Brandon Barriera

Amateur career

Barriera played for USA Baseball on their 12U National Team and their 15U National Team in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, helping Team USA win a Gold Medal. He committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University in 2019. As a junior in 2021, he pitched 16 innings without surrendering a run and struck out 26 batters.

That summer he played in the High School All-American Game at Coors Field. In his senior season in 2022, he started eight games, going 5-0 with a 2.27 ERA and 68 strikeouts over 37 innings before ending his season early in mid-April to avoid injury and prepare for the draft. He participated in the Draft Combine in San Diego in June.

Professional career

The Toronto Blue Jays selected Barriera in the first round with the 23rd overall pick of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft, and he signed for $3.6 million. He made his professional debut in 2023 with the Dunedin Blue Jays and also played for the Florida Complex League Blue Jays, starting seven games and going 0-2 with a 3.98 ERA and 25 strikeouts while missing time due to elbow and bicep injuries.

In 2024 he made one start for Dunedin, allowing two runs on two hits. On April 29, 2024, he underwent a hybrid Tommy John and internal brace procedure, ending his season. He opened the 2025 season on the injured list and made his season debut in June on a rehab assignment with the FCL Blue Jays.

Did You Know?

• Barriera grew up a New York Yankees fan.
• He moved from Brooklyn, New York to Coconut Creek, Florida when he was six years old.