José Barrero is a Cuban shortstop born in Havana on April 5, 1998, who made his MLB debut on August 27, 2020. A right-handed hitter with stops in Cincinnati, Baltimore, and St. Louis, Barrero has built a career defined more by defensive reliability than offensive production — his career batting average sits at .170 in the big leagues.
Quick Facts
- Full name: José Barrero
- Position: Shortstop
- Team: Baltimore Orioles
- Number: 54
- Bats / Throws: Right / Right
- Height / Weight: 6’4″ / 212 lb
- Born: April 5, 1998 (age 28) — Havana, Cuba 🇨🇺
- MLB Debut: August 27, 2020
Background
A Havana native, Barrero arrived in the US minor league system as one of the more intriguing defensive prospects at shortstop in his class. Like most prospects, his path to the majors ran through years of minor league development, roster competition, and patience. When the Cincinnati Reds called him up on August 27, 2020, it marked the start of a big-league career that has kept him in the conversation — even as the bat has remained a work in progress.
Professional Career
Barrero spent the bulk of his early MLB time with the Cincinnati Reds. In 2022, he hit .152 with 2 home runs, 10 RBI, and an OPS of .401 in limited action. The 2023 season was his most productive: a .218 average, 2 HR, 17 RBI, 15 runs scored, 3 stolen bases, and an OPS of .618.
After Cincinnati, he moved on to the Baltimore Orioles and then the St. Louis Cardinals. His 2025 campaign has been a struggle — a .138 average, 1 home run, 3 RBI, 4 runs scored, and an OPS of just .470. The numbers reflect a hitter still searching for consistency at the major league level.
Defensively, Barrero has always been the more polished version of himself. His work at shortstop has been his calling card, but without the bat catching up, locking down a permanent roster spot has proven difficult regardless of the uniform he’s wearing.
Career Stats Highlights
- 2025 — St. Louis Cardinals: .138 AVG | 1 HR | 3 RBI | 4 R | .470 OPS | 0 SB
- 2023 — Cincinnati Reds: .218 AVG | 2 HR | 17 RBI | 15 R | .618 OPS | 3 SB
- 2022 — Cincinnati Reds: .152 AVG | 2 HR | 10 RBI | 13 R | .401 OPS | 4 SB
Awards & Records
Barrero has not won any major individual awards — no MVP votes, no Silver Slugger, no Gold Glove. His career has been about survival and persistence more than hardware. In a league where 30 teams are constantly cycling through roster options, just staying on a big-league roster is its own kind of achievement.
Worth Knowing
Like many Cuban players of his generation, Barrero represents a wave of post-Revolution talent that found its way to professional baseball in the United States. He carries with him the defensive tradition that Caribbean shortstops have long been known for. His continued presence in MLB rosters despite modest offensive numbers speaks to just how fierce — and unforgiving — the competition for a 26-man spot really is.
