STATEN ISLAND, NY – The Staten Island FerryHawks have announced the signing of Johnny Barbato to be their pitching coach for the upcoming 2024 season.
Johnny Barbato, was selected by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round of the 2010 Major League Draft, was traded to the New York Yankees and made his major league debut in 2016. Barbato was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 where he made 24 relief appearances. He pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 2018 and with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball League in Japan in 2019 – Japan’s highest level of professional baseball.
Barbato played in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league organization and in the American Association in 2021 before officially retiring as a professional baseball player on July 24, 2022. Barbato spent 2023 as a pitching player development coach with the Milwaukee Brewers organization.
“I’m very excited to have this opportunity to come back to New York and become a member of the Staten Island community. I’m looking forward to working with this talented FerryHawks pitching staff and to bring winning baseball to Staten Island in 2024,” said Barbato.
“Johnny has played baseball at every level and all around the world including with the Yankees. He brings experience, relationships, and major league knowledge to our organization. Johnny also appreciates fan and community engagement which is so important to the FerryHawks organization,” added FerryHawks President and Co-Owner
Eric Shuffler.
“Johnny’s experience on the mound and in the clubhouse at the highest levels of professional baseball will be a huge asset to our pitching staff. His experience in the majors, in Japan, in the Atlantic League and last year as a coach in the Brewers organization — will help prepare, plan, and create specific pitching gameplans for our pitchers,” said Minicozzi.