Three Pirates Who Are Exceeding Expectations Thus Far

Let's take a look at three Pirates who are exceeding expectation so far this season.

Apr 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA;  Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bailey Falter (26)
Apr 23, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Bailey Falter (26) | Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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Pirates Catcher : Joey Bart

The Pirates traded for Joey Bart at the beginning of the month after finding out that Jason Delay needed surgery on his knee.

The former second-overall pick has struggled in his career with the Giants, but the Pirates believed that he could turn it around in Pittsburgh. The team gave up a college arm from their 2023 Draft Class by the name of Austin Strickland. Strickland had yet to make his professional debut within the Pirates Organization. So to see them moving a player they drafted and never got to actually see was a bit of a surprise.

Bart has been solid for the Pirates since joining the team. He hasn't played in many games with Pittsburgh, but when he has gotten in, he has done great. Through 19 at-bats, Bart has a .316 batting average with two home runs and five runs batted in. He also has an OPS of 1.119, which includes an on-base percentage of .435 and a slugging percentage of .684.

With Henry Davis struggling and Yasmani Grandal on a rehab assignment, Bart being solid is very big for the Pirates. It will be interesting to see what happens when Grandal's rehab assignment is over. Davis needs to be getting consistent at-bats at the Big League level. But the team cannot really carry three catchers with Andrew McCutchen being solely a designated hitter.

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