Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Ready for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Barriera (elbow) has been sent to the rookie-level Florida Complex League Blue Jays to begin a rehab assignment, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Barriera is finally ready to pitch in games again after undergoing a hybrid Tommy John/internal brace procedure on his left elbow last April. The 2022 first-round pick has thrown only 21.2 innings in pro ball due to arm problems and will likely be assigned to Single-A Dunedin once he's been built up in the FCL.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Could be back on mound by late May
Rotowire
Barriera (elbow) is targeting a return to game action by late May or early June, Sam Dykstra of MLB.com reports.
A first-round pick in 2022, Barriera underwent a hybrid Tommy John/internal brace procedure on his elbow in April 2024, and arm issues have limited him to just 23.2 innings since he made his pro debut. The 21-year-old southpaw was touching 97 mph with his fastball prior to last year's surgery however, and if he can stay healthy he's still young enough to begin re-establishing his status as a prospect. Barriera's multiple rehabs have also had the side benefit of re-shaping his body. "This is about as good physically as he's looked since we've had him," Blue Jays director of player development Joe Sclafani said toward the end of spring training. "Obviously, he got bigger and then tapered it back. Physically, he's in a really good spot. Mentally, he's in a really good spot. He's trending in a really good direction. We're excited."
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Gets hybrid elbow surgery
Rotowire
Barriera's agent, Nate Heisler, announced Monday via social media that his client recently underwent a hybrid surgery on his left elbow and will miss the rest of the 2024 season.
More specifically, Heisler notes that Barriera underwent a traditional Tommy John surgery along with an internal brace procedure. Though an internal brace procedure alone typically entails a 9-to-12-month recovery for pitchers compared to a 12-to-16-month recovery for Tommy John surgery, it's unclear what sort of timeline Barriera might be looking at with a fusion of the two surgeries. In any event, Barriera won't be available until at least next spring, slowing the development of one of the top young arms in the Blue Jays farm system.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Needs left elbow surgery
Rotowire
Barriera is set to undergo left elbow surgery, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports.
Barriera has been on the 7-day injured list with Single-A Dunedin after sustaining a left elbow injury April 6. It's unclear whether the operation will be for Tommy John surgery or an internal brace, but Mitchell notes that the left-hander will be out for at least 10 months. Barriera was taken by the Blue Jays in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. The southpaw posted a 4.42 ERA and 0.99 WHIP over six starts with Dunedin in 2023.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Likely done for season
Rotowire
Single-A Dunedin placed Barriera on its 7-day injured list Aug. 3 due to biceps soreness, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Barriera, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 First-Year Player Draft, dealt with a shoulder issue in spring training, was shut down again after a May 25 start due to elbow soreness, and now has been shut down again after his velocity was down during a two-inning appearance July 29. Given that he's a hard-throwing 19-year-old with several recent arm injuries, his risk of needing some sort of surgery before advancing to the upper levels of the minors is extreme. All told, he logged a 3.98 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 20.1 innings across Single-A and the rookie-level Florida Complex League this season.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Activated at Single-A
Rotowire
Barriera (elbow) was activated off the 7-day injured list Friday with Single-A Dunedin, Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com reports.
One of the most exciting pitching prospects in the lower levels of the minors, Barriera has struck out 20 batters over 15.1 innings this season. The Jays have been very cautious with him as he dealt with a shoulder injury to start the year before getting shut down due to an elbow issue.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Could return in late-July
Rotowire
Barriera (elbow) continues to build up during live batting practices and could return to the Single-A Dunedin rotation in a couple of weeks, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports.
The high-upside lefty struck out 18 with a 76.9 percent groundball rate in 13.1 innings across his first four professional starts this May before landing on the injured list with a sore elbow. According to Davidi, Barriera has been sitting 92-94 mph with his fastball during his recent sessions.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Bouncing back from elbow issue
Rotowire
Barriera is ramping back up towards bullpen sessions after being shut down for two weeks with elbow soreness, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports.
Barriera has made four starts for Single-A Dunedin this season, striking out a third of the batters he's faced but posting a 5.40 ERA. He hasn't pitched since May 25 but has gotten back to throwing from 90 feet and should soon be cleared to throw a bullpen.
... See More... See Less
Blue Jays' Brandon Barriera: Dazzles in pro debut
Rotowire
Barriera tossed four scoreless, no-hit innings for Single-A Dunedin on Wednesday, striking out six and walking one.
The 19-year-old was absolutely dominant in his first action as a professional, especially considering he hadn't pitched in a game anywhere in about a year -- Barriera shut himself down at the end of his final high-school season before being selected 23rd overall by Toronto in the 2022 MLB Draft. The southpaw sat comfortably in the mid-90s with his fastball, and Florida State League hitters had little chance against a slider that already looks like a plus pitch. Barriera isn't expected to see a big workload this season as the Blue Jays focus on his health and development -- he was held back this spring due to some shoulder soreness -- but he will soar up prospect lists quickly with more outings like this one.
