The files either crash my game before the launch can even start or it launches but Minecraft pretends Baritone doesn't exist.

These files will crash the game before it can launch.
crash.zip

These files will let Minecraft load, but there is no sign of Baritone installed to the game.
unrecognizeable.zip

you are putting a single forge labeled file in your mods folder right? and not both of them?
also yeah, the ones you labeled as crash aren't for forge

it's also normal for it to not show up in the Mods gui but work anyway