The Orioles announced this afternoon that they’ve added utilityman Jose Barrero on a minor league contract. Francys Romero reported the agreement before the club announcement. He’ll head to Triple-A Norfolk.
Barrero elected free agency last week after being waived by the Cardinals. The 27-year-old had been designated for assignment when St. Louis added Garrett Hampson on a waiver claim from Cincinnati. Barrero had spent almost two months on the Cardinals’ big league roster but rarely played. He appeared in 22 games, coming off the bench all but eight times, and hit .138 in 29 at-bats.
It marked the fifth season in which the righty-hitting Barrero logged some big league time. He was once a highly-regarded prospect in the Cincinnati system and played parts of four seasons with the Reds. A lack of plate discipline undercut the power and athleticism that had intrigued scouts. Barrero has punched out in 36% of his career plate appearances, leading to a .182/.238/.257 slash at the highest level.
Barrero had been out to a hot start in Triple-A before St. Louis called him up. He’d hit .299/.396/.517 with four homers in 23 games. It was a much better minor league showing than he’d managed a year ago, when he limped to a .188/.277/.345 mark with Texas’ top affiliate. Barrero is athletic enough to play any up-the-middle position and provides a versatile upper minors depth piece for the Orioles.