Only six days remain in the 2025 MLB season. Before the full 162-game campaign comes to an end, the Pittsburgh Pirates are promoting one of the organization’s top young starting pitchers.
Pirates No. 4
prospect Hunter Barco is being called up to the majors, according to Brett Martineau of CBS47/FOX30 in Jacksonville.
The No. 82 prospect in baseball, Barco produced a terrific 2025 season. The 24-year-old left hander posted a 2.81 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, a .196 opponent average, and 116 strikeouts in 27 games (23 starts) between Double-A Altoona and Triple-A Indianapolis.
Barco didn’t allow a run in 25.2 innings at Altoona in six starts before earning a promotion to Triple-A. He earned a .131 opponent average, 0.70 WHIP, allowed 11 hits, and struck out 34 to start the year.
Barco followed up his dominant Double-A campaign with a solid showing with the Indy Indians. In 73.2 innings, Barco struck out 82 batters and earned a 3.79 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and .215 opponent average.
One concern comes with 42 walks in those innings. Barco does a solid job of keeping the ball inside the park, allowing only five home runs in back-to-back seasons.
He’s thrown 33.1 more innings than in 2024 and is .2 frames shy of 100. Barco was selected in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft following a tough career at the University of Florida.
The lefty only had one full season (2021) after the pandemic shut down the 2020 schedule. Barco underwent Tommy John surgery in 2022, which potentially contributed to his fall to the 44th pick.
Barco ranks behind shortstop/center fielder Konnor Griffin, right hander Bubba Chandler, and right hander Seth Hernandez on MLB Pipeline’s top Pirates prospects list.
Pipeline graded Barco with a 60-grade slider as his best pitch. His fastball (50) and splitter (55) also grade above average and Barco ranks as a 55-grade pitcher. The site projected a 2026 debut for the left hander.
Johan Oviedo is scheduled to start for the Pirates on Tuesday against the Reds.
Barco’s last appearance came on September 17, allowing two hits, three walks, and he hit a batter through two innings out of the ‘pen.
The Pirates could deploy Barco in the rotation or from the bullpen, similar to the approach with Braxton Ashcraft and Bubba Chandler, during the final week of action.
Pittsburgh played its final home game at PNC Park for the season in an 11-0 victory on Sunday against the Athletics and begin a three-game series in Cincinnati on Tuesday at 6:40 p.m.
