Baltimore Orioles Sign Former Top Prospect to Minor League Contract

The Baltimore Orioles added some depth to their young infield by signing this former highly-respected prospect to a minor-league contract.

Mar 17, 2021; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels second baseman Franklin Barreto (8) celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning of a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles added some depth to their infield with the signing of Franklin Barreto, a deal released earlier this week by the team.

Deals like this typically come with an invitation to Major League spring training.

The Venezuela native has been a pro baseball player for more than a decade and has 101 Major League games. But the once-Top 100 prospect hasn’t played in the Majors since he was with the Angels in 2020.

He’s spent the past two years in the Mexican League with Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos and Diablos Rojos del México. With Diablos last season 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.

Where he may fit in the Majors is of some question. The 28-year-old will be competing for playing time in spring training with some of the best young infielders in baseball, including Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Ramon Urias and Jorge Mateo.

Barreto does have position flex, as he can play both middle infield positions and in the outfield. With the potential departure of Anthony Santander in free agency, the O’s could use extra depth.

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.  

In 2022 and 2023 he wandered around the minor leagues. First, he stopped in Houston and played for the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land and was unable to hit over .200. In his final at-bat for the team he hit a home run off former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel, who was on a rehab start.

In late 2022 he signed with the Nationals on a minor-league deal. He appeared in 29 games for Triple-A Rochester and slashed .202/.282/.455 with seven home runs, 15 RBI, and two stolen bases.