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Barber (shoulder) is one of 45 Astros minor leaguers currently participating in development camp at the organization's spring training facility in Florida after he made a full recovery from the right labrum surgery he required last summer, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports.
The shoulder injury coupled with the cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season due to the COVID-19 pandemic has limited Barber to just 16 games over the past two seasons, so he'll be facing a critical year in 2022 with regard to his long-term outlook within the organization. Barber seemingly endured no complications in his 6-to-8-month rehab program from labral surgery, so he doesn't look as though he'll face any limitations this spring and once the season gets underway. When the Astros selected him in the fourth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft, Barber was viewed as a power-hitting lefty who could stick in center field, but the lack of at-bats the past two seasons has prevented the organization from getting a sense of whether he'll be able to meet those expectations. Look for the 21-year-old to begin the upcoming campaign at High-A Asheville, where he's expected to see action at all three outfield spots.
