Pirates are replicating the Braxton Ashcraft blueprint with Hunter Barco

Hunter Barco made a name for himself in the baseball world before he even hit high school. He originally committed to playing at the University of Virginia by the time he was 14, but later switched that commitment to the University of Florida. 

He would go on to be dominant in high school, being one of the top draft prospects in 2019, but was not drafted until the 24th round. Knowing he could do better, he went on to play college ball for Florida. 

Come time for the 2022 MLB Draft, he caught the attention of the Pittsburgh Pirates, who selected him with the 44th overall pick. 

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Pirates are replicating the Braxton Ashcraft blueprint with Hunter Barco

Barco was dominant in the minors, which led the Pirates to call him up late last season for his MLB debut against the Cincinnati Reds. 

With a cup of coffee in the big leagues, he knew he had a chance to make the Opening Day roster, and he did just that. But, instead of being a starter, he will work in the bullpen. 

He will be used as a bulk reliever, getting some innings and building up his arm. This is similar to what the club did with Braxton Ashcraft, who made the starting rotation this year, per Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter. 

"Barco cemented his status as a top-tier pitching prospect last season with a 2.81 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 99.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. Used primarily as a starter in the minors, he is being eased into the big leagues as a reliever, similar to how the Pirates deployed Braxton Ashcraft in 2025."

This is a great way for young arms to get innings in the big leagues without having to move to a six-man rotation. Barco has a great opportunity ahead of him, and that could play into him cracking the starting rotation by this time next season.

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