Marty Barrett was a second baseman who played for the Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres during his career in Major League Baseball. He was born on June 23, 1958, in Arcadia, California, and attended Arizona State University, where he played college baseball.
Barrett was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the 1979 MLB draft and made his debut with the team in 1982. He quickly established himself as a reliable second baseman and a consistent hitter, batting over .300 in four of his first five seasons with the Red Sox.
Barrett was known for his ability to make contact and put the ball in play, striking out only 29 times in 1986, a season in which he batted .307 and helped lead the Red Sox to the World Series. In the postseason, Barrett was even more impressive, batting .433 in the American League Championship Series and .367 in the World Series, although the Red Sox ultimately lost to the New York Mets in seven games.
Barrett continued to play well for the Red Sox over the next few seasons, earning his first and only All-Star selection in 1987 and helping the team win the American League East division in 1988. However, his production began to decline in the early 1990s, and he was traded to the San Diego Padres in 1991.
Barrett played only one season with the Padres before retiring from baseball at the age of 33. He finished his career with a .278 batting average, 798 hits, and 364 runs batted in over 1,064 games.
After retiring from baseball, Barrett worked as a coach and instructor, including a stint as the hitting coach for the Milwaukee Brewers from 2006 to 2008. He also founded the Marty Barrett Baseball School in Arizona, which provides instruction to young players.
Overall, Marty Barrett was a solid second baseman and a valuable contributor to the Boston Red Sox during his career. While he may not be remembered as one of the all-time greats, he was a consistent performer who helped his team win games and reach the postseason.
⚾