August 13, 2008

 

Position: Outfield
Hits/Throws: Right/Right
Height/Weight: 6'5''/225
Birthday: 9/26/1986 (Age 21)
Roster Status: Rule V Eligible after 2011 Season

Background: Barto came to the Rangers this year as a non-drafted free agent.  That means every team, including the Rangers, passed him up about 50 times each.  Barto even attended a large baseball program in Tulane.  However, he went undrafted after a mediocre junior season and decided to sign with the Rangers rather than return to Tulane for his senior year.  Barto was actually a highly touted outfielder in high school.  He attended Stratford High in Spring Branch, where he was a highly-decorated player.  The Phillies drafted him in the 14th round in 2005, and he was only drafted that late due to signability concerns.  He ended up not signing and started his career at Tulane where his older brother was a Green Wave football player.  However, things weren't so great for Barto at Tulane once he got there.  He only got 46 at-bats and 11 starts his freshman year due to a broken bone in his hand and normal freshman bumps.  He finished at .152/.316/.304, an obvious disappointment for such a highly-touted player.  After the year, he played in the Cape Cod League, and struggled against older competition.  However, he did grow and moved on to be a starter his sophomore year at Tulane.  He finished that year at .269/.354/.451, a fair improvement.  Once again, he played in the Cape Cod League, and was named to the all-star team after an improved campaign.  Barto's junior season at Tulane was supposed to be his breakout year.  However, in 168 at-bats, he finished at only .274/.403/.393, an almost even season with his sophomore year.  He did steal 21 of 24 bases, though.  Baseball America ranked him the eighth-best prospect in Louisiana entering the draft and wrote, "If a club can get him to make adjustments, he could be a steal between the sixth and 10th rounds."  After 50 rounds, the Rangers signed him, and are reaping the benefits.

Tools: Barto's build is that of a great hitter.  At 6'5'', 225 lbs., he looks like he should tear the cover off the ball.  However, his .274 average and 3 home runs this year show that his game is not very refined.  He strikes out a lot due to a long swing, and his eye is average.  However, his raw tools are still strong.  His ability to hit for average is not too good, and a .270 season for him should be seen as a positive step forward in the pros.  He's flashed raw power at times, as he led the Green Wave with 6 home runs his sophomore year.  However, it's inconsistent, so his tool to this point has gone unused.  His speed is considered above-average, and that is surprising given his bulk.  Most players Barto's size lose some speed due to the extra inches they have to move, but Barto has kept himself a prime athlete over the years.  His fielding has been quite good so far.  He started mainly in center for the Green Wave, and has moved to right field in the pros.  He has good range and did not make an error in his collegiate career.  He's made a single error so far in right in the pros, but I'll credit him for reaching some balls others might not get to.  His arm is probably his biggest weakness, as he only had four assists total in college, and has only one so far this year in the pros.  However, his tools as a whole are quite strong, and he has a lot of upside.

Professional Experience: 2008 is Barto's first pro season.

2008 Season: Barto has adjusted very well to pro pitching so far.  Assigned to the Arizona League following signing, Barto has gone on to hit the league well.  Entering play today, his line stands at .319/.435/.553.  The main concern has to be his 30 strikeouts in only 27 games.  That was one of his main knocks by scouts, and he'll need to improve that to succeed against better pitching.  He has shown a good eye so far, and his power is also starting to peek its head.  He's hit 4 homers so far, to go along with 8 doubles and a triple.  Surprisingly, he hasn't been running too much on AZL catchers.  He has only 2 stolen bases against 1 caught.  He's been steadily improving so far, so look for him to continue to do so for the rest of the year.  His playing time has been a little more inconsistent with the arrivals of Clark Murphy and Cody Podraza, so we'll see how much more playing time he gets.

Future Outlook: Barto has the tools to be a Major League outfielder.  However, considering he's a 21 year-old college product in the AZL, I'd say his chances of fulfilling that potential are low.  He's been passed over for a chance to play for Bakersfield by Adam Cobb, and he'll need to improve his consistency across the board to even stay a starter in the organization past this year.  It's likely he'll play in Clinton to open next year, and it's likely that he'll need a full year there.  I think his tools will start to play out, but in the end his lack of consistency will come back to bite him, and he'll never reach the majors.

Written by Andy Seiler

Photo from flickr.com; Username awirtanen