Hunter Barco: Everything you need to know

The Pirates optioned Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis on Monday, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Barco cracked the Opening Day roster as a long reliever, but he was used sparingly and didn't pitch well on those occasions, allowing seven runs (five earned) with a 5:7 K:BB over seven innings of work. The southpaw will likely join the rotation at Indianapolis, where he can get stretched back out and wait for another opportunity in the majors.

The Pirates informed Barco on Monday that he'll be included on the Opening Day roster, Colin Beazley of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Barco has been trending up, making his big-league debut at the end of last season and following that up with a strong spring training. The 25-year-old lefty had a 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 12:6 K:BB in 9.1 innings in Grapefruit League play. Carmen Mlodzinski won the fifth starter spot, but Barco and Jose Urquidy also made the club in long-relief roles. The Pirates could look to have Barco piggyback another starter during the first turn through the five-man rotation.

Barco added a changeup, sweeper and sinker to his pitch mix this offseason, Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. Barco featured a fastball, spltter and slider during his brief big-league debut at the end of 2025, but believed he needed to add to his arsenal to stick in the rotation. He threw six changeups among his 57 pitches in Saturday's Grapefruit League outing against the Tigers, during which he surrendered three earned runs across three innings while striking out three and walking one. Despite the bumpy outing, Barco showed improved control, registering his first appearance of the spring without giving up multiple free passes.