Former Washington Nationals Farmhand Signs Minor League Deal with AL Rival
Franklin Barreto didn’t spend much time with the Washington last year, but the former top prospect is back in the minors after signing a deal with the Baltimore Orioles earlier this week.
The 28-year-old Venezuela native hasn’t played in the Majors since 2020 with the Angels. But, the Nats were his last stop in either the Majors or the minors before he migrated to the Mexican Baseball League.
Barretto was a year removed from Tommy John surgery and an unsuccessful stint with Houston’s Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land when he signed a minor-league deal with the Nats in December of 2022.
While he didn’t make the Major League roster, he was assigned to Triple-A Rochester and played in 29 games before he was released. As with most of his career since he made his MLB debut in 2017, his bat didn’t cooperate. He slashed .202/.282/.455 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, and two stolen bases.
Out of opportunities in the U.S., he went to Mexico and by the end of last season he recaptured something in his swing, which could be encouraging for the Orioles.
He started with Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos in 2023 and then played Diablos Rojos del México this past season. With Diablos he slashed .343/.430/.576 with 16 home runs, 63 RBI, and eight stolen bases. He helped that franchise win the Serie del Rey, that league’s version of the World Series.
Returning to the Majors in any capacity would be a great story for the infielder, who has been in the pros for more than a decade and at one time was one of baseball’s top prospects.
Signed out of Venezuela by Toronto in 2013, his most notable achievement was who he was traded for in 2015 — Josh Donaldson. The Athletics dealt Donaldson to Toronto for a package that included Barreto, who was the centerpiece of that deal.
He was a productive minor league player and ultimately earned a call-up with the Athletics in 2017. But his play never warranted more than utility player status.
In parts of four seasons with the Athletics, he slashed .180/.210/.360/.570 with nine home runs and 27 RBI. In the middle of the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the Athletics dealt him to the Angels for infielder Tommy La Stella. With the Angels he batted .118 in six games.
He was poised to have a role with the Angels in 2021 before he required Tommy John surgery and missed the entire season. He opted for free agency after the season.
