After Buster Posey opted out of the 2020 season it left the Giants without an established catcher. Chadwick Tromp and Tyler Heineman have split time behind the plate this year and Rob Brantly has also started a game. Combined the trio has hit .180/.227/.270, so the 2018 second overall pick is a welcomed addition to a lineup that lacks pop. Bart has been groomed to take over for Posey but the pandemic has accelerated the timeline.
Bart dealt with two hand injuries in 2019. He broke a bone in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch in High-A and also broke his right thumb in the Arizona Fall League due to another hit by pitch. Bart was in the middle of a dominant fall stint in the desert with four homers in ten games before the injury.
THE RANKINGS
Bart ranked 2nd on the San Francisco Giants Top 30 list and 77th in our Top 500 Fantasy list.
THE TOOLS
Hit (40 present/50 future): Bart is a polished hitter that knows the strike zone well. The strikeout rate is lower than you would expect for a big power threat like this, but that’s because Bart isn’t shy about letting it rip early in the count if he sees a pitch he likes. Mechanically it’s a short, efficient swing with very little unnecessary movement. He lets the ball get deep because of how quick the hands are and he uses the lower half extremely well. The lack of a two-strike approach can be problematic, but he knows his game. Strength and quick wrists. I project him to hit around .260 at peak, but he could sit around .230 in the early going.
Power (60 game/70 raw): His offensive game is built around strength. He’s very strong and well built with strong wrists and thick forearms. He generates loft with ease and should produce strong exit velocities due to the bat speed. There’s enough pop here that would make Bart a lock for 30 homers if he wasn’t catching, but the wear and tear that comes with the position leads to more time off, so it’s hard to predict more than 20-22 homers for even the most powerful backstops. He was a little pull happy after he returned from his hand injury, but had a true all fields approach during his dominant AFL stint.
Defense (60/70): Despite his atypical size for the position (there aren’t many 6-foot-3 backstops) he moves incredibly well while blocking pitches. He was famously one of the rare college catchers that called his own game behind the plate and for a coach to put that much trust into a young player is impressive. He’s a strong receiver and game caller. He has a quick release and a plus arm that’s also very accurate. Everything you look for in a natural team leader.
Speed (30/30): Bart is 7-for-12 stealing bases in his minor league career, and I don’t expect to see many of those in the big leagues.
Prediction: Bart is a quality hitter with big power to all fields and should catch a majority of the remaining games for the Giants. He’s the rare catcher that can be a game-changer on both sides of the ball while also doing the things that don’t show up in the box score; controlling the pitching staff, and stopping the running game before it starts due to the arm. I’m a bit concerned that he’s suffered two serious hand injuries in less than a year, so that is definitely something to keep an eye on and could limit his playing time.
Fantasy Impact: He’s a must-own in all fantasy formats as there’s a chance he’s a top-five catcher going forward due to the power and playing time he should receive. He’s also been playing some first base at alternate camp, and the DH can only add at-bats as well. He’s crushed lefties during his time in pro ball, and there are more lefties in the western divisions than any other, so he makes for an interesting play in daily leagues and DFS matchups.