I’m still a big believer in Addison Barger’s talent. He’s young, he’s athletic, he has defensive versatility, and there’s legitimate pop in the bat. When he gets a pitch he can drive, the upside is pretty obvious.
That being said, I don’t think it’s irrational to be a little cautious with expectations. Barger still has some swing-and-miss in his game, and his approach can get aggressive at times. As the league gets more of a book on him, pitchers are going to test those weaknesses more consistently. That’s usually when you find out how quickly a young hitter can adjust back.
So if he does go through a sophomore slump, I don’t think it should be viewed as some shocking development or proof that he can’t be part of the core. It would simply be part of the learning curve. Young hitters rarely develop in a straight line, especially ones with power-oriented profiles.
There’s a lot to like with Barger, but he’s still not a finished product. You can be excited about the upside while also acknowledging that some regression or growing pains would be perfectly reasonable.