Patrick Bailey Discusses Draft, Future With Giants
NC State catcher Patrick Bailey was taken by the San Francisco Giants with the 13th overall pick of the Major League Baseball draft on Wednedsay.
Shortly after becoming the 10th first round selection in Wolfpack baseball history, he held a Zoom conference with members of the Bay Area media.
Here is what he had to say;
On his selection by the Giants
“We had conversations before the draft and they said that they were taking the best available talent and I guess that was me at that point. I'm fortunate and really happy to be with this organization."
Had he heard from the Giants before the draft?
"We had a Zoom call, I guess about a month before the draft. It was kind of basic talk they've probably had with a lot of guys and I've had with a lot of organizations. But it worked out"
Have you heard from former NC State teammate Will Wilson, a first round pick last year who has since been traded to the Giants organization?
"He was actually the first guy I got on the phone with. He's in Durham right now, about 30 minutes away. We've been really good friends since NC State and have continued that relationship. So we were pumped when we found out we were going to be able to play together at certain levels and for a long time."
On how he views himself as a ballplayer
“I’ve always considered myself a kind of a defensive-first, a defensive-minded catcher. That’s what I’ve always prided myself in. Getting to NC State, I was able to mature a little, my body and I was able to produce a little power.
"The one thing I really want to work on is just the hittability in my swing, just trying to get the barrel in the zone and keep it through the zone as long as possible."
When you were growing up, what did you know about the Giants' current catcher Buster Posey, who is still one of the best in the game at the position?
"I forget when he got there, but he's always been one of the best catchers and a guy I would watch a lot growing up."
Did you ever play against Joey Bart, a catcher who was taken in the first round of the draft two years ago, when he was at Georgia Tech?
"We played my freshman year. We had a home series against them. That was a fun series."
How much are you looking forward to talking to Posey about his experiences as a Major League catcher?
"That's going to be what you look forward to most. The next step is talking to guys like Posey with all the experiences he's had and learning from him. Even talking to Joey Bart, learning from different guys and different ways of doing stuff and seeing if I can implement that into my game."
Do you have any idea what you'll doing the rest of this summer with training facilities and the minor leagues still not in operation?
"I have no idea. Your guess is as good as mine."
Who did you root for when you were a kid?
"Growing up I was a Texas Rangers fan. At the time, when the Giants beat us (in the 2010 World Series) I was crushed. But that's alright."
Who did you pattern yourself after as a young catcher coming up?
"I started catching when I was eight or nine and really enjoyed watching Yadier (Molina of the St. Louis Cardinals), just how he commands a staff and I feel like the game comes easily to him. He was the guy I tried to implement my game after."
On how he became a switch hitter
They guy I was taking lessons with, I don’t know if he was jokingly saying it but he said the second-fastest way to the big leagues is as a switch-hitting catcher. And I was like, ‘Well, I want to play in the big leagues one day. I want to be there quick. I might as well try hitting left-handed.’ It started from there, and the rest was history.”
If that's the second-fastest way to the big leagues, what's the fastest?
"He said a left-handed pitcher. I don't know how accurate he is, but I worked on it and ran with it."
Who was that?
"Houston Summers. He worked at the North Carolina Baseball Academy. I think he was drafted by the Diamondbacks out of high school in Greensboro and he taught me pretty much all the fundamentals of catching. I had lessons from him from 11 through high school."
What about that bat flip on the viral video that has already become the stuff of legends in the Bay Area?
"That was interesting. We were down in Charlotte at the Knights stadium, I remember we were down 4-1 with two guys on. It was a 3-1 count. It was the first time I was ever like 'if I get this, I'm gonna ... I don't know. As soon as I hit it, I don't even remember reacting. And it went. I was like 'that probably wasn't the most classy thing. But it was fun.
The @SFGiants just got a whole lotta swag in Patrick Bailey pic.twitter.com/FkoqM7hfeA
— Chase Christiansen (@TweetAtChase) June 11, 2020
"It was against UNC Charlotte. We won the game. I think we scored another run that game. That was fun."
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:
Facebook -- ACC Insider
Twitter -- @WolfpackMaven and Brett Friedlander at @BFriedACC
