Forgotten Toronto Blue Jays first round pick on comeback trail in 2026
Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
It's been some time since Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Brandon Barriera stepped off the stage at the 2022 MLB Draft, confidently declaring that teams would regret passing on him.
Since then, Brandon Barriera's journey has been anything but smooth.
Arm injuries have limited him to just 13 professional appearances, causing his once-rising prospect status to fade from both rankings and public attention.
In total, Barriera has logged only 27.1 innings since being selected in the first round.
His 2023 minor league debut was cut short by elbow and biceps issues, and although he returned in 2024, another elbow injury led to a hybrid Tommy John surgery combined with an internal brace procedure.
He made his 2025 debut in early June during a rehab assignment, tossing two scoreless innings.
However, his next three outings were rough, as he allowed nine earned runs in just 1.2 innings.
He managed to rebound in his following appearance with another two scoreless frames, but that would be his final outing of the year after suffering a fractured forearm.
Barriera's raw talent sill there and showing signs of what made him such a sought after young talent
Now, this spring, Barriera is back on the mound and showing encouraging signs.
Brandon Barriera made his return to the mound in Dunedin today👀
His fastball is already reaching 98 mph, and he's beginning to regain command of the strike zone.
'22 1st rounder and Blue Jays No. 22 prospect Brandon Barriera punches out three today. @MLBPipeline #BlueJays
Meanwhile, a wave of pitching talent is emerging within the Blue Jays' farm system.
Trey Yesavage's standout postseason performance has raised expectations across the board, putting added attention on fellow top prospects
Ricky Tiedemann and Johnny King, both ranked among the organization's top five by MLB Pipeline.
Whether Barriera will rejoin that group remains to be seen. But the raw talent is still there, and if he can stay healthy and throw strikes consistently this season, he has a real chance to reestablish himself as a name to watch.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 22|161 ANSWERS Forgotten Toronto Blue Jays first round pick on comeback trail in 2026 Do you think left-handed pitching prospect Brandon Barriera will ascend quickly in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system? | ||
| Yes | 76 | 47.2 % |
| No | 29 | 18 % |
| Too early to tell | 56 | 34.8 % |
| List of polls | ||