Los Angeles, CA, USA; Brandon Barriera reacts after he was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays as the 23rd player in the MLB draft at XBox Plaza at LA Live. Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Toronto Blue Jays Top Pitching Prospect Brandon Barriera Starting Rehab Assignment

Originally posted on Minor League Baseball on SI
By Sam Connon | Last updated Jun 6, 2025 12:13 PM ET

Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Brandon Barriera is set to begin a rehab assignment in the Florida Complex League, The Athletic's Mitch Bannon reported Friday morning.

Barriera last pitched in April 2024, as he wound up undergoing Tommy John surgery later that month. Prior to his elbow injury, Barriera had made eight starts as a professional, going 0-2 with a 4.57 ERA, 1.015 WHIP and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

The Blue Jays selected Barriera with the No. 23 overall pick of the 2022 MLB Draft.

Some good news for #BlueJays Tommy John rehabbers:

- 2022 1st Rnd pick Brandon Barriera is joining the FCL on a rehab assignment (hasn't pitched since April 2024)
- Alek Manoah is expected to face live hitters for the first time on Tuesday
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) June 6, 2025

Barriera, 21, is currently ranked as the No. 13 prospect in Toronto's farm system, which is ninth-highest among pitchers and fourth-highest among left-handers. He was ranked No. 4 – No. 2 among pitchers – before hurting his elbow.

Between Barriera and Ricky Tiedemann, the Blue Jays dealt with tough injury luck to their top pitching prospects last year, and that isn't even mentioning former All-Star Alek Manoah. Manoah is set to face live hitters for the first time Tuesday, per Bannon, while Tiedemann is lagging behind Barriera but still expects to take the mound at some level in 2025.

This article first appeared on Minor League Baseball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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