Pirates' Hunter Barco earns Opening Day roster spot

Hunter Barco made the Pittsburgh Pirates' Opening Day roster and will begin the season in a bulk bullpen role with possible spot starts; he expanded his pitch mix and posted a 2.89 ERA over 9.1 spring innings.

Hunter Barco has earned a place on the Pittsburgh Pirates' Opening Day roster and will begin the season with a bulk role out of the bullpen while also being considered for future spot starts. He was drafted out of Florida in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft and missed time after Tommy John surgery, which delayed his professional debut until late 2023. This offseason he expanded his pitch mix from three offerings to six, adding a sweeper, a changeup and a true sinker to go with a four-seam fastball, a split-finger fastball and a slider. Barco pitched four times in Grapefruit League play, including two starts, and has shown enough progress to begin the season on the major-league roster. Key facts: - Barco will start the season in a bulk relief role and could piggyback or make spot starts in the future. - He underwent Tommy John surgery before his pro debut and joined the Pirates after being a 2022 second-round pick from Florida. - He expanded his pitch mix to six pitches: added a sweeper, changeup and sinker to his four-seam, splitter and slider. - Spring Training line: 4 appearances, 2 starts, 9.1 innings, 2.89 ERA, 12 strikeouts, 6 walks, .156 average allowed, 1.18 WHIP. - Notable spring outings: March 1 — three scoreless innings vs. St. Louis with three strikeouts; March 7 — three innings, three runs vs. Detroit; March 19 — two scoreless relief innings vs. Baltimore with three strikeouts. - The Pirates have other left-handed relievers on the Opening Day roster, including Mason Montgomery (acquired from Tampa Bay) and Gregory Soto (signed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal). Summary: Barco brings a longer left-handed option to the Pirates' bullpen and has added pitches that could support a future starting role. He finished Spring Training with a 2.89 ERA over 9.1 innings and still has a final Grapefruit League outing scheduled on March 23 before the regular season begins.