SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 21: Joey Bart #67 of the San Francisco Giants poses during the Giants Photo Day on February 21, 2019 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
Joey Bart will make his San Francisco Giants debut soon.
The San Francisco Giants are mired in last place in the NL West, and they need a major spark to wake their lineup up if they want to continue challenging for a spot in the expanded postseason.
That shot in the arm may come in the form of Joey Bart, currently the crown jewel of their minor league system. Despite the fact he only has a handful of games of experience above Class-A baseball, the Giants think their prized pupil is ready for primetime.
Bart will join Gabe Kapler and the Giants from the alternate training site after earning promotion for the first time. With Buster Posey sitting the 2020 season out, San Francisco fans will get to see a glimpse of their post-Posey future headlined by the power-hitting catcher.
Joey Bart’s power and defense could make him a star
After winning the ACC Player of the Year Award during his final season at Georgia Tech, the Giants drafted Bart second overall in the 2018 MLB Draft. MLB Pipeline has Bart rated as the No. 15 prospect in all of baseball, the No. 2 catching prospect behind Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman, and the No. 1 prospect in the Giants’ farm system. Given his combination of raw power, control of the strike zone, and sterling defense behind the plate, it’s easy to see why he has so much hype.
Bart spent most of last season with Class-A Advanced San Jose Giants and the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels. He hit .278 with 16 home runs in the minors last year, including a .316 average with Richmond. His scalding-hot performance near the end of the year proved he’s ready for the big leagues.
The Giants might not have a ton to write home about in their lineup right now, but that could all change in an instant if Bart is as pro-ready and dominant as the Giants think he is.