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Pirates Demote Top-100 Prospect Amid Rough Start To 2026 Season
TL;DR
The Pittsburgh Pirates have demoted top-100 prospect Hunter Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis following a challenging start to the 2026 season. They have promoted pitcher Evan Sisk to take his place on the roster.
Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Hunter Barco
Pirates Demote Top-100 Prospect Amid Rough Start To 2026 Season originally appeared on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Add SportsNet Pittsburgh as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will give a rookie pitcher more minor league seasoning.
Pittsburgh announced a roster move ahead of Monday's game against the Washington Nationals. The Pirates optioned Hunter Barco to Triple-A Indianapolis, filling the spot by promoting fellow southpaw Evan Sisk.
Although he didn't make Pittsburgh's starting rotation, Barco earned a spot in the big league bullpen after an impressive spring. He threw three shutout innings for the Pirates last September, but 2026 hasn't started as well.
Barco allowed eight hits, seven walks and seven runs (five earned) in four relief appearances spanning seven innings before Monday's demotion. The 25-year-old served up three home runs, including a walk-off blast in Pittsburgh's Opening Day loss to the New York Mets.
He wasn't fooling any major leaguers. Barco collected just five strikeouts, and his 14.8 percent chase rate ranks in MLB's bottom 1 percent.
That said, Monday's maneuver isn't necessarily a long-term demotion. Barco threw 32 pitches over 1 2/3 innings in Sunday's loss to the Chicago Cubs, so the Pirates may have just needed a fresh arm to begin a seven-game week.
Either way, it shouldn't be the last Pirates fans see of Barco. MLB.com ranks him as the game's No. 88 prospect after he posted a 2.81 ERA in the minors last season.
Pittsburgh turns to Sisk, who recorded a 3.57 ERA in 17 2/3 innings with the Pirates and Kansas City Royals last season. The 28-year-old landed another big league opportunity after allowing one earned run with 14 strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings at Indianapolis.
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Q&A
Why did the Pittsburgh Pirates demote Hunter Barco?
Hunter Barco was demoted due to a rough start to the 2026 season, indicating he needs more minor league seasoning.
Who is replacing Hunter Barco on the Pirates roster?
Evan Sisk has been promoted to the Pirates roster to replace Hunter Barco after his demotion.
What are Hunter Barco's prospects for returning to the MLB?
Hunter Barco's return to the MLB will depend on his performance in Triple-A Indianapolis and his ability to improve during his time there.