Joey Bart Bio
Joseph Andrew Bart, known professionally as Joey Bart, is an American professional baseball catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). Before joining Pittsburgh, he played in MLB for the San Francisco Giants, the franchise that originally selected him in the first round of the 2018 MLB draft. Bart is regarded as one of the top catching prospects of his era, having earned the Johnny Bench Award in 2018 as the top collegiate catcher in the country while at Georgia Tech.
A right-handed hitting backstop with a strong arm and developing power, Bart entered professional baseball with significant expectations and has continued to refine his game at the highest level. He made his major league debut in 2020 and remains active as a starting-caliber catcher for the Pirates heading into the 2025 season.
Early Life and Background
Joseph Andrew Bart was born on December 15, 1996, in Buford, Georgia, a small city northeast of Atlanta. He grew up in a region where baseball is firmly embedded in the local sports culture, and he attended Buford High School, where he quickly established himself as the school’s starting catcher during his freshman year. Bart became a feared hitter in the Georgia high school ranks, posting a .556 on-base percentage and an .859 slugging percentage as a junior, numbers that placed him among the most productive prep hitters in the state.
Opposing pitchers adjusted in his senior year by pitching around him, which reduced his offensive output, but Bart remained a central figure for the Buford Wolves. The team finished his senior season with a 34-2 record, won the Georgia Class 4A State Championship, and was ranked eighth in the MaxPreps National Poll. The Tampa Bay Rays selected Bart in the 27th round of the 2015 MLB draft, but he chose to honor his college commitment rather than sign professionally.
Path to Baseball
Bart enrolled at the Georgia Institute of Technology to play college baseball for the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, where he majored in business administration. After his freshman season in 2016, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League and earned a spot on the league all-star team, gaining valuable exposure against top amateur talent. He was placed on the Johnny Bench Award watch list during his sophomore year before a broken finger forced him to miss the final 11 games of that season.
Following his sophomore campaign, Bart represented the United States national collegiate baseball team and returned to the Cape Cod League, this time with the Harwich Mariners. His junior year at Georgia Tech marked his breakout. In 2018, he hit .359, the best batting average in the Atlantic Coast Conference, while also posting a .632 slugging percentage and a .471 on-base percentage, along with 16 home runs. He was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Player of the Year and won the Johnny Bench Award as the nation’s top collegiate catcher.
Joey Bart Career
Early Career (2018–2019)
The San Francisco Giants selected Bart with the second overall pick of the 2018 MLB draft, and he signed for $7,025,000, the largest signing bonus ever given to a position player at the time. The Giants initially assigned him to the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes of the Class A Short Season Northwest League, where he excelled. In 45 games, Bart slashed .298/.369/.613 and led the league in slugging while hitting 13 home runs, earning Northwest League mid-season and post-season All-Star honors.
Bart began the 2019 season with the San Jose Giants of the Class A-Advanced California League before a broken hand from a hit-by-pitch temporarily slowed his progress. After returning, he was promoted to the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Class AA Eastern League and finished the year there. Across 79 games between the two levels, he hit 16 home runs and was selected for the All-Star Futures Game. He closed his season in the Arizona Fall League with the Scottsdale Scorpions, where he batted .333/.524/.767 with four home runs and was named a Rising Star.
San Francisco Giants Breakthrough (2020–2023)
The Giants promoted Bart to the major leagues on August 20, 2020, and he debuted that night against the Los Angeles Angels, collecting his first hit, a double off Julio Teherán. Bart recorded an extra-base hit in each of his first three career games, only the third Giants player to accomplish that since at least 1901, and he finished his debut season slashing .233/.288/.320 across 33 games. He shuttled between Sacramento and San Francisco over the next two seasons as the Giants developed their catching depth.
In 2022, Bart hit his first career home run off Miami Marlins starter Sandy Alcántara on April 8, but he struggled to produce consistent at-bats and was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on June 8. He returned to the Giants’ Opening Day roster in 2023 and assumed the starting role after Roberto Pérez underwent season-ending surgery. Bart hit .231 in 26 games before a groin strain sent him to the injured list, and upon his return he was optioned in favor of Patrick Bailey. He was designated for assignment on March 31, 2024, following the promotion of Daulton Jefferies, ending his Giants tenure.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2024–Present)
On April 2, 2024, the Giants traded Bart to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Austin Strickland. He joined a catching group that included Henry Davis, with Jason Delay and Yasmani Grandal sidelined by injuries. Across 80 games for the Pirates in 2024, Bart produced a strong .265/.337/.462 slash line with 13 home runs and 45 runs batted in, signaling a return to the offensive potential that made him a top prospect.
In 2025, Bart won the starting catcher job out of spring training before a concussion on May 28 cut into his playing time. After returning from injury, he split duties behind the plate with Davis and finished the year with a .249/.355/.340 slash line, 4 home runs, and 30 runs batted in. His combination of plate discipline and defensive reliability kept him firmly in the Pirates’ long-term plans.
Driving Style and Strengths
Bart is recognized as a right-handed power-hitting catcher with a strong arm behind the plate and improving pitch-framing skills. His offensive profile has historically leaned on pull-side power and on-base skills, while his defensive work has emphasized blocking, game-calling, and controlling the running game. Working alongside veteran pitchers in Pittsburgh has helped him refine his approach and durability.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Bart’s signature career moments are his 2018 Johnny Bench Award, his record-setting $7.025 million signing bonus as the second overall pick, and his first major league hit, a double off Julio Teherán in 2020. His first career home run off Sandy Alcántara in 2022 and his productive .265 batting average across 80 games for the Pirates in 2024 further underscore his development as an everyday big-league catcher.
Joey Bart Career Wins
As a catcher, Joey Bart’s statistical milestones are tracked through offensive production, defensive metrics, and awards rather than win totals. He has collected a Johnny Bench Award, multiple minor league All-Star selections, and a strong 2024 season at the plate with the Pirates. His career reflects steady progression from a top amateur prospect to a contributing MLB regular.
Major League Highlights
In 64 major league games with the San Francisco Giants between 2020 and 2023, Bart posted a .215/.285/.320 slash line with 1 home run and 6 runs batted in, while appearing in postseason play with the 2021 National League West champions. His most productive major league work came after his trade to Pittsburgh, where he batted .265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs and 45 runs batted in during the 2024 season, establishing new personal bests in multiple categories.
Other Wins and Performances
Bart earned Northwest League mid-season and post-season All-Star honors in 2018, a Class A-Advanced All-Star Futures Game selection in 2019, and an Arizona Fall League Rising Star award that same year. He was also named a 2018 and 2019 MiLB.com Organization All-Star within the Giants’ system and represented Team USA as a collegian, achievements that highlighted his status among the top catching prospects of his draft class.
Joey Bart Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Joey Bart was raised in Buford, Georgia, where he developed his baseball skills alongside his family and community. Detailed information about his parents and siblings has not been publicly confirmed by verified sources.
Personal Life
Bart has maintained a relatively private personal life, and verified public details about a spouse or children are not available at this time.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marked Joey Bart’s first full year as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ primary starting catcher coming out of spring training. He handled a heavy workload behind the plate before a concussion on May 28 forced him to the sidelines and opened the door for Henry Davis to absorb additional innings. After returning from the injured list, Bart settled into a timeshare behind the plate and continued to deliver strong on-base numbers, finishing with a .249/.355/.340 slash line, 4 home runs, and 30 runs batted in.
Despite the dip in power output compared to his 2024 production, Bart’s plate discipline and defensive game-calling remained stabilizing forces for a young Pirates pitching staff. His veteran presence alongside Davis gave Pittsburgh one of its most productive catching duos in recent years and provided a foundation for further development heading into the next campaign.