Johnny Barbato was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the sixth round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft. Barbato, who was dealt to the New York Yankees in a trade in 2016, made his MLB debut with the Yankees that same year. His MLB debut came against the Houston Astros, where he pitched 1.1 IP and notched 3 Ks, 0 BB and 0 ER. He also pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers at the MLB level. He officially retired from baseball in 2022, but spent the 2023 season as a pitching player development coach for the Milwaukee Brewers organization.