Rockies Year in Review: Brandon Barnes

Today, we are featuring Rockies outfielder Brandon Barnes.

Here at Rox Pile, we are starting a player review for each and every player that suited up in a Colorado Rockies uniform this season. This series will be going all the way up until Dec. 16 with player profiles posted every day.

Brandon Barnes aka “Superman” is a reserve outfielder who brings a lot of versatility to the Rockies club house, both on and off the field. After being called up from Triple-A in May to replace a severely struggling Drew Stubbs, Barnes went on to play in 106 games in 2015. In 255 at-bats, Barnes hit .251, with 13 doubles, 2 triples, 2 home runs and 30 runs scored. Much of Barnes’ production came before the All-Break break where he hit .278 in 144 at-bats. In the same vein, Barnes did most of his work at Coors field as well; he hit .288 at home, compared to just .211 on the road. Obviously not a ton of production and the splits are concerning.

While the stats don’t suggest anything more than a reserve player, Barnes does bring a lot to the table that a box score can’t tell you. After all, you don’t get the nickname “Superman” for hitting .250. Barnes plays the game as hard as anyone possibly can. The phrase “he would run through a brick wall” is very appropriate when talking about Barnes’ playing style. As evidence, Barnes made one of the best plays for the Rockies in 2015 when he started a double play by laying out for a ball and knocking the wind out of himself in the process.

That being said, Barnes is an above-average defender who can make a lot of exciting plays. Barnes plays the game smart, and is a great personality to have in the club house. I would very much put Brandon Barnes in the same category as Jonny Gomes, a guy that unites and lightens a club house, but doesn’t provide a ton of production.

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Heading into the 2016 campaign, the situation in the outfield is pretty solidified, barring any off-season moves. It goes Corey Dickerson in left, Charlie Blackmon in center, and Carlos Gonzalez in right. Barnes looks to once again compete for a reserve outfielder spot in 2016. Seeing that Kyle Parker didn’t impress much at the plate, and Ben Paulsen is sitting pretty to start at first, I expect Barnes to be on the opening day roster.

Overall Grade: C