Drafted in the 35th round (1,056th overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2010.
View Draft Report
Righty Dan Barnes also has an outside chance to sneak into the top 10 rounds, though scouts have expressed reluctance to buy him out of his senior year at an Ivy League school. He did not exactly dominate against soft Ivy competition, either, going 1-3, 5.14 with 40 strikeouts and 19 walks in 49 innings. Generously listed at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Barnes is not physical, but he can run his fastball up to 93 mph with a bit of life, though it dips into the high 80s after a few innings. He leans heavily on his heater and has below-average secondary stuff, including a 75-78 mph curveball, a slurvy low-80s slider and a developing changeup. He sometimes struggles to repeat his arm slot, particularly as he gets tired, and he profiles as a reliever.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
Barnes was the first player ever signed by area scout Bobby Gandolfo, an interesting choice considering he was an Ivy Leaguer at Princeton who had pitched 95 innings in three seasons. Barnes impressed Gandolfo enough to get turned in, signed as a 35th-rounder, and in 2016, he reached the major leagues. He's one of the few big leaguers with a degree and wrote his senior thesis (on MLB free agents) while riding buses with low Class A Lansing in 2013. Barnes has consistently missed bats out of the bullpen as a pro, averaging 11.86 K/9 IP over 320 minor league innings. He had his best season in 2016 with a 77-6 strikeout-walk ratio between Double-A and Triple-A. Barnes locates his 91-94 mph fastball well and has improved the plane on the pitch, though it still tends to flatten out. He pitches up and down in the zone with his fastball and solid-average changeup with late sink, and he locked down lefthanded hitters in 2016, including a 1-for-42 mark with 20 strikeouts in Triple-A. A firm 82-84 mph slider gives him a third average pitch. Barnes is older, having missed most of 2013 with a shoulder injury, but has been durable in recent years and pitches with poise. He's a middle relief option for 2017 and beyond.
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone