SF Giants: Three reasons to trade catcher Joey Bart

Reason #3: Maybe he is a bust

I will preface this by reiterating that we cannot read too much into Bart struggling in a weird, shortened season that took place in the midst of a global pandemic, the same way that we should not have totally anointed him had he had an incredible season.

Nonetheless, the SF Giants will need to monitor Bart’s progression in the minors to see if he can build upon his weaknesses that were exposed last season such as his struggles with inside pitches.

There is also the question of Bart’s ability to stay on the field. To be fair, the injuries he has sustained in minor league ball were often freak injuries. However, if we learned anything from Jeremy Affeldt it is that some guys are just cursed with the freak injury bug.

If the team sees alarming signs in the minors, though, then it may be wise to cut their losses before it is too late. Bart still has value for a lot of teams considering he is still only 24 so he could be an enticing trade chip unless it is clear he was not all he cracked up to be.

It is still fairly unlikely that the Giants plan on trading Joey Bart any time soon, but if they were to do it there are some valid justifications. Some time in the minors is bound to do him some good and being able to learn more from Buster Posey will also help in his progression. But if the SF Giants feel that they can improve the team, especially in the starting pitching department, then they should not hesitate to entertain offers for Bart.