Brandon Barnes

Acquired last winter as a throw-in to the deal that sent Dexter Fowler to the Astros, Barnes quickly established himself as an indispensable reserve for the Rockies. He supplied an .838 OPS in April and remained manager Walt Weiss’ go-to bench bat throughout the season, finishing with an astounding .338/.378/.610 line over 85 plate appearances as a reserve, delivering three of his eight homers and all four of his triples in that capacity. However, injuries to Carlos Gonzalez and Michael Cuddyer ultimately forced Barnes into more extensive action than was probably desired, and his offensive flaws were exposed as his sample size increased. While Barnes never stopped hitting at his home park, he was dreadful in the less favorable road environs, posting a dismal .222/.255/.316 line over 171 plate appearances away from Coors Field. With better health from their starting outfielders this season, the Rockies will deploy Barnes more frequently in the roles he thrived in last season -- as a late-inning pinch-hitter and defensive replacement.

Barnes got his first extended look in the majors last year when Justin Maxwell went down with an injury and was subsequently traded. Known more for his prowess on defense, where he can play all three outfield positions, Barnes underwhelmed as a hitter with a .240/.289/.346 line over 445 plate appearances, striking out 28.5 percent of the time. He does offer slight power (eight home runs) and modest speed (11 steals), but he was also caught 11 times on the basepaths and his plate discipline (0.17 BB/K) was well below his minor league average (0.31). Barnes will likely be given the chance to compete for a reserve spot in the Colorado outfield in 2014, after being acquired by the Rockies as part of the Dexter Fowler deal in December.

It looked like the eight-year minor league veteran was finally putting it all together in the minors, where he hit a combined .316/.374/.506 and earned his first callup at age 26. That success did not exactly translate when he got to Houston. Barnes played all three outfield positions at one time or another, but with a .515 OPS, even a perfect fielding percentage (which Barnes had) does not guarantee him playing time. Barnes' growth in the minors last season should guarantee him a long look during spring training, but more likely than not, the Astros will spend the next year trying to replace him with someone younger.