Joey Bart has not lived up to the hype after the San Francisco Giants selected him with the second overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft. While it’s always tough to give up on big prospects, the Giants did just that when they designated Bart for assignment on March 31. Just a few days later, his tenure in San Francisco is officially over, as the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Bart on Tuesday night in exchange for minor league pitcher Austin Strickland.
We have acquired C Joey Bart from the Giants in exchange for minor league RHP Austin Strickland. pic.twitter.com/fk1Bqn2SwR
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) April 3, 2024
Pittsburgh Pirates Trade For Former Second Overall Pick
The Giants drafted Bart as a bat-first catcher out of a college in Georgia. However, the 27-year-old failed to adapt to major league pitching, evident by a robust 35.4 percent strikeout rate. It didn’t help that another former first-round pick, Patrick Bailey, established himself as one of the better rookies in the league last season.
The writing on the wall quickly became clear regarding Bart’s future in San Francisco. The fact that Bart made the Giants Opening Day roster represented a slight surprise due to his lack of clear role. With Bailey and offseason acquisition Tom Murphy at catcher, plus big free agent acquisition Jorge Soler at DH, many expected the Giants to move on from Bart at some point in the spring.
Giants designate Joey Bart, once Buster Posey’s heir, for assignment; Patrick Bailey says whoever get him is getting a good one. “You look back there and see somebody stable and rock solid. I think he's shown nothing but maturity through it all." https://t.co/A1cL512dri
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) March 31, 2024
Tuesday’s trade indicates Bart’s value around the league. A trade, rather than a straight waiver claim, shows that Bart received significant interest from teams around the league. That’s no surprise, as many clubs would want a crack at unlocking Bart’s big potential, especially at a cheap acquisition cost.
For now, the Pirates will be the first team to try rejuvenating Bart’s career.
Bart’s Fit on the Pirates Roster
In his career, Bart has mainly played catcher and DH. However, the Pirates currently have former first overall pick Henry Davis at catcher and franchise icon Andrew McCutchen at DH. Bart does not have any minor league options remaining, meaning the Pirates must keep him on the active roster to avoid exposing him to the rest of the league.
With Bart not regarded as a good defender behind the dish, Pittsburgh might explore Bart at first base. The squad currently is splitting first base reps between free agent signee and lefty slugger Rowdy Tellez and righty Connor Joe.
It’s possible that the Pirates use Joe’s defensive flexibility and play him in the outfield more, then use Bart as the right-hand platoon option at first. Additionally, Davis played a fair amount in right field last season and could potentially see more time there, thus opening some catching duties for Bart.
But no matter where he plays, the Pirates acquired Bart for his bat. For him to have a major league career, he will need to make necessary adjustments and improve offensively. At that point, teams will gladly figure out his defensive position later.
Main Photo Credits: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
