Is Hunter Barco Next To Join Pirates’ Wave Of Promising Young Pitchers?

Image credit: Hunter Barco (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) Hunter Barco knows how fortunate he is to be a developing pitcher in the Pirates system.

Thats especially so given the organizations crop of rising young arms Paul Skenes , Jared Jones and Bubba Chandler he aims to one day pitch alongside in Pittsburgh.

Its a group Barco not only admires, but also considers close friends.

Im really close with all of them, Barco said.

Were all competing together, and the ultimate goal is to go win a World Series.

We all talk to each other all the time about that, and everybodys got their own plan to get there.

But at the end of the day, I hope were all there and helping the Pirates be successful.

The Pirates have struck gold in recent years with their pitching development.

Skenes arrived nearly MLB-ready, made his debut last May and has already established himself as one of the games most electrifying arms.

Jones, though sidelined with a UCL sprain at the moment, has shown the frontline potential the organization long believed he had.

Chandler, meanwhile, is dominating in the minors and could soon join them in Pittsburgh.

Together, the trio represents the foundation of what could become one of the most formidable young rotations in baseball.

And Barco, the No.

10 prospect in the Pirates system , is quickly pitching his way into joining that conversation with his close friends.

Through five starts this season, the 24-year-old lefthander has yet to allow a run over 20.2 innings for Double-A Altoona.

Hes struck out 30 batters while holding opponents to a .132 batting average, signaling a sharp return after a series of early-career setbacks.

Barcos 2024 season was cut short last July due to a stress response in his lower left leg.

That came after Tommy John surgery his junior year at Florida in 2022, which delayed the start of his professional career and caused his draft stock to slide.

The Pirates still drafted him in the second round that year, giving him a $1.525 million signing bonus.

The time off gave Barco an opportunity to strengthen more than just his arm.

Its a long, monotonous process, he said.

Itll really drain you more mentally than it does physically.

Its one of those things you just cant rush.

The body needs time to heal, and you have to give it that.

But really, the way I saw it is: Youre going to get what you put into it.

So you really have to go in every day and put in the work.

And on the back end, itll pay off.

Removed from injury, Barco is showing more consistent velocity than he did in college, as his fastball now sits 9294 mph and touches 96.

Hes also sharpened his slider into a reliable swing-and-miss offering.

The pitch generated a 42% whiff rate last season and continues to be effective in 2025, even as the Pirates have worked with him to add a cutter and expand his arsenal.

Just as important has been the physical progress.

Barco credits an offseason strength program tailored to address hip deficiencies and improve his lower-body drive, which are two key factors in helping him move more efficiently down the mound.

Part of that is just getting a little bit older and stronger, Barco said.

But the movement in the hips has helped, as well, because Im not throwing as closed off anymore.

I havent lost any of the deception from the arm, either.

The lower body is moving better, and the arm is just as deceptive as its always been.

Now healthy and trending upward, Barco is positioning himself as yet another high-upside arm in a system loaded with them.

I want to help the Pirates win up top, he said.

Thats really the only thing on my mind right now.

Every outing, Im treating like my big league debutuntil the day it actually arrives..

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