Mack - 2022 MLB Draft Prospect Reports - LHP - Hunter Barco

 

Hunter Barco

 

LHP      6-4     208     Florida

  

2021 Florida stat line - 16-starts, 10-3, 4.01, 83-IP, 94-K, 26-BB

 

 7-11-21 - Fueled By Sports - 2022 Mock Draft v1.0 -

 

#3 Hunter Barco LHP 6'4" 208 Florida

 

 7-8-21 - Fangraphs Top 2022 Prospects -

 

#14

 

Hunter Barco SP 21.6 6' 4" 208 L L

 

Barco was on the radar early and drawing comps to lower-slot elite lefties in the draft like Madison Bumgarner did when he was a prep underclassman. His velo was around 88-91 with a lower slot most of the showcase circuit, then he showed mostly 90-93, touching 96 mph this spring, sometimes flashing a consistently solid average slider and at other times struggling to land it. His low-spin splitter is a true plus pitch if not closer to 70. He was shut down late in the season with a shoulder muscle strain but hit 96 mph in a private predraft workout with Milwaukee, so the health scare looks to be behind him. Clubs that like the separator splitter, two-way athleticism, and deceptive velo will bet they can figure out the command/breaker, while others see a lefty with inconsistent stuff and arm slot who relies on a splitter.

 

 1-8-21 - Prospects Live 

 

36. Hunter Barco - LHP

 

Bio:

 

Height: 6-4

Weight: 212 lbs

Hits/Throws: L-L

Hometown: Jacksonville, Florida

School: Florida

 

Highly regarded in 2019, decided to go to Florida rather than go pro. He was sidelined with a shoulder strain toward the end of his prep career which gave some teams pause. Barco has an impressive slider that consistently sits plus, and a changeup that flashes above average. His fastball generally is a low 90s offering but plays up a bit thanks to some short-arm deception. Some have compared Barco to a Patrick Corbin type. He's a famous name at a famous program and will have every bit the opportunity to capitalize on big moments starting as a weekend arm for the Gators.

  

8-23-20 - Prospects 365 -

 

Barco was an obvious first rounder out of high school for me, and he came as advertised during his first spring at Florida. Likely to be in the same general area as Brady Singer, but from the left side – Barco is a sinkerballer with heavy horizontal run from a low slot. Relative to size, Barco’s extension is well below average; coming off some shoulder soreness that hindered his 2019 draft profile, his velo was down a little (91.9 average FB) though still above average. He’s got a sweeping slider that’s fantastic when thrown to the back legs of right-handed hitters, but it’s more of a BIP out pitch opposed to a swing and miss offering to lefties. His stuff plays well off each other, and Barco is a very typical college prospect with traits coveted by all organizations.