Clint Barmes: From Indiana State Star To MLB Success
Discover Clint Barmes’ journey from a standout season at Indiana State University to a professional baseball career filled with achievements and recognition.
Aug 16, 202555.1K Shares735.1K Views
Clint Harold Barmes was born on March 6, 1979, in Vincennes, Indiana, and is the older of two sons of Barry and Erma Barmes. He was named after his mother’s favorite actor, Clint Eastwood. The family lived on a farm in Beal, Indiana, until Clint was in third grade, when they moved into town.
He spent many hours playing baseball and basketball with his father, who also coached his teams through high school. He began playing organized baseball at age seven in a machine-pitch league, and from age nine to twelve, he played in the Bambino League, earning all-star honors each year and even traveling to the Bambino World Series in Pueblo, Colorado. In high school, he continued with baseball, playing shortstop, center field, and pitching, and also starred in basketball, becoming a varsity starter as a sophomore and taking his team to the state tournament in his junior and senior years.
After high school, Barmes attended Olney Central College on both baseball and basketball scholarships before transferring to Indiana State University, where he focused on baseball and posted a .375 average, including a 30-game hitting streak that helped him get selected in the MLB draft.
Collegiate Career
Clint Barmes played college baseball at Indiana State University after transferring from Olney Central College. In his single season with the Sycamores in 2000, he delivered a strong performance, batting .375 with 93 hits, including 18 doubles, seven triples, and 10 home runs. He also scored 63 runs, drove in 37, and stole 20 bases while playing under coach Bob Warn. His standout season earned him honors such as All-Region and All-Conference recognition from the ABCA, as well as Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year. That year, the Sycamores reached the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.
Professional Career
Clint Harold Barmes is a former American professional baseball player who spent thirteen years in Major League Baseball as a shortstop and second baseman. He was born on March 6, 1979, in Vincennes, Indiana. Before reaching the major leagues, Barmes played college baseball first at Olney Central College and then at Indiana State University. At Indiana State, he became one of the school’s standout players, hitting .375 and setting single-season records in assists, at-bats, total bases, and he put together a thirty-game hitting streak. His strong play earned him several awards, including Newcomer of the Year and First Team All-Conference honors.
Barmes was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2000 MLB Draft. After a few seasons in the minor leagues, he made his major league debut with the Rockies in September 2003. His best early moment came on Opening Day in 2005, when he hit a walk-off home run. That April, he batted .410 and won the National League Rookie of the Month award. His season was interrupted, however, by an unusual injury in June 2005 when he broke his collarbone while carrying deer meat, which affected his swing and slowed his momentum. Despite this setback, Barmes remained a steady contributor for Colorado. His best offensive season with the Rockies came in 2009, when he hit 23 home runs and drove in 76 runs.
In November 2010, Barmes was traded to the Houston Astros, where he played for one year as their starting shortstop. After that, he signed a two-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 2012 season. In Pittsburgh, he provided veteran leadership and steady defense, and in 2012 he hit his first career grand slam. He played an important role in the Pirates’ 2013 playoff run, where he batted .286 in the National League Division Series. Although his offensive numbers declined, he was valued for his defense and mentoring younger players. After his initial contract ended, the Pirates re-signed him to serve as a backup and clubhouse leader.
In 2015, Barmes joined the San Diego Padres on a one-year deal. When he returned to Pittsburgh as a visiting player that year, he was greeted with a standing ovation from Pirates fans, showing the respect he had earned during his time there. The following year, in February 2016, he signed a minor league deal with the Kansas City Royals. He did not return to the major league roster, and on May 23, 2016, he officially announced his retirement from professional baseball.
Over the course of his career, Barmes appeared in more than one thousand major league games. He finished with a .245 batting average, 89 home runs, and 415 runs batted in. Beyond his statistics, he was known for his work ethic, strong defense, and leadership in the clubhouse. He made two postseason appearances, in 2009 with Colorado and in 2013 with Pittsburgh. Barmes’s career was remembered not only for his early promise and unusual injury story but also for the respect he earned as a reliable teammate and professional.
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