[2][3] Barclay began his professional baseball career in 1896 with the Chambersburg Maroons in the independent Cumberland Valley League.
Both men hit over .300 that year, as did their manager and outfield mate Patsy Donovan, but the Cardinals still fell from fourth to sixth.
His performance continued to decline, and he was batting just .200 when he was sold to the Boston Beaneaters on September 11, 1904, having been replaced by rookie Hugh Hill.
He started the 1905 season back in left field, but after batting just .176 in 29 games he was replaced by Jim Delahanty and eventually released on May 22, 1905.
Barclay returned to Rochester to finish the 1905 season, but he never regained his previous level of performance, as he batted .245 that year, then just .190 in 1906.
After one more season with the class-B Lynn Shoemakers of the New England League, batting .207 in 43 games, Barclay left professional baseball.