“I just fell in love with the coaches, the program and the development part with seeing how many people they have had drafted out of UCLA,” Baro said. “There is no better weather than California.”
Read more in-depth stories on top 2023 MLB draft prospects at Baseball Prospect Journal.
Do you enjoy reading Baseball Prospect Journal’s draft content? Support our work and become a Patron!
Dan Zielinski III has covered the MLB draft for eight years. He has interviewed 433 of the top draft prospects in that period, including four No. 1 overall picks. Multiple publications, including Baseball America, USA Today, MLB.com, The Arizona Republic and The Dallas Morning News, have quoted his work, while he has appeared on radio stations as a “MLB draft expert.” Follow him on Twitter @DanZielinski3.
