He made his major league debut with the Diamondbacks on April 3, 2007, against the Colorado Rockies, grounding out as a pinch hitter.

That was his only hit in 6 at-bats for the Diamondbacks in the 8 games he played for them in 2007, with the rest of his time being spent with the AAA Tucson Sidewinders.

[4][5] Barden was batting .295 with nine home runs and 35 RBI for the Cardinals' Triple-A Pacific Coast League affiliate, the Memphis Redbirds, when his season was ended as the result of being named to the 2008 USA Olympic Baseball Team.

For the 2011 season, he signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and played for the AAA Round Rock Express before opting out on July 1.

He signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 5, 2013, and was assigned to the AAA Albuquerque Isotopes.