B.J. Barns, a sixth round selection in the 1999 MLB draft, spent four seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates minor league system. The Harrisburg, PA native was traded to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on June 16, 2003 and was assigned to the Orlando Rays (AA). Barns was released by the Devil Rays on March 26, 2004.
Barns returned to the Altoona Curve for the start of the 2003 season after helping the Lynchburg Hillcats to the Carolina League championship the prior season. After a slow 5-for-31 start (.161), he was designated for Williamsport's (PA) roster on May 3, 2003; Williamsport is a split-season program that begins play in mid-June. Prior to that season, he returned to Altoona on June 8th. He raised his average to .184 before the trade. Barns, played 52 games with Altoona between 2001 and 2003 batting .211 (31-for-147) with 6 HR and 17 RBI. He completed the 2003 season with a .244 average in 54 games with the Orlando Rays.
Barns was rated the "Best Defensive Outfielder" in the Pirates' organization by Baseball America entering the 2002 campaign. He hit .268 that season with 12 home runs and 69 RBI, all career highs and was the Carolina League Player of the Month in May after batting .310 (35-for-113) with four 4 HRs and 24 RBI during the month.
Barns holds six single-season hitting records and five career records at Duquesne. In 1999, he was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year after leading the conference and finishing third in the country in batting with a .456 average.
His three-year career batting average of .412 is a Duquesne record as are his 153 runs scored, 47 doubles, 49 home runs and 161 RBI. But Barns' contributions didn't stop on the offensive end. He also pitched for the Dukes and holds the Dukes career save record (10). Barns was named a Second Team NCBWA All-American as a junior in 1999.
