Following a career of larger-than-life accomplishments, it’s only fitting thatย Aaronย Barrett would be presented with a life-size bobblehead when he was inducted into the Harrisburg Senators Hall of Fame on July 20 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Barrettโs HOF plaque pays tribute to the closing pitcherโs 2013 and 2019 seasons, as well as his team-leading 57 saves.
โโThe Bearโ made a valiant comeback to return to the major leagues after a four-year rehabilitation that garnered national attention,โ Barrett’s HOF plaque says. โThe story of his resilience and dedication continues to inspire fans and players alike.โ
โI was pretty excited, and it all kind of hit me at once,โ says Barrett, 36. โSeeing the reaction of my kids, my wife, and parents, it really hit me pretty hard. Just a very surreal moment, thinking about all of the other members that have one of the bobbleheads and now being one of them, it was very humbling and felt full of gratitude. For me, any accolade is so much bigger than myself, and that’s why those moments are even more special for me.โย
Jamey Carroll, a Castle High School graduate who was an infielder for six MLB organizations from 2002 to 2013, received a similar honor from the Senators, the Nationals’ Double A minor league affiliate. They are among just 11 players to receive this award.ย
Barrett serves as the rehab pitching coordinator for the Philadelphia Phillies at their spring training and minor league complex in Clearwater, Florida. He retired from professional baseball as a player on July 4, 2022.
โIt’s hard to sum up a couple pieces of advice because in this game, no different than in life, there’s so much you can always learn,โ the 2006 Central High School graduate says. โIf I had to narrow it down, I tell every guy to never lose sight of who they are. As long as you have a jersey on your back, you have a chance. I believe in a 1 percent better mindset every single day, and we try to instill that approach into every aspect. The biggest one for me is I’m a firm believer in the development of young men. They are all young men first; they just happen to be really good baseball players also. So, my goal is to help maximize that player in all facets to give him the best possible shot in this game but also in life.โ
Barrett compiled a 6-3 record and a 4.01 earned run average in 95 appearances with the Nationals, beginning in 2014. He incurred a torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) andย underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2015. But he suffered a broken humerus โ the bone between his right elbow joint and shoulder โ in July 2016, putting his career in jeopardy and damaging his psyche. Witnesses told the Washington Post that the injury sounded like a gunshot went off. His arm had basically snapped in half.
Undaunted, he underwent an agonizing rehab process, returning to become a member of the Nationalsโ 2019 World Series championship team. Barrett, the only pitcher in MLB history to make it back to the majors after such a gruesome arm injury, isย the subject of the yet-to-be released documentary โStrong Arm.โ
When asked what he would like his legacy to be, Barrett says it is not something he thinks about.
“But if I had to answer, I would say this, and it’s going to sound cliche: The legacy that I want to leave behind is that if you have a vision, a dream, a goal and you want something bad enough, there is literally nothing in this life you cannot do. Philippians 4:13 โ โI can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.โ I am living proof of that, but you have to want it badly enough and be willing to do absolutely whatever it takes to go get it.”
Barrett, 36, and his wife, Kendyl, have three children: Kollyns, 6, Paxtyn, 3, and Camdyn, 8 months. He is unsure how long he plans to coach.
โI look at this no different than when I was a player, and I think the game will answer that for me,โ Barrett says. โThis game has given me so much, and it’s helped mold me into who I amย today. So, through all of those experiences, I want to pay it forward for as long as I can, and just like as a player, I can guarantee the game will let me know when it’s time to move on to the next chapter.โ
