Pirates’ Hunter Barco Emerges From Surgery Better Than Ever
Hunter Barco received a call from the Pirates during the second round of the 2022 draft.
The lefthander entered his junior year at Florida that spring looking like a first-round candidate. Tommy John surgery midway through the season caused his stock to drop. The Pirates called to tell him they were drafting him 44th overall.
Barco spent his rehab learning how his reconstructed elbow moved. He also worked to strengthen a deficiency in his hips. This helped keep him more in line to the plate, rather than falling off to first base.
He returned to the mound 14 months after surgery, making nine appearances in 2023, most of them in the Low-A Florida State League. After the season, Barco remained in Bradenton to work with the Pirates’ development staff on his pitch mix.
The added hip strength allowed Barco to adjust his slider from a low-80s gyro to a cutter with sharper action that sits 85-87 mph and touches 88.
“Being more in line to the plate allowed me to clear my hips and be able to get around the baseball, where I need to be to make it move like that,” Barco said of the cutter.
The added strength led to a fastball velocity increases from 91-92 mph in college to 94 this year. He touches 96 every outing.
Barco throws a forkball-grip splitter for a changeup. He has that pitch up to 84-88 mph. He’s also working on a true changeup, with hopes to add that to his arsenal by midseason.
That would give him five pitches from a funky, lower-slot delivery, with a focus on control and location.
“I’m never gonna be a poster child for the perfect delivery,” Barco said. “It’s been really interesting figuring out how my body moves, and being able to adjust accordingly.”
Barco pitched effectively for High-A Greensboro with a 2.55 ERA through 10 starts and 51 strikeouts against 13 walks in 42.1 innings.
“He is confident, focused, and does everything with purpose, on purpose,” Pirates farm director John Baker said. “We are proud of him and his progress, but there is more work to be done.”
BURIED TREASURE
— Triple-A Indianapolis outfielder/first baseman Matt Gorski was one of the Pirates’ most productive minor league hitters in May. In 23 games he hit .281/.330/.720 with nine home runs and 28 RBIs. The outfielder has been getting additional time at first base, where he’s played before, and where the Pirates have a long-term MLB need.
— Shortstop Jhonny Severino is off to a great start in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League. The 19-year-old hit .288/.405/.593 with four homers through 18 games. The Pirates acquired Severino from the Brewers last summer in the Carlos Santana trade.
