Inside Look: Barrett Barnes
Baseball almost seems too easy for Power outfielder Barrett Barnes. Born into a baseball family, the 21-year-old center fielder is one of the most highly touted outfielders in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization. Yet, despite being related to a former major leaguer, Barnes remains humble despite the constant magnifying glass on his young career.
"I think pressure is all based on an individual standpoint and outlook," Barnes said. "For me, I try not to think about it. It's when you start thinking about it --overthinking where you got drafted and overthinking how much money you got paid-- because at the end of the day, we're all here. You're all on the same field and you're all fighting to get to Pittsburgh."
Barnes' uncle, Anthony Young, is a former Major League pitcher who compiled 15 wins in his six-year career beginning with the Mets in 1991 and ended with Houston in 1996. Barnes quickly attributes Young for influencing him to play the game.
"He played baseball in Houston and I grew up in Houston," Barnes explained. "I've been around professional baseball my whole life, and it was just a fit."
After playing baseball at Austin High School in Texas, Barnes took his next step in baseball by attending Texas Tech of the Big 12 Conference. Barnes started in 169 games as a Red Raider and proceeded to become one of the best hitters in the history of the Texas Tech program. He is only the second player in Red Raider history to have recorded a batting average of at least .300.
"Fortunately enough, I had a good freshman year," Barnes said. "In my first game, I was 4-5 and I never looked back from there. I really understood that it was just a game. The bases are 90 feet, the ball is going to be white, and you've got to hit it and run."
In June, the 2012 MLB draft was upon him. Along with the Pittsburgh, Milwaukee and San Diego both showed interest in the former Red Raider. Pittsburgh ultimately landed Barnes with the 45th overall pick in the compensation round.
Barnes quickly discovered that minor league life is a polar opposite of his life in college.
"(College) is a lot different than what we're doing right now," Barnes said. "We flew on planes and jets and ate steak. It was like the big leagues. Now, we ride on the bus and eat McDonalds or Burger King every night."
Barnes spent his first season in the Bucs' system in short-season State College, batting .288 with five home runs in 38 games. Defensively, the center fielder did not commit an error in 65 chances. For his efforts, Barnes was named to the New York-Penn League All-Star game.
In the minor leagues, the field conditions vary, and Barnes fell victim to a sprained shin as a result of a rough playing surface. As he continued to play, more pressure was put onto the injured area, causing a stress fracture.
The injury caused Barnes to miss the last month of the 2012 season. Doctors gave Barnes a boot for six weeks to protect his shin and told him to not put body weight on it.
"The road to rehab was a lot of ankle and calf exercises to strengthen that area," Barnes explained. "It's all healed up and we're good to go."
Barnes now finds himself wearing a West Virginia Power uniform after starting the 2013 season in extended spring training to deal with a strained oblique. In his first official game in over eight months, the center fielder had a base hit and scored a run, but admitted to feeling nervous.
"I get jitters every game," Barnes admitted. "I had a lot of fun and it was nice to play under the lights and not at noon every day. I'm just looking to come out here and have fun, enjoy it, and make the best of this opportunity."