Barrett Barnes is today’s featured prospect.
Quick Profile
Position: Outfield
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Age: 21
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 195 lbs.
Pittsburgh selected Barnes in the “sandwich round” of last year’s draft. He was technically their top pick, since RHP Mark Appel declined to sign with the Bucs.
Barnes, a Texas Tech product, started at State College and put up decent numbers before suffering an ankle injury. Here’s a look at his first year as a pro:
| Year | Tm | Lev | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | CS | BB | SO | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | State College | A- | 38 | 125 | 16 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 21 | .288 | .401 | .456 | .857 |
| 1 Season | 38 | 125 | 16 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 10 | 6 | 17 | 21 | .288 | .401 | .456 | .857 | ||
Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table
A scouting report from MLB.com:
Strong and athletic, there are some very good raw tools to work with. He has a good amount of raw power, and the hope is he’ll develop into a solid enough all-around hitter to tap into it regularly. Barnes has above-average speed and should be more efficient on the basepaths as he learns how to read pitchers and get better jumps. His speed helps him have solid range, and while some see an eventual move to a corner, there’s the chance he can stay in center field, where he played in college and during his pro debut.
Since Barnes’ MiLB sample size is so small, it’s tough to get a good read on him. He was a career .319/.433/.582 hitter in college. MLB.com lists Barnes as the eighth ranked Pirates prospect for this season, so it’ll be interesting to see if he can maintain a top spot in 2013. Drafted out of college, he should move up rather quickly, assuming he continues to develop his set of raw skills. Hopefully his stress fracture and injuries in general do not set him back or become a recurring issue.
Previous Editions:
Wyatt Mathisen
Victor Black
Alex Dickerson
Photo: Texas Tech Athletics
