Now the series is, which will align the Future Stars Series with the Area Code Games, one of the largest and most well-respected amateur baseball showcase leagues. The Future Stars Series will integrate with Area Code Games so participants won’t have to juggle both series to be seen by scouts. Athletes will participate in the FSS national combine and then be selected onto local Area Code teams. The Area Code teams will feed into the New Balance Future Stars Series Main Event.
“It allows us to let families be families, puts more money back in their pockets, in their communities and in their travel organization or their coaches who are local,” Booth said. “I’m passionate that these kids should be in their area developing. They get one chance to be a kid. It’s OK to crisscross when you need to, certainly, but we don’t need to have families of four making life decisions for to play baseball.
“It creates, frankly, what the amateur world has needed for the last 20, 25 years, that kind of one-stop opportunity for the players to put all of their efforts and focus into,” said Chris Capozzi, Program 15’s vice president of baseball operations. For Booth, the agreement represents another step toward his ultimate goal: to provide amateur baseball prospects with the most comprehensive approach to their development and to foster an amateur baseball environment that helps grow the game while lessening the financial and travel burdens on families. When Booth left scouting and began working with players individually, he realized many talented players were not getting the exposure or proper evaluation to further their careers.
Booth says the modern approach to youth development in baseball has created unnecessary challenges for the kids. It’s putting stress on their bodies by asking kids with still-developing frames to do things that grown men can do. It’s demanding that they appear at tournaments all over the country because it’s the “only place that they can be seen.” It’s sending kids out to play tournaments at midnight or in the rain.