In a surprising turn of events, the Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired 27-year-old catcher Joey Bart from the San Francisco Giants in a waiver trade, adding a new dimension to their ongoing search for the catcher of the future. The acquisition comes at a time when the Pirates’ catcher situation was already in flux, with Henry Davis in Triple-A and Endy Rodriguez recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Bart has quickly made his presence felt in Pittsburgh. In Sunday’s game against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park, Bart hit a two-run home run, marking his 12th homer of the season—a career-high for the five-year MLB veteran. This success follows another standout performance on Saturday, where Bart’s two doubles helped secure a 7-2 victory for the Pirates.
The 12 home runs have come in just 56 games, along with an impressive .277/.351/.532 slash line and 36 RBIs. These numbers surpass those of third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who has driven in 11 fewer runs despite playing 40 more games.
The Pirates initially brought Bart in as a potential short-term solution after sending minor-league pitcher Austin Strickland to the Giants on August 2. However, Bart’s impressive play has positioned him as a potential long-term fixture for the team, fulfilling the promise he showed when drafted second overall by the Giants in 2018.
Pirates manager Derek Shelton credits Bart’s resurgence to a combination of factors, including the timing, adjustments, and opportunity. “It’s time. Not everything happens on the clock that everyone wants it to be,” Shelton explained. “He has made some adjustments, and we’re seeing the fruits of those. But it also goes to opportunity, and that’s linked to time. We’re seeing the player that a lot of people expected him to be when he came out of Georgia Tech.”
Bart’s emergence has introduced a new wrinkle in the Pirates’ plans for the future. With Rodriguez expected to be healthy by spring training and Davis tearing up Triple-A with a .313/.408/.573 slash line and 12 homers in 51 games, the Pirates have some difficult decisions ahead. Rodriguez’s versatility, having played multiple positions in the minors, could see him transition to first base, while Davis might find a role as a designated hitter—provided Andrew McCutchen doesn’t return for another season.
As the Pirates look ahead, Bart’s unexpected success has added another intriguing layer to their catcher of the future debate, potentially reshaping the team’s plans moving forward.
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