Jaime Barria

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #6 prospect in 2018
  Barria has gained 30 pounds since he signed for $60,000 as a 16-year-old, and he continues to add velocity as he adds strength. Barria made a quantum leap in 2017, jumping from high Class A Inland Empire to Double-A Mobile to Triple-A Salt Lake in his age-20 season. Barria combined to go 7-9, 2.80 with 117 strikeouts and 31 walks in 141.2 innings. Barria doesn't have electric stuff--he's about pitchability and racking up early-count outs--but his advanced feel for pitching, sneaky deception, pinpoint control and knack for turning up his intensity in jams pushed him to Triple-A. He works in and out, up and down with a fastball that sits in the 92-mph range. His best pitch is a changeup with fade at 77-80 mph that projects to be an above-average-to-plus offering. His curveball, once loopier and slower, is thrown harder and shorter and sometimes with big depth and projects as a possible outpitch as well. Barria has the intangibles you'd expect in a major leaguer--good mound presence and demeanor, confidence in his repertoire and the ability to control the running game and field his position. With his work ethic and progress Barria has cut a direct path to the big leagues, with the potential to be a No. 4 or 5 starter.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #10 prospect in 2017
  The Angels appear to have gotten good value in signing Barria in 2013 for $60,000. The Panamanian made his full-season debut in 2016, earning midseason Midwest League all-star honors and pitching a full workload at low Class A Burlington despite not turning 20 until midseason. Barria's game is all about pitchability and racking up early-count outs, and he gets the most out of a limited repertoire. A fastball that he consistently throws for strikes sits in the low 90s with movement, and he commands it well despite its life. The combination of factors helps it play as a solid-average pitch. Barria's best pitch is a solid-average changeup with good fade at 77-80 mph that projects to be at least an above-average offering. He rounds out his repertoire with a curveball that flashes average at times. With a clean, repeatable, high three-quarters arm slot that allows him to throw his two-seamer, Barria uses the same arm speed to deliver his fastball and curveball. He projects to add velocity as his well-conditioned body matures. He controls the running game well, allowing just four stolen bases in 10 attempts in 2016. With his first full season behind him, Barria is ready for the challenge of the hitter-friendly California League in 2017. He commands his pitches well enough to project as a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter.
• 
  Ranked Los Angeles Angels #9 prospect in 2016
  A native of Panama who signed with the Angels in 2013 for $60,000, Barria began his first U.S. season in the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2015 with a 31-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 36 innings. Los Angeles bumped him to Rookielevel Orem shortly after he reached his 19th birthday. Barria's biggest improvement occurred during extended spring training, as he started trusting his fastball and worked in a two-seamer more often. Scouts then noticed another jump forward during instructional league. He projects as a back-end starter with good downward angle on his pitches. Barria's fastball with armside life sits 88-93 mph, but his best pitch is a changeup projecting to be at least above-average. His average curveball is a hard, three-quarters slurve. He pitches to contact and is noted for throwing quality strikes. Barria has a clean, repeatable, high-three-quarters arm slot that allows him to throw his two-seamer, and he uses the same arm speed to deliver his fastball and curveball. He projects to add velocity as his well-conditioned body matures. While he struggled after the promotion to Orem, Barria has enough pitching savvy and maturity to handle low Class A Burlington in 2016, even if he doesn't head there at the outset.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Southern League #15 prospect in 2017
  Barria appeared to be a $60,000 steal out of Panama in 2016 when he succeeded at low Class A, but he added two ticks to his fastball this season, mastered two leagues and completely rewrote his future outlook. He even pitched effectively in three August starts for Triple-A Salt Lake. Barria pitches at 90-92 mph and tops out at 94, and its riding life allows him to work up in the zone with it. He commands his fastball to both sides of the plate, sinks it when needed and makes his modest velocity play up by pitching backwards. Barria trusts his secondary stuff, particularly a plus changeup he locates in any count thanks to an athletic delivery. Barria refined his breaking ball by adding overall power and separation between a big-breaking curveball and short slider.
• 
  Ranked California League #14 prospect in 2017
  Barria entered the season known as an advanced pitchability righthander whose upside was limited, but he added two ticks of velocity across the board and is now seen as a strong rotation candidate. Barria now works 91-94 mph with his fastball and commands it masterfully. His mid-80s changeup is his out pitch with a chance to be plus at maturity, and his low 80s curveball is a developing weapon. Where Barria stands out most is for his feel to pitch, preparation and habit of turning up his game a notch in big situations. Those attributes helped Barria not only master the Cal League with a 2.48 ERA but excel at Double-A (3.21 ERA in 12 starts) and reach Triple-A by the end of the year. He is in position to ascend to Angels rotation by the time he turns 22 next summer. "He controlled the zone and was able to get his fastball and offspeed over for strikes, but the thing that really stood out was the aggressiveness and tempo on the mound," Rancho Cucamonga manager Drew Saylor said. "I was (glad) when he got promoted to Double-A, because that guy was tough."

• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Barria has gained 30 pounds since he signed for $60,000 as a 16-year-old, and he's continued to add velocity as he's added strength. He made a quantum leap in 2017, when he advanced from high Class A Inland Empire to Triple-A Salt Lake in his age-20 season. Barria recorded a 2.80 ERA with 117 strikeouts and 31 walks in 141.2 innings. Scouting Report: Barria doesn't have electric stuff. He relies on pitchability and racking up early-count outs, but his advanced feel for pitching, sneaky deception, pinpoint control and knack for turning up his intensity in jams pushed him to Triple-A. He works in and out and up and down with a fastball that sits 92 mph. Barria's best pitch is a changeup with fade at 77-80 mph that projects to be at least above-average. His curveball, once loopier and slower, is thrown harder and shorter and sometimes with big depth and projects as a possible out pitch. Barria has the intangibles you'd expect in a big league starter--good mound presence and demeanor, confidence in his repertoire and the ability to control the running game and field his position. The Future: With his work ethic and progress, Barria shows the potential to be a No. 4 or 5 starter.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: The Angels appear to have gotten good value in signing Barria in 2013 for $60,000. The Panamanian made his full-season debut in 2016, earning midseason Midwest League all-star honors and pitching a full workload at low Class A Burlington despite not turning 20 until midseason. Scouting Report: Barria's game is all about pitchability and racking up early-count outs, and he gets the most out of a limited repertoire. A fastball that he consistently throws for strikes sits in the low 90s with movement, and he commands it well despite its life. The combination of factors helps it play as a solid-average pitch. His best pitch is a solid-average changeup with good fade at 77-80 mph that projects to be at least an above-average offering. Barria rounds out his repertoire with a curveball that flashes average at times. With a clean, repeatable high three-quarters arm slot that allows him to throw his two-seamer, Barria uses the same arm speed to deliver his fastball and curveball. He projects to add velocity as his well-conditioned body matures. He controls the running game well, allowing just four stolen bases in 10 attempts in 2016.
  
  The Future: With his first full season behind him, Barria is ready for the challenge of the hitter-friendly California League in 2017. He commands his pitches well enough to project as a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter.