SF Giants GM thinks Patrick Bailey could actually improve with MLB rule change

With the implementation of the new ABS system in MLB this season, many have worried that SF Giants catcher Patrick Bailey could see his defensive value drop if pitch framing becomes a less important part of the game.

Under the new system, either the pitcher, batter, or catcher can challenge a pitch that they feel was wrongly called a ball or strike and HawkEye technology will be used to determine whether the pitch was a strike or not.

Giants general manager Zack Minasian spoke about how ABS could impact Bailey on a recent podcast and he said while it really is anyone’s guess how ABS will impact the game, one could even make the case that the new system will allow Bailey to “widen the gap” between him and the rest of the catchers in the league.

SF Giants catcher Patrick Bailey could see value grow under ABS

Bailey is coming off two straight Gold Glove awards and many rank him as the top defensive catcher in the game.

Since he has come into the league, he has been the best pitch framer in baseball and it is not particularly close. There are compilation videos on YouTube that show just how regularly Bailey is able to get strikes for his pitchers that other catchers are not able to.

Framing will still be part of the game, though, as teams will only get two challenges per game. Teams will not be able to challenge every call and teams are probably going to have different strategies on when to use their challenges throughout a game.

Some might be more cautious with their challenges earlier in the game which could allow Bailey to steal some strikes for his pitchers early on.

It’s also important to remember that catchers are allowed to challenge as well. Bailey knows the strike zone better than any catcher in the game so you can bet he is going to win his fair share of challenges this season. 

As Minasian said, though, so much is still unknown with this system. Younger players who are used to it from the minor leagues may have an easier time transitioning but for veterans it might be a bit of a jarring change. Veteran Chris Sale for instance has already said he does not plan to challenge a pitch at all.

The ultimate question with Bailey though is never what he does behind the plate, but what he does with a bat in his hand. A memorable inside the park walk-off homer and a walk-off grand slam against the Los Angeles Dodgers along with a solid final month at the plate make it easy to forget that for much of the year it was painful to watch him on offense. 

If he can maintain his defensive prowess and get better at the plate in 2026, he could make himself one of the best overall catchers in the league.