Former Duluth Huskie Aaron Barrett in the Show!
Rochester, MN – Former Duluth Huskie Aaron Barrett made the Washington Nationals active roster out of Spring Training and debuted in relief for the Nationals on Opening Day. Barrett is the 117th former Northwoods League player to reach the Major League level.
Barrett, who played collegiately at Wabash Valley Community College and the University of Mississippi, played for the Duluth Huskies during the 2008 season, and was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the 9th round of the 2010 MLB draft.
During the 2008 season with the Huskies, Barrett was 1-4 with a 4.69 ERA in 7 games. Barrett struck out 28 batters in 40.1 innings and he also finished one game recording a save.
Barrett began his minor league career in 2010 with Vermont in the New York Penn League. His season did not go well as he went 0-5 with a 9.43 ERA. He did however have a 10.7 SO/9 innings average where he struck out 25 batters in 21 innings pitched.
In 2011 Barrett returned to the New York Penn League with the Auburn Doubledays. Pitching in relief he compiled a 1-2 record with a 4.05 ERA in 19 games. He also saved 9 games and saw his SO/9 innings average tick up to 10.8 with 32 strikeouts in 26.2 innings pitched.
During the 2012 season Barrett started in Low A with the Hagerstown Suns of the South Atlantic League before being promoted to Hi A Potomac in the Carolina League. Barrett put together his best season as a pro as he went 3-2 with a 2.60 ERA over 31 appearances. He also saved 16 games and his SO/9 inning average jumped to 12.7 as he struck out 73 batters in 51.2 innings pitched.
The 2013 season saw Barrett spend the entire year in AA with the Harrisburg Senators of the Eastern League. Over 51 appearances he went 1-1 with a 2.15 ERA while saving 26 games and only walking 15 batters. He also struck out 69 batters in 50.1 innings for a 12.3 SO/9 inning average.
In his Major League debut on Monday night Barrett entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Mets with the score tied 5-5. Barrett struck out Omar Quintanilla on five pitches to start the inning. He then got Travis d’Arnaud to fly out to right field before striking out Ruben Tejada to end the inning. The Nationals proceeded to score four runs in the top of the tenth inning and then held on in the bottom of the tenth to win the game 9-7. Barrett was then credited with the win in his first Major League appearance.
