Former San Francisco Giants Top Pick Emerged As Hidden Gem for Pirates

The San Francisco Giants couldn't get the most out of a former top prospect who has blossomed with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Sep 8, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Joey Bart (21) looks at his helmet after allowing a run by the Colorado Rockies during the second inning at Oracle Park. / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

In the 2008 MLB draft, the San Francisco Giants selected star catcher Buster Posey out of Florida State. He had incredibly high expectations, as he was expected to become the franchise cornerstone behind the plate.

Just over a year after he was selected, Posey was making his MLB debut as a September call-up.

In 2010, he took over as the starting catcher, won the Rookie of the Year Award, and the rest is history.

He put together an incredible career that spanned 12 seasons, recording a career slash line of .302/.372/.460 in 1,371 games and 5,607 plate appearances. Posey recorded 1,500 hits on the nose with 158 home runs and 729 RBI.

A seven-time All-Star, 2012 MVP and three-time World Series champion, a spot in Cooperstown could be awaiting him down the line.

At the very least he will be receive honors from the only franchise he played with.

When Posey retired following the 2021 season, there was a major void for the Giants to fill. They had hoped that Joey Bart, the No. 2 pick in the 2018 MLB draft, would be the person to fill it.

Following an impressive career at Georgia Tech, he was next in line as the next great San Francisco catcher.

Unfortunately, things never panned out for the top prospect.

In 162 games with the Giants, Bart had a slash line of .219/.288/.335, as none of the skills that made him such a highly sought-after prospect translated to the big leagues.

Sometimes, all it takes is a change of scenery for a player to find his groove, and that is what happened here.

With Patrick Bailey emerging as an option behind the plate, Bart was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 2 in exchange for minor league relief pitcher Austin Strickland.

“The 27-year-old has seemingly benefited greatly from the change of scenery, hitting .267/.343/.495 for a 131 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 42 RBI in just 236 plate appearances in Pittsburgh. Suddenly the Pirates have a potential long-term answer behind the plate, with Bart carrying club control through 2027,” wrote Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, who highlighted the talented catcher as the Pirates’ hidden gem of the 2024 campaign.

His projected WAR for the season was 0.0, but he has been incredibly productive for the Buccos, producing a 1.4 WAR overall.

Facing issues with the development of their own top-rated catching prospects, Bart has provided Pittsburgh with a much-needed unexpected boost.

Could the pressure of replacing a legend such as Posey have been too much for Bart in San Francisco?

Whatever the reasons for his struggles with the Giants were, he looks to have found a long-term home with the Pirates.