From his earliest of days, Robert Barrett has always had a love sports. Growing up in Bridgeport, where youth and sports often go hand in hand, it certainly wasn’t unusual.

 

For Barrett it was different. His love of sports manifested itself in one primary area. The area in question was baseball, and for good reason.

 

Barrett’s love of the game was born of family. His father, Carlos, was a Division I player at Tulane. His older brother Carlos, was a Division I player at TCU.

 

“I’ve always believed my love of baseball is more than just enjoying the game. I truly believe it’s in my blood,” the 1989 Bridgeport High School graduate said. “If I try to get away from it, I can’t. It’s where I want to be.”

 

Decades removed from playing baseball at BHS, Barrett is still involved with the game. He’s done private hitting instruction since 2000. Barrett was also the head coach at East Fairmont from 2010 to 2013 and served one year as an assistant at Fairmont Senior in 2014 before stepping down.

 

Since that brief stint with the Polar Bears, Barrett has amped things up on the baseball front beyond his hitting instruction that has seen him work with Marshall University, the University of Kentucky, Union College, Morehead State, Youngstown State and West Virginia University among others. In fact, along with his full time job as a representative for the Social Security administration’s Fairmont office, Barrett is an associate scout for the Chicago Cubs and most recently took a positon on the Fairmont State University baseball team’s coaching staff.

 

Barrett is currently serving as the hitting coach at Fairmont State University. His start there was enabled through his work with the Cubs.

 

“I was actually scouting a player at Fairmont State and was talking to the coach (Phil Caruso),” said Barrett. “One thing led to another and that opportunity came about and I jumped on it.

 

“It’s been wonderful. I’m around good baseball people I enjoy teaching the game and being out on the field,” he continued. “I can’t say I don’t want to do it anymore, because I’ve tried that and I know that it doesn’t work.”

 

So know he goes to work for the Falcons and he’s determined to do one thing. And that’s turn the Mountain East Conference school into a winning program. What’s better, he thinks he can do it with players from West Virginia and the region.

 

“My goal is to be part of a staff that makes this an elite program and, in my mind, there’s no reason that can’t be done,” said Barrett. “I’m going to be focusing on recruiting local players because there’s always been talent here.

 

“You go to my time and think about having a team with Billy Reep, Ricky Paugh, James Post, Robbie Stealey, Roger McIntrye, Marty Davis, Tony Lehosit and so many others and that team would have been unbelievable,” said Barrett. “My vision is to get that local talent to come here because it’s something that can be accomplished.”

 

As mentioned, his latest opportunity got started when Barrett wound up getting the scout position with the World Champion Chicago Cubs. And it’s a position you don’t apply for.

 

Barrett was guest instructing hitting at West Virginia University at the time of Coach Randy Mazey’s arrival to the program. During that period, he got to know one of the assistant coaches, Daniel Carte, pretty well.

 

“We got to be extremely good friends, talked about baseball and talked about hitting and I enjoyed it because he has a tremendously strong background,” said Barrett.

 

Carte, as it turns out, was hired by the Cubs to serve as an area scout for the Ohio Valley, which encompasses six states. That led Carte to hire Barrett as an associate scout.

 

“It was just by good fortune that he wanted to know if I would be his associate,” said Barrett. “That’s how it came about.”

 

Barrett now checks in on players in West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and Northeastern Ohio. If Carte sends him an email or a text requesting information on a player in that area, Barrett hits the road, scouts the player and writes a report to Carte.

 

“These are usually kids that are at the top of their class when it comes to baseball,” said Barrett, who lives nearby in Marion County. “You have to envision how they would actually do at that time if they were playing at Wrigley Field, which is the destination you want the kid to get to”

 

During his time in Bridgeport, Barrett always wondered about the next destination while taking care of business at his current one. Whether it was Little League, high school or even college, Barrett was ready to give it his all. And he said Bridgeport prepared him for that on so many levels.

 

“Growing up in Bridgeport was amazing. It was community based in everything, including sports. You had support at Simpson, at Bridgeport Junior High and Bridgeport High School both in the classroom and as a student athlete,” said Barrett. “It was a great experience and I think being involved with so many awesome teachers that it put you in a position to succeed academically and athletically.

 

“I just knew I wanted to play,” he continued. “I played football and basketball, but baseball was my passion. It was a family thing.”

 

The passion paid off in spades. Barrett was a three-time all-state selection at Bridgeport High School. He was also a two-time Big 10 Conference Player of the Year, the Harrison County Player of the Year and a finalist for Player of the Year in West Virginia.

 

Barrett’s accomplishments earned him a shot at Division I baseball. He ended up signing with Marshall University and played for Coach Howard McCann and Craig Antush. He would end up finishing his collegiate studies in Morgantown where he graduated from West Virginia University with a degree in English Literature that included a minor in public relations.

 

During his educational and professional journey, Barrett also has become a husband and father. He and his wife Lori are parents to daughters Olivia and Aubrey.

 

“I can’t complain because everything has been wonderful and I still have baseball as a big part of my life,” Barrett said. “I know where I want this new position to take the team and I’m willing to do everything I can to get there. When you have baseball in your blood you don’t really have a choice.”

 

Editor's Note: Barrett shown at top during his all-state days at Bridgeport High School, while he's shown - second from right - with the Fairmont State Coaching staff in the second photo. Third photo shows Barrett, right, with a trainer during his Marshall playing day. He's shown with his daughters at PNC Park in the next photo, while his Cubs business card and his official FSU head shot are shown below.