Joey Bart's clutch ability cements him as Pirates midseason steal

A former first-round draft pick (No. 2 overall in 2018), Joey Bart was once a top prospect in the San Francisco Giants' farm system.

When he reached the major leagues, though, the tools and skill of a top-five draft pick and highly-touted prospect didn't quite translate. He played in 162 games over four years with the Giants and slashed .219/.288/.335 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI before ultimately being designated for assignment early in the 2024 season.

When the Pittsburgh Pirates acquired Bart from the Giants in April, they were hoping he would benefit from a change of scenery. And it would appear that he has.

Expected to be a depth piece at catcher behind Yasmani Grandal and Jason Delay, Bart ended up becoming so much more. He has evolved into not only one of the Pirates' most consistent contributors on offense, but also their regular starter behind the plate.

Joey Bart's clutch ability cements him as Pirates midseason steal

Bart has demonstrated the ability to deliver in key situations at the plate, such as when he collected two hits (including a home run) and drove in two runs in the Pirates' 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at PNC Park on Saturday. Bart's propensity for clutch moments manifested itself again on Thursday, as he flipped the scoreboard with another late-inning homer against the Padres (prior to David Bednar's arrival).

He's now slashing .267/.349/.514 with 10 home runs and a career-high 32 RBI in 146 at-bats through 49 games with the Pirates. He's batting over .284 with seven homers in his last 30 games and has turned up the heat even more over his last seven games, slashing .357/.400/.821 with four homers and 10 RBI during that span. Once again, he was nearly the sum total of Pittsburgh's offense during their Friday night attempt to claw back in Los Angeles, slugging a three-run homer.

Bart's defensive contributions have been just as impressive. He has a 1.39 pop time, which ranks in the top 40 among all MLB catchers, and according to Baseball Savant, he has posted a top-20 average arm strength of 81.2 MPH.

Between the consistency of his at-bats and the impact of his arm and the swiftness with which he has adapted to the team's pitching staff, Bart has earned a regular spot in the Pirates' lineup. If he continues producing at this rate, he could change the landscape of Pittsburgh's future at the catcher position.

The Pirates have former No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis in Triple-A Indianapolis and Endy Rodriguez, who is recovering from offseason elbow surgery. Grandal is a free agent after this season and Delay has proven to be a solid backup. If Bart continues to make the most of his opportunities in the present, he could cement himself as a legitimate long-term piece for the Pirates.

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