Nationals select contract of Tres Barrera

By Pete Kerzel

Nationals

September 08, 2019, 7:08am

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The Washington Nationals selected the contract of catcher Tres Barrera from Double-A Harrisburg on Sunday. Additionally, the Nationals recalled catcher Spencer Kieboom from Double-A Harrisburg and placed him on the 60-day Injured List with right elbow inflammation. Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo made the announcements.

Barrera, 24, hit .249 with 23 doubles, eight homers, 46 RBI, 36 walks and 42 runs scored in 101 games with Double-A Harrisburg. He recorded a .323 on-base percentage and a .381 slugging percentage. Barrera threw out 29% (30-for-104) of would-be base stealers in 93 games (91 starts) behind the plate.

He was an Eastern League mid-season All-Star after hitting .321 (35-for-109) with nine doubles, two homers, 15 RBI, eight walks and 13 runs scored in the first 30 games of the season.

Barrera spent the entire 2018 season with Single-A Potomac where he threw out 25 of 51 (49%) would-be base stealers and was named a Carolina League mid-season All-Star and an Organization All-Star by MLBPipeline.com.

A sixth-round pick in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Texas, Barrera entered the 2019 season rated as the "Best Defensive Catcher" in Washington's Minor League system according to Baseball America. He is currently rated by MLBPipeline.com as Washington's No. 18 prospect.