Luis Barrera

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #18 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The A’s hoped Barrera’s strong performance at their alternate training site in 2020 portended another step forward in 2021, nearly a decade after they signed him. The A’s briefly summoned Barrera for his big league debut, a four-game stint in late May, but he spent the majority of 2021 with Triple-A Las Vegas, where he didn’t hit for much impact and finished with a .741 OPS.
  
  Scouting Report: Barrera fits the classic hit-over-power slasher profile. His flat bat path is geared toward contact, which allows his plus speed to play on the basepaths, but his swing doesn’t produce much in-game power. Most aspects of Barrera’s game are aggressive, especially his approach. He swung at nearly 48% of all pitches he saw in 2021. He makes it work thanks to his pure hitting ability, but he would benefit from a bit more selectivity. Barrera is a solid thrower who plays all three defensive positions, although he’s a bit stretched in center field.
  
  The Future: Barrera’s speed, defense and contact ability should allow him to compete for a part-time role in the A’s outfield in 2022, but the clock is ticking.
  
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #7 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, Barrera is on the doorstep of the majors after a slow climb through the system. A shoulder injury cut his 2019 season short at Double-A Midland, but he returned healthy in 2020 and was one of the Athletics’ top standouts at the alternate training site. He hit nearly .450 in camp at San Jose and won the program’s batting title on the final day.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Barrera is a bit of a throwback as a dynamic slasher with a fervent passion for the game. He is a line drive-oriented hitter, though the A’s believe he has 15-home run potential with a slightly altered approach. Barrera is aggressive, sometimes to a fault, but he makes enough contact to make it work. The A’s believe he has developed a bit more selectivity. Barrera’s plus speed shows up both on the basepaths and in the outfield, where he’s an above-average defender with a strong arm who could play all three positions. Consistency was the missing ingredient for Barrera, but A’s officials say they saw much more of it at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Oakland’s starting outfield mix is mostly set entering 2021. Barrera could force his way into at least a part-time role if he carries his momentum into spring training.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #22 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: After playing two years in the Dominican Summer League, Barrera has steadily climbed through the A's system until repeating Double-A in 2019. Barrera's season was cut short in late June when he was shut down with a left shoulder strain.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Possessing a lean build, Barrera has a solid start with a leg kick but tends to have balance and timing issues because he gets out on front side quickly and produces a high number of ground balls. Still just 24, Barrera has steadily increased his power numbers by learning how to drive the ball in favorable counts. Barrera's speed is more usable in center field but he's not a true basestealer. His easy play and strong arm in center field creates value, although his arm strength was sapped somewhat by his shoulder issues.
  
  THE FUTURE: A start in Triple-A Las Vegas could be in the offing if the shoulder will allow. Defense will allow Barrera to play for a long time.
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #20 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: The Athletics signed Barrera for $450,000 in 2012. At the time, he was a slender 16-year-old who required two years in the Dominican Summer League before he was ready for the Rookie-level Arizona League in 2015. He has steadily climbed the ladder ever since and began to earn acclaim in 2018, when he hit .297 with 23 stolen bases and finished the season at Double-A Midland.
  
  Scouting Report: Barrera has matured physically in recent seasons but hasn't strayed from his roots. He is a line-drive hitter who runs well and applies his plus speed in center field and on the bases, where he is a strong baserunner. He is selective enough to make pitchers throw him strikes. Barrera shows hints of power in batting practice but a low launch angle translates to well below-average power in games. As he has grown stronger, he is finding the gaps more frequently, aided by his double-plus speed. Barrera reads the ball off the bat in center field and always seems to get a good jump. He has an average arm.
  
  The Future: As a lefthanded-hitting center fielder with speed--but without a projected impact bat--Barrera's future role will depend a lot on just how well his speed and defense play.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 40/Medium
  
  Track Record: The A&#39s hoped Barrera&#39s strong performance at their alternate training site in 2020 portended another step forward in 2021, nearly a decade after they signed him. The A&#39s briefly summoned Barrera for his big league debut, a four-game stint in late May, but he spent the majority of 2021 with Triple-A Las Vegas, where he didn&#39t hit for much impact and finished with a .741 OPS.
  
  Scouting Report: Barrera fits the classic hit-over-power slasher profile. His flat bat path is geared toward contact, which allows his plus speed to play on the basepaths, but his swing doesn&#39t produce much in-game power. Most aspects of Barrera&#39s game are aggressive, especially his approach. He swung at nearly 48% of all pitches he saw in 2021. He makes it work thanks to his pure hitting ability, but he would benefit from a bit more selectivity. Barrera is a solid thrower who plays all three defensive positions, although he&#39s a bit stretched in center field.
  
  The Future: Barrera&#39s speed, defense and contact ability should allow him to compete for a part-time role in the A&#39s outfield in 2022, but the clock is ticking.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The A’s hoped Barrera’s strong performance at their alternate training site in 2020 portended another step forward in 2021, nearly a decade after they signed him. The A’s briefly summoned Barrera for his big league debut, a four-game stint in late May, but he spent the majority of 2021 with Triple-A Las Vegas, where he didn’t hit for much impact and finished with a .741 OPS.
  
  Scouting Report: Barrera fits the classic hit-over-power slasher profile. His flat bat path is geared toward contact, which allows his plus speed to play on the basepaths, but his swing doesn’t produce much in-game power. Most aspects of Barrera’s game are aggressive, especially his approach. He swung at nearly 48% of all pitches he saw in 2021. He makes it work thanks to his pure hitting ability, but he would benefit from a bit more selectivity. Barrera is a solid thrower who plays all three defensive positions, although he’s a bit stretched in center field.
  
  The Future: Barrera’s speed, defense and contact ability should allow him to compete for a part-time role in the A’s outfield in 2022, but the clock is ticking.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, Barrera is on the doorstep of the majors after a slow climb through the system. A shoulder injury cut his 2019 season short at Double-A Midland, but he returned healthy in 2020 and was one of the Athletics' top standouts at the alternate training site. He hit nearly .450 in camp at San Jose and won the program's batting title on the final day.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Barrera is a bit of a throwback as a dynamic slasher with a fervent passion for the game. He is a line drive-oriented hitter, though the A's believe he has 15-home run potential with a slightly altered approach. Barrera is aggressive, sometimes to a fault, but he makes enough contact to make it work. The A's believe he has developed a bit more selectivity. Barrera's plus speed shows up both on the basepaths and in the outfield, where he's an above-average defender with a strong arm who could play all three positions. Consistency was the missing ingredient for Barrera, but A's officials say they saw much more of it at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Oakland's starting outfield mix is mostly set entering 2021. Barrera could force his way into at least a part-time role if he carries his momentum into spring training.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, Barrera is on the doorstep of the majors after a slow climb through the system. A shoulder injury cut his 2019 season short at Double-A Midland, but he returned healthy in 2020 and was one of the Athletics’ top standouts at the alternate training site. He hit nearly .450 in camp at San Jose and won the program’s batting title on the final day.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Barrera is a bit of a throwback as a dynamic slasher with a fervent passion for the game. He is a line drive-oriented hitter, though the A’s believe he has 15-home run potential with a slightly altered approach. Barrera is aggressive, sometimes to a fault, but he makes enough contact to make it work. The A’s believe he has developed a bit more selectivity. Barrera’s plus speed shows up both on the basepaths and in the outfield, where he’s an above-average defender with a strong arm who could play all three positions. Consistency was the missing ingredient for Barrera, but A’s officials say they saw much more of it at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Oakland’s starting outfield mix is mostly set entering 2021. Barrera could force his way into at least a part-time role if he carries his momentum into spring training.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 50. Power: 45. Running: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2012, Barrera is on the doorstep of the majors after a slow climb through the system. A shoulder injury cut his 2019 season short at Double-A Midland, but he returned healthy in 2020 and was one of the Athletics’ top standouts at the alternate training site. He hit nearly .450 in camp at San Jose and won the program’s batting title on the final day.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Barrera is a bit of a throwback as a dynamic slasher with a fervent passion for the game. He is a line drive-oriented hitter, though the A’s believe he has 15-home run potential with a slightly altered approach. Barrera is aggressive, sometimes to a fault, but he makes enough contact to make it work. The A’s believe he has developed a bit more selectivity. Barrera’s plus speed shows up both on the basepaths and in the outfield, where he’s an above-average defender with a strong arm who could play all three positions. Consistency was the missing ingredient for Barrera, but A’s officials say they saw much more of it at the alternate site.
  
  THE FUTURE: Oakland’s starting outfield mix is mostly set entering 2021. Barrera could force his way into at least a part-time role if he carries his momentum into spring training.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After playing two years in the Dominican Summer League, Barrera has steadily climbed through the A’s system until repeating Double-A in 2019. Barrera’s season was cut short in late June when he was shut down with a left shoulder strain.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Possessing a lean build, Barrera has a solid start with a leg kick but tends to have balance and timing issues because he gets out on front side quickly and produces a high number of ground balls. Still just 24, Barrera has steadily increased his power numbers by learning how to drive the ball in favorable counts. Barrera’s speed is more usable in center field but he’s not a true basestealer. His easy play and strong arm in center field creates value, although his arm strength was sapped somewhat by his shoulder issues.
  
  THE FUTURE: A start in Triple-A Las Vegas could be in the offing if the shoulder will allow. Defense will allow Barrera to play for a long time. BA GRADE 40 Risk: Medium BA GRADE 40 Risk: Medium
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: After playing two years in the Dominican Summer League, Barrera has steadily climbed through the A's system until repeating Double-A in 2019. Barrera's season was cut short in late June when he was shut down with a left shoulder strain.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Possessing a lean build, Barrera has a solid start with a leg kick but tends to have balance and timing issues because he gets out on front side quickly and produces a high number of ground balls. Still just 24, Barrera has steadily increased his power numbers by learning how to drive the ball in favorable counts. Barrera's speed is more usable in center field but he's not a true basestealer. His easy play and strong arm in center field creates value, although his arm strength was sapped somewhat by his shoulder issues.
  
  THE FUTURE: A start in Triple-A Las Vegas could be in the offing if the shoulder will allow. Defense will allow Barrera to play for a long time.