8:40pm: The Giants further announced that Bart has been diagnosed with a non-displaced fracture that will not require surgery. He’s expected to be recovered within four to six weeks. That’ll put an end to his AFL run but should allow him a mostly normal offseason.
5:40pm: Top Giants catching prospect Joey Bart suffered a fractured right thumb during last night’s Arizona Fall League game, the Giants announced Wednesday. The injury came during Bart’s eighth game in the AFL, where he’d batted .400/.559/.920 with four homers and a double in 34 trips to the plate.
There’s no indication that the injury will impact Bart’s readiness for the 2020 season. He’s meeting with a specialist today, per the team’s announcement. But the broken thumb certainly figures to put an end to bring an early end to Bart’s 2019 Fall League stint and comes on the heels of a season that was shortened by a fracture in his other hand. Bart sustained a broken left hand back in April and missed nearly two months as a result of the injury. Both fractures were sustained when he was hit by a pitch.
The two hand fractures notwithstanding, the 2019 campaign has to be considered a success for Bart, whom the Giants selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 draft. The former Georgia Tech star reached Double-A as a 22-year-old, closing out the season with 22 games at that level and hitting .316/.368/.544. In a combined 338 plate appearances between Class-A Advanced and Double-A — both pitcher-friendly settings — Bart slashed .278/.328/.495 with 16 homers, 14 doubles and three triples.
Bart ranks prominently on most top prospect lists at this point, sitting 19th on MLB.com’s midseason update, 15th on Baseball America’s Oct. 1 update and 17th on Fangraphs’ latest rankings. A promotion late in the 2020 season doesn’t seem out of the question, though this season’s injuries have perhaps slowed his trajectory a bit. A 2021 arrival at the MLB level might be a safer bet. That would mark the final season of franchise icon Buster Posey’s nine-year, $167MM contract and present Bart with ample opportunity to learn from one of the best backstops in recent memory.
Always something…
Well isn’t that a kick to the head!
Bart will be up in SF sometime in ’20 … bank on it.
I wouldn’t bank on that unless you’re talking a Sept. call-up in 2020. Catchers always take more time in the minors than other positions. A late season call-up in 2020 with it permanent sometime in early 2021 would fit the timeline for catchers. Barring something extraordinary, I wouldn’t expect him any earlier than that, especially if it means an extra year of control.
This “timeline” you speak of is entirely arbitrary and nearly-constantly broken.
Are you just plain argumentative? Go to BB Ref and look at the catchers numbers of games played in the minors, and then look at the other positions. It is a fact that catchers are in the minors longer than other positions.
Yeah, but he’s also a second overall pick. According to Posey’s timeline, Bart Should be up by summer. Posey’s still easily the better catcher, so expect Bart, not Posey, at first next year.
I did what you should have done, and went to BB Ref. I picked the Cubs at random, because they were the first team I thought of that had a very good catcher that they developed. Games in the minors:
Contreras: 520
Russell: 272
Rizzo: 445
Baez: 397
Bryant: 187
Schwarber 158
Almora: 418
Heyward: 249
Will Smith spent 439 games between NCAA and the minors before being called up. Carson Kelly was in the minors for 622 games.. Gary Sanchez, 650.
There are rare exceptions, but that’s all they are. Please tell me who are all those catchers that routinely moved quickly through the minors.
@antibelt
Not really. Posey, is one of those exceptions that spent much less time than most in the minors. He played 172 games there.
Bart has played 130, but for some reason, which I guess was due to injury he played a number of games as a DH. BB Ref has him catching only 101 games in the minors. The very reason why catchers need more time is to learn a very difficult position.
Bart would equal Posey’s number around mid-season, but that’s a lot to ask. With many catchers spending 400+ to 600+ games in the minors, it’s hard to see Bart as the exception that Posey was. Especially since Posey is still on the roster, and is best utilized behind the plate. If they replace Belt, it will be with someone with more power than Posey.
Missing the obvious – Bart is a big league ready hitter – there is no doubt Giants want him in their lineup sooner than never if he is healthy.
His development came through college – no need to spell out a development plan that has no meaning for a guy that might have been fast tracked to the big league this past year if he didn’t get hit in the hand at San Jose.
Posey was also developed through college and though he did spend a lot less time in the minors than most it, was still 71 games more than Bart so far. You and others seem to keep forgetting, that for a catcher, it;s not about hitting. If it was guys like Contreras and Sanchez would not have had 600+ games in the minors before being called up. Do people really just not get that catcher is a totally different deal?
So what if Bart was a #2 overall? Posey was a #5 overall pick. There isn’t much difference there at all. Plus there are plenty of #2 overall picks that didn’t do anything in MLB.
Bart’s ultimate value is with the bat – his development as a catcher takes a back seat to his ability to hit; if he doesn’t get the reps at catcher, the Giants can look to see if he can play first base or maybe the outfield.
You just compared the amount of minor league games from kids who signed as international free agents at 16 yrs old to cool he developed guys
For the most part you’re right. But, there’s always an exception to the r
A silver lining here is the AFL starting so much earlier than usual. Hopefully he’s back to full strength by next February.
Why take his age 23 season out of MLB and into the minors though? If he’ll be ready by the Super Two cutoff date in 2020, and should be at AAA at that time, then bring him up and start his process now. Move Posey to 1B part time, give Bart the rest of the C time. Learn and win together – the Giants aren’t that far off, and might make some interesting moves this offseason now they have ownership that’s intelligent. Don’t be surprised if they contend in 2020.
On-the-job-training is a really bad idea for a catcher. Posey is not suited for 1B. He has to hit better and for more power to be effective there. He’s far more valuable catching. If they replace Belt it will be for someone better than he or Posey.
Yeah, that whole move Posey to 1st has long gone away. His value is strictly defensive now (which he still excels), with any offense they can get a bonus.
If Bart comes up, I see him cathing behind Posey and playing some first. I also don’t think he comes up until September, but I wouldn’t mind being proved wrong.
In other news braves are getting clapped. Choking like clayton kershaw
That 10 run 1st will getcha everytime.
Don’t worry, Clayton Kershaw choked like Clayton Kershaw too.
Embarrassing
Already looking like Posey.
Posey can no longer hit like a 1B. I think Farhan might get a taker for Belt. The Red Sox are a real possibility. Belt was showing obvious disgust as those long fly balls to right field were caught. If that is the case, who’s on first? We need a RH slugger like Abreu but not on an exorbitant price.
No one is taking Belt. Let alone Boston who will be looking to shed money. Not add it for an average 1B.
Never say never. I didn’t think anyone would pick up that Melancon contract.
Look, if the Giants take half the salary or take on another dump salary there certainly would be takers. Teams have rooms filled with analysts who could compare his hits in Oracle Par versus theirs and see how he would do. Dunno if the Sox would be that team, though.
Belt gets on base, plays a great 1B and lost 6-7 HR’s hitting 410’ “pop outs” to that cavern known as triples alley. Yes, they’ll have to eat a bunch of salary but Belt needs a change of scenery and he’s easier to move than Crawford, who also needs to go.
Why do Giant fans insist Belt has value ???
His contract is an albatross and he can’t hit lefties. Stop with the Farhan will find a taker for Belt. Nobody wants him.
HEY are we all forgetting they’re moving the fences in for next season?! Idk how or why, but it’s happening! Doubt it’ll make much of a difference for lefties, but we’ll see. Idk the specs for the “remodel”, but I can’t wait…
I hope the Braves make a run at trading for Bart.
Planning on giving up Acuna or Soroka?
Sounds reasonable
Why in the world would the Giants trade Bart ???
Sucks for Bart. 2020 will be more of the same. Whether Bart is up in June or September next year or 2021, it doesn’t really matter. We got bigger fish to fry. They have to move Belt and/or Crawford this offseason. Yes, they will have to eat a ton of salary but you CANNOT continue to play Belt, Posey, Crawford in the same lineup. Find a couple more gems in the wasteland and gear up for 2021. Got to get younger, more athletic and more dynamic. Zaidi has done a good job and I see them around .500 or a bit better next year. 2021 and beyond is realistic to get back into playoff contention.
I know Giant fans are going to get at me over this but don’t be surprised if the Braves don’t make a run at Posey and get him. They got the money to absorb the contract. They are a young team whose window is going to be open for awhile and he is from Brave country.
The Braves are underpaying quite a bit of young players and have a ton of payroll coming off the books so they can afford to overpay for a position of need.
The Giants have a few positional prospects but not a lot of pitching prospects where the a Braves have the pitching prospects
Wouldn’t be surprised if SF trades Belt (MIA, BOS, CWS- all need 1B) and moves Posey to first to open a starting spot at catcher for Bart