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Pirates Top Prospects No. 22: Does Hunter Barco Still Have Upside?
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- Pirates Top Prospects No. 22: Does Hunter Barco Still Have Upside?
Pirates Top Prospects No. 22: Does Hunter Barco Still Have Upside?
This is one in a series of stories breaking down PBN's Top 30 Pirates prospects .
After making his MLB debut at the end of last season, Hunter Barco got more looks with the Pirates in 2026. But not as many as some might've thought entering the year.
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Barco had four stints with the Pirates this season but made only seven relief appearances. He went 0-1 with a 7.64 ERA with 13 walks and 14 strikeouts in 17.2 innings. Of the 21 hits he allowed, four went for home runs.
The rest of Barco's season was spent with Triple-A Indianapolis. He missed about a month with elbow inflammation but made 21 appearances/14 starts with Indianapolis. The 25-year-old went 4-8 with a 3.83 ERA. He allowed 79 hits, walked 41 and struck out 80 in 78.1 innings.
Barco, who entered the season as MLB Pipeline's 96th-best prospect, was originally selected by the Pirates in the second round of the 2022 draft. In 76 career minor-league appearances (62 starts), Barco is 12-13 with a 3.28 ERA. He also has 308 strikeouts in 263.2 innings across five levels, so there is some pedigree.
The question is how much upside Barco still has. The Pirates needed rotation help at the end of the year but opted for bullpen games over using Barco or others. Pittsburgh did not have a traditional left-handed starting pitcher make a start this year (Mason Montgomery was the only left-hander to start a game). There were chances for Barco to make starts, but the Pirates said no.
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At this point, Barco's future with the Pirates looks murky at best. It wouldn't come as a surprise to see him used as a trade chip this winter. If he stays with the organization, he'll offer some pitching depth in 2027 and try to reestablish himself.
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