When you see Addison Barger digging into the box at the Rogers Centre, usually sporting those massive forearms and a leg kick that looks like a tribute to Ichiro, it’s easy to think he was always this physically imposing power threat. He wasn’t. Honestly, the story of Addison Barger high school years is a lot more "scrappy underdog" than "can't-miss superstar."
Most MLB fans probably assume he was a first-round lock out of some high-profile Florida prep factory. Not exactly. While he played in the baseball-rich soil of Tampa, he wasn't always the guy at the top of the draft boards.
The C. Leon King High School Grind
Barger played his ball at C. Leon King High School in Tampa, Florida. It's a school with a serious baseball pedigree—think guys like Hall of Famer Wade Boggs—but Barger’s path there was about refinement rather than raw, overwhelming dominance from day one. During his junior and senior years, he really started to turn heads, but he wasn't just a one-trick pony.
Back then, he was a 6-foot, 175-pound middle infielder. It’s kinda wild to think about that now, considering he’s built like a tank at 210 pounds in 2026.
At King High, he was known for having a "rocket for an arm." That plus-arm strength is what kept him at shortstop for so long, even when scouts weren't sure if he’d eventually have to move to the hot corner or the outfield. He even served as an emergency catcher and a backup pitcher. Basically, if there was a spot on the dirt, he was on it.
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Breaking Down the High School Stats
If you look at his senior year in 2018, the numbers tell a story of a kid who was suddenly "clicking." He hit .354 with a 1.064 OPS. That’s solid, but in the world of Florida high school baseball, those aren't necessarily "automatic pro" numbers.
What really stood out to the Toronto Blue Jays scouts wasn't just the batting average; it was the bat speed.
- Games Played: 25 (Senior Year)
- Batting Average: .354
- On-Base Percentage: .469
- Slugging: .594
- Draft Status: 6th Round, 176th Overall (2018)
He was originally a switch-hitter. Think about that for a second. He actually gave up hitting right-handed when he was about 16 because he wanted to focus entirely on his left-handed stroke. He was obsessed with Ichiro Suzuki. If you watch his high school highlights, you can see that influence—the movement, the timing, the high-energy approach. It wasn't always pretty, but it was effective.
The Florida State Commitment That Never Was
A lot of people forget that Barger was actually a Florida State commit. For a kid from Tampa, going to FSU is a huge deal. Usually, a 6th-round pick doesn't sign for $271,100 when they have a scholarship to a powerhouse like that waiting for them.
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But Barger was different. He reportedly told people that the Blue Jays were the only team he would have skipped college for. He wanted to go pro. He wanted the daily grind.
There’s a misconception that he was a "late bloomer" because he didn't debut in the majors until 2024. In reality, he was a "late riser" in the draft. In the months leading up to the 2018 draft, he jumped nearly 100 spots on some prospect lists. He was the guy scouts were whispering about at the back of the bleachers in Tampa, hoping other teams wouldn't notice the sudden jump in his exit velocity.
Why the High School Profile Matters Now
You can see the DNA of Addison Barger high school career in his current MLB game. That "max-effort" swing? That started at King High. The defensive versatility? He was doing that before he ever put on a Dunedin or Buffalo jersey.
In high school, he was a line-drive hitter who occasionally ran into a home run. The massive 20+ homer power he showed in 2025 and 2026? That was built in the weight room after he left Tampa, but the foundational mechanics—the violent bat speed—were born on those Florida fields.
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Actionable Insights for Scouting and Fans
If you're tracking players with a similar profile to Barger, here’s what to look for in high school prospects:
- Look for "Twitch": Scouts at King High noted Barger’s "quick-twitch" athleticism. It’s the ability to react instantly, which translates well to the higher levels even if the player is undersized.
- Arm Strength is Non-Negotiable: If a kid can throw 90+ from the hole at shortstop in high school, he has a professional floor.
- The "Ichiro" Factor: Players who obsessively model their game after a specific legend often develop unique timing mechanisms. While it looks "unorthodox" (like Barger's leg kick), it creates a repeatable rhythm.
The journey from a 175-pound kid at C. Leon King High School to a World Series contributor in 2025 is a testament to the fact that draft rounds don't define a ceiling. He was a 6th-rounder who played like a 1st-rounder because he never stopped tinkering with that swing he started in Tampa.
To get a better sense of how his game has evolved since his prep days, you should compare his high school spray charts to his 2025 MLB "Pull-Side" dominance; it shows exactly how he traded contact for the elite power that defines his career today.