Hunter Barco

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #9 prospect in 2026
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Mild
  
  Adjusted Grade: 40
  
  Track Record: Barco was a well-known amateur who made 29 starts at Florida before Tommy John surgery ended his college career in 2022. The Pirates drafted him 44th overall that year, though his recovery and a 2024 stress fracture in his leg ate into his development. Pittsburgh managed his workload carefully in 2025, but he was healthier aside from a brief shoulder strain in May. He cleared 100 innings for the first time as a pro before debuting in a big league relief role in September.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-4, 225-pound lefthander found success as a starter in the upper minors by leaning on a 93 mph fastball that plays more on shape and deception than raw velocity. Thrown from a very low slot, the pitch creates a difficult approach angle, and he filled the zone with it nearly 70% of the time in 2025. Barco had a much tougher time commanding his secondaries, but he generates whiffs with both his average low-80s slider and above-average mid-80s splitter. He added a mid-80s cutter as a developmental offering—especially against lefties—that can steal strikes and enhance how the splitter plays off his breaking pitches. Whether Barco has enough precision to remain a starter is an open question. His intricate delivery requires some maintenance, and his strike-throwing wavers when he isn’t squared to the batter at release.
  
  The Future: Barco has back-of-the-rotation upside if he can throw enough quality strikes to turn over a lineup twice. If not, he has the fallback of a multi-inning reliever. He’ll compete for a role in the Pirates’ crowded rotation out of spring training.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Cutter: 40 | Split: 55 | Control: 45
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #10 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.
  
  Track Record: Barco was a well-known prep with first-round potential in 2019 who instead reached Florida, where he mostly performed well in the SEC until Tommy John surgery ended his draft spring early in 2022. Pittsburgh selected him 44th overall that year and signed him for $1.525 million. He debuted in late July 2023 and threw 18.1 innings. Barco spent most of 2024 with High-A Greensboro, where he struck out 77 batters in 62 innings before reaching Double-A Altoona. His season was cut short in July by a stress response in his lower left leg.
  
  Scouting Report: A year removed from surgery, Barco returned with more strength and power, which benefited his expanding arsenal. His 92-94 mph fastball touched 96 with solid armside run. The Pirates have spent considerable time developing Barco’s shorter 83 mph slider, and he’s comfortable manipulating its shape and velocity so that it sometimes functions more like a cutter. Batters missed his slider nearly 42% of the time in 2024, and it has solid-average future potential. He added a mid-80s changeup in addition to his mid-80s splitter. Scouts prefer the spin-killing splitter as a swing-and-miss offering, even though his feel for the pitch wavered at times. During his rehab, Barco worked to address a strength deficiency in hips to help get down the mound more efficiently. His unique delivery requires some maintenance, though the Pirates are hopeful his strike-throwing continues to sharpen as more time elapses from his elbow surgery.
  
  The Future: Barco needs to prove his durability and velocity can hold up. If he can, he could move relatively quickly through the upper minors. The Pirates feel the lefthander is a good fit for PNC Park. He has a high likelihood of one day settling into the back of a big league rotation.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Split: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 50
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 40 | Split: 55 | Control: 50.
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #18 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Barco was a first-round talent out of high school but instead landed on campus in Gainesville, where he was part of Florida’s rotation for three seasons. The Pirates popped him in the second round of the 2022 draft and signed him for $1.52 million. He had Tommy John surgery in May of his junior season and didn’t make his pro debut until July 20. He split the 2023 season between the Florida Complex League and Low-A Bradenton.
  
  Scouting Report: The Pirates selected Barco after he’d had his surgery because they believed his upside was worth the wait. In limited action, they began to see some of his potential. His two-seam fastball sat between 92-94 mph with solid sinking life, and his four-seamer sat in the same range with excellent horizontal break. Barco pairs his fastballs with a short slider in the low 80s. The Pirates had Barco tweak the grip on the pitch during instructional league to give it more of a gyro shape. He also throws a split-changeup in the mid 80s. In combination, Barco has weapons to attack both vertically and horizontally. He’s a strong worker who is motivated to get back to the version of himself he showed before the surgery.
  
  The Future: The 2024 season will be big for Barco as he gets further away from surgery. Scouts believed the lefthander had a high floor when he came out of college. Now, it’s about getting him healthy enough to begin to show it again.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 55
• 
  Ranked Pittsburgh Pirates #17 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Scouts viewed Barco as a potential first-rounder as a high schooler in 2019, but the lefthander instead made it to Florida, where he quickly won a spot in the Gators' rotation and was a solid performer over three seasons. He pitched to a 2.50 ERA while striking out 69 batters in 50.1 innings during his draft year until an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery ended his season in May. The Pirates nabbed Barco No. 44 overall and signed him to a $1,520,000 bonus.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-4 lefthander was trending upward prior to his injury. He's built like a prototypical starting pitcher and attacks hitters from a low three-quarters arm slot. Barco presently lacks a true plus offering. His fastball has touched 95 mph in the past but mostly sat in the low-90s in 2022 with ordinary shape and spin. His sweeping, low-80s slider darts at the back foot of righthanded hitters and is his best swing-and-miss offering, although some scouts wonder whether Barco will struggle to command the pitch because of his arm slot. His mid-80s changeup was popular as a high schooler and remains a solid-average offering. Barco's crossfire delivery and arm slot add deceptive tilt and he was a consistent strike-thrower against Southeastern Conference hitters in college.
  
  The Future: Barco's injury will delay his debut, but his polish, pitch mix and competitiveness provide a relatively high floor. He has the ceiling of a back-of-the-rotation starter with a chance for more if he adds velocity.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #69 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: Florida Committed/Drafted: Mets ’19 (24)
  Age At Draft: 21.6
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: - | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Cutter: | Control: 60
  Barco was a highly regarded high school pitcher who ranked No. 32 on the 2019 BA 500, but made it to campus at Florida and quickly established himself in the team’s starting rotation. A 6-foot-4, 210-pound lefthander with a low arm slot and plenty of deception, Barco posted a 1.40 ERA over 19.1 innings in the shortened 2020 season, then managed a 4.01 ERA over 16 starts and 83 innings in 2021 while showing above-average control. Barco will touch 94-95 mph but mostly pitches in the 90-92 mph range and he does a nice job establishing the pitch in any quadrant of the strike zone. He also shows good command of a sweepy, low-80s slider which comes from an angle that’s difficult on both lefties and righties. His slot makes the pitch inconsistent and it backs up at times, but is generally an above-average pitch. Barco also throws a mid-80s changeup that is solid-average or better as well. Barco was pitching himself into the first round before an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery ended his season. He posted a 2.50 ERA over nine starts and 50.1 innings in 2022 and profiles as a back-of-the-rotation, high-likelihood big league starter, given a clean recovery.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Scouts viewed Barco as a potential first-rounder as a high schooler in 2019, but the lefthander instead made it to Florida, where he quickly won a spot in the Gators' rotation and was a solid performer over three seasons. He pitched to a 2.50 ERA while striking out 69 batters in 50.1 innings during his draft year until an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery ended his season in May. The Pirates nabbed Barco No. 44 overall and signed him to a $1,520,000 bonus.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-4 lefthander was trending upward prior to his injury. He's built like a prototypical starting pitcher and attacks hitters from a low three-quarters arm slot. Barco presently lacks a true plus offering. His fastball has touched 95 mph in the past but mostly sat in the low-90s in 2022 with ordinary shape and spin. His sweeping, low-80s slider darts at the back foot of righthanded hitters and is his best swing-and-miss offering, although some scouts wonder whether Barco will struggle to command the pitch because of his arm slot. His mid-80s changeup was popular as a high schooler and remains a solid-average offering. Barco's crossfire delivery and arm slot add deceptive tilt and he was a consistent strike-thrower against Southeastern Conference hitters in college.
  
  The Future: Barco's injury will delay his debut, but his polish, pitch mix and competitiveness provide a relatively high floor. He has the ceiling of a back-of-the-rotation starter with a chance for more if he adds velocity.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Scouts viewed Barco as a potential first-rounder as a high schooler in 2019, but the lefthander instead made it to Florida, where he quickly won a spot in the Gators' rotation and was a solid performer over three seasons. He pitched to a 2.50 ERA while striking out 69 batters in 50.1 innings during his draft year until an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery ended his season in May. The Pirates nabbed Barco No. 44 overall and signed him to a $1,520,000 bonus.
  
  Scouting Report: The 6-foot-4 lefthander was trending upward prior to his injury. He's built like a prototypical starting pitcher and attacks hitters from a low three-quarters arm slot. Barco presently lacks a true plus offering. His fastball has touched 95 mph in the past but mostly sat in the low-90s in 2022 with ordinary shape and spin. His sweeping, low-80s slider darts at the back foot of righthanded hitters and is his best swing-and-miss offering, although some scouts wonder whether Barco will struggle to command the pitch because of his arm slot. His mid-80s changeup was popular as a high schooler and remains a solid-average offering. Barco's crossfire delivery and arm slot add deceptive tilt and he was a consistent strike-thrower against Southeastern Conference hitters in college.
  
  The Future: Barco's injury will delay his debut, but his polish, pitch mix and competitiveness provide a relatively high floor. He has the ceiling of a back-of-the-rotation starter with a chance for more if he adds velocity.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  August Update: Barco was a highly regarded high school pitcher who ranked No. 32 on the 2019 BA 500, but made it to campus at Florida and quickly established himself in the team&#39s starting rotation. A 6-foot-4, 210-pound lefthander with a low arm slot and plenty of deception, Barco posted a 1.40 ERA over 19.1 innings in the shortened 2020 season, then managed a 4.01 ERA over 16 starts and 83 innings in 2021 while showing above-average control. Barco will touch 94-95 mph but mostly pitches in the 90-92 mph range and he does a nice job establishing the pitch in any quadrant of the strike zone. He also shows good command of a sweepy, low-80s slider which comes from an angle that&#39s difficult on both lefties and righties. His slot makes the pitch inconsistent and it backs up at times, but is generally an above-average pitch. Barco also throws a mid-80s changeup that is solid-average or better as well. Barco was pitching himself into the first round before an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery ended his season. He posted a 2.50 ERA over nine starts and 50.1 innings in 2022 and profiles as a back-of-the-rotation, high-likelihood big league starter, given a clean recovery.