Blue Jays prospect Barriera has Tommy John surgery

Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Brandon Barriera has had hybrid Tommy John surgery.

The ligament replacement and internal-brace procedure on his left elbow will likely take 12 to 18 months to heal. Nate Heisler, Barriera’s agent, announced the operation on Monday morning and Blue Jays manager John Schneider confirmed it later that day.

“It’s unfortunate, obviously, for anyone especially a first-round pick,” said Schneider. “It sucks for his development and losing a year and slows us down, too.”

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Barriera was Toronto’s first-round draft pick in 2022, going 23rd overall.

Schneider noted that the left-handed Barriera’s surgery seems to be the latest victim in an “epidemic” of injuries to pitchers this season. The former minor league catcher said he believes workload is the culprit for the wave of injuries to pitchers.

“… Pitch design, throwing in the off-season, how hard guys throw, the pitch clock, I think it’s all kind of an inevitable equation to where stuff like this happens,” said Schneider.

The 20-year-old has a 13.50 earned-run average after lasting 1 1/3 innings in his only start this season for the Class-A Dunedin Blue Jays of the Florida State League.

Barriera has a 4.57 ERA over eight starts with 26 strikeouts over 21 2/3 innings pitched over two seasons in Toronto’s minor-league system.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2024.