Jake Barrett

JAKE BARRETT, RIGHT HANDED PITCHER
Born: July 22, 1991
Height: 6′ 2″
Weight: 240
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Drafted: 3rd Round, 120th Overall, 2012 (Diamondbacks)
How Acquired: Waiver Claim (from Giants)
College: Arizona State University
Agent: Octagon

WTM’s PLAYER PROFILE

Arizona drafted Barrett as a college closer and he’s never started a game as a pro.  He throws a fastball that sits around 95-96, along with a slider that he leans on heavily.  He also throws a splitter, after failing in the minors to develop a usable change.  Due to the slider and the lack of a third pitch, he’s generally had large platoon splits.  Barrett’s a mild groundball pitcher and usually has had low K rates.  He doesn’t strike out large numbers of hitters and has often had high walk rates since he reached the upper minors.  He had a good season for the D’backs in 2016, but missed time early in 2017 with shoulder soreness and struggled after he returned.  He spent most of 2018 in AAA.  The Pirates acquired him off waivers.

2012
A:  0-3-6, 5.84 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 24.2 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

Arizona sent Barrett to full season ball after he signed, and it was a challenge for him, as opponents got on base at a .374 clip.  Baseball America still rated him the Diamondbacks’ 19th best prospect after the season.

2013
A+:  2-1-15, 1.98 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 27.1 IP, 3.0 BB/9, 12.2 K/9
AA:  1-1-14, 0.36 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 24.2 IP, 1.1 BB/9, 8.0 K/9

Barrett split the season between the hitter-dominated California League and AA, and put up impressive numbers as a closer.  On the season, opponents managed just a .530 OPS against him, although he had a big platoon split.  He held right-handed batters to a measly .418, but left-handed hitters hit him for a respectable .711.  BA rated him 11th in the D’backs’ system.

2014
AA:  1-2-12, 2.39 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 26.1 IP, 4.1 BB/9, 8.2 K/9
AAA:  1-0-16, 3.72 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 29.0 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 7.1 K/9

Barrett split his season this time between AA and the hitter-dominated Pacific Coast League.  He didn’t have quite as good a season, with his walk rate in particular surging.  He again had a large platoon split; .612 opponents’ OPS by right-handed batters and .763 by left-handed.  BA still ranked him 12th in the Arizona system.

2015
AA:  3-0-4, 4.20 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 30.0 IP, 3.3 BB/9, 9.0 K/9
AAA:  1-3-11, 5.09 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 23.0 IP, 4.7 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

Arizona sent Barrett back to AAA, but he struggled enough that the team demoted him to AA in early June.  He suffered a drop in velocity and struggled to throw strikes.  BA ranked him 24th in the system and Arizona added him to the 40-man roster.

2016
AAA:  1-0-1, 0.00 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 2.2 IP, 3.4 BB/9, 10.1 K/9
MLB:  1-2-4, 3.49 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 59.1 IP, 4.2 BB/9, 8.5 K/9

Barrett made the Diamondbacks’ roster to open the season and stayed there, other than a brief stint in AAA in April.  He had a solid season, with the continuing platoon split:  .601 by right-handed hitters and .790 by left-handed.

2017
A+:  0-0-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 3.2 IP, 2.5 BB/9, 17.2 K/9
AAA:  2-0-3, 4.91 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 22.0 IP, 4.5 BB/9, 7.8 K/9
MLB:  1-1-0, 5.00 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 27.0 IP, 5.0 BB/9, 8.7 K/9

Barrett missed first six weeks with shoulder stiffness.  He worked his way back to AAA in mid-May, but didn’t pitch especially well there.  The D’backs called him up anyway in early July and he spent most of the rest of the season in the majors, where he also didn’t pitch well.  Control continued to be an issue and he uncharacteristically had severe gopher ball problems, allowing one every four innings.

2018
AAA:  4-0-8, 2.87 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 53.1 IP, 4.9 BB/9, 11.3 K/9
MLB:  0-1-1, 5.14 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 7.0 IP, 2.6 BB/9, 7.7 K/9

Apart from four brief callups, totaling seven games, Barrett spent the season in AAA.  He seemingly bounced back, although control remained an issue.  The Diamondbacks designed him for assignment early in 2019 and sent him to San Francisco for cash.  The Giants removed him from the 40-man roster just over two weeks later and the Pirates claimed him off waivers.

A little surprisingly, Barrett didn’t get much of a shot at making the roster in spring training.  He made two appearances and then was optioned to AAA.  The Pirates then designated him for assignment at the end of spring training to clear roster space.

CONTRACT INFORMATION
2019: Major league minimum
2017: $548,300
2016: $507,500
PLAYER INFORMATION
Signing Bonus: $392,900
MiLB Debut: 2012
MLB Debut: 4/4/2016
MiLB FA Eligible: N/A
MLB FA Eligible: 2023
Rule 5 Eligible: N/A
Added to 40-Man: 11/20/2015
Options Remaining: 1 (USED: 2017, 2018)
MLB Service Time: 1.140
TRANSACTIONS
June 10, 2009: Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 3rd round, 99th overall pick.
June 5, 2012:
Drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 3rd round, 120th overall pick; signed on June 7.
November 20, 2015:
Contract purchased by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
January 31, 2019: Designated for assignment by the Arizona Diamondbacks.
February 5, 2019: Traded by the Arizona Diamondbacks to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
February 22, 2019: Designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants.
March 1, 2019: Claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
March 28, 2019: Designated for assignment by the Pittsburgh Pirates.