Miami Marlins Prospect Jared Barnes is Ready to Play

Throughout the 2018/2019 offseason, Marlin Maniac will devote one article each for every player who appeared in the Miami Marlins system for the 2018 season. Every. Single. Player. This is Part 61 of 286. Stay tuned.

Jared Lee Barnes is a 6′, 185 lb. catcher from Tallahassee, Florida, origin also of former major leaguers Bobby Thigpen, Dwight Smith, & Dean Palmer, as well as current player Mallex Smith. Born on November 21st, 1995, Barnes was chosen in the eight round of the 2017 MLB Amateur Entry Draft, with the 239th overall pick.

If Barnes someday makes the majors, he’ll be the 10th player picked 239th overall to turn the trick. The “239 club” is led by Billy Grabarkewitz (1966, Los Angeles Dodgers, 5.8 career WAR), Donell Nixon (1980, Seattle Mariners, 1.4 WAR), and Billy McMillon (1993, Florida Marlins, 0.4 WAR). Follow Barnes on Twitter @barnes_jared.

After his selection, Barnes signed on with the Miami Marlins for a $159,700 bonus out of South Alabama. In three collegiate seasons for the Jaguars, Barnes slashed out a .284/.375/.455 line in 159 games, with 19 round-trippers and 106 RBI. After signing, he was assigned to the GCL Marlins on July 20th, in the Florida-based, rookie-level Gulf Coast League. In 10 games behind the plate, he went 10-for-30 wtih seven runs, three doubles, a triple, a homer, and four RBI. He drew four walks and struck out seven times.

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Pushed up to the single-A Greensboro Grasshoppers in the South Atlantic League on August 7th, Barnes went four-for-17 in six contests, with three walks and five strikeouts. Two weeks later, he reported to the Batavia Muckdogs, in the short-season-A New York-Penn League for the balance of the campaign. In eight games, he went nine-for-28 with five runs, five doubles, two homers, and six RBI. Across all three levels, he racked up a .978 fielding percentage from behind the plate, throwing out only two baserunners in 21 steal attempts.

Barnes started his second professional season again with the GCL Marlins, and started out two-for-19 in his first five games. It was all the action he would see through the 2018 season. On June 27th, he was placed on the 60-day disabled list, then not reactivated until September 24th. Barnes is currently last on the baseball-reference organizational depth chart as the 25th Marlins catcher.

Currently still rostered with GCL, it’s unlikely Barnes spends any of the season at that level. He’ll more likely get time in the single-A Midwest League with the Clinton LumberKings.

Next. Junichi Tazawa's Awful Season. dark

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