Pro ball went according to plan for Joey Bart -- until suddenly it didn't.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, Bart signed with the Giants for $7.025 million, the largest up-front bonus for a position player in Draft history up to that point. The 22-year-old catcher posted a .952 OPS with 13 homers in 51 games in his pro debut, then made the jump to high Class A and slammed five extra-base hits in his first 10 games of 2019.
But in that 10th game, an errant pitch broken a bone in Bart's left hand and sidelined him for six weeks. While he had a successful first full pro season, batting .278/.328/.495 with 16 homers in 79 games and earning a promotion to Double-A in August, he still lost some valuable development time. As a result, the Giants have sent him to the Arizona Fall League to make up for it.
Playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions, Bart has been the AFL's hottest hitter in the first two weeks of the season. He homered three times in his first six games and leads the league in batting (.444), on-base percentage (.600), slugging (1.000) and OPS (1.600) through Sunday. He also has thrown out five of the seven basestealers who have tested him.
With face of the franchise Buster Posey coming off the worst season of his career, the 22-year-old Bart could push for playing time in San Francisco at some point next season. He said he's using his time in the Fall League to try to get better in all phases of the game.
"I can obviously get better at everything," said Bart, the top-rated prospect in the Giants' system and No. 19 on MLB Pipeline's Top 100 Prospects list. "On the offensive side, swinging at better pitches. Defensively, I can always frame better. Ultimately, the most important thing is to stay available, to stay out here healthy so I can be out there for our team every single day when they need me."
Bart's two best attributes are his raw power -- the product of bat speed, strength and the leverage in his right-handed stroke -- and his arm strength. As he noted, his plate discipline and receiving have room for improvement, though he has made strides in both areas at Georgia Tech and in pro ball. Besides working on those areas of his game, the AFL also gives him the opportunity to work with a diverse group of pitchers.
"I think it gets you ready for what's to come next," Bart said of working with 20 different pitchers on Scottsdale's staff. "These guys are real talented, obviously they're here for a reason. They have unique personalities I'm going to try to get to know and figure out so when I'm out there behind the plate I can make them perform at their highest level as well."
Giants hitters in the Fall League
Heliot Ramos, OF (No. 2 on the Giants' Top 30 list) -- The 19th overall pick in the 2017 Draft shook off a so-so first full pro season with a successful second year, batting .290/.369/.481 with 16 homers in 102 games between high Class A and Double-A as a 19-year-old in '19. He continues to improve his approach at the plate, giving him a chance to hit for average and power, and he has enough speed and arm strength to play all three outfield spots.
Jacob Heyward, OF -- The younger brother of five-time National League Gold Glove Award-winner Jason Heyward, Jacob was an 18th-round Draft choice out of Miami in 2016 and has fringy to average tools across the board. He hit .209/.357/.339 with 10 homers and as many steals in 125 Double-A games this season.
Jalen Miller, 2B -- Miller offers solid speed and defensive ability at second base, though the rest of his tools are fringy. A 2015 third-round Draft pick as a Georgia high schooler, he batted .216/.287/.332 with 11 homers and 27 steals in 135 Double-A contests this year.
Giants pitchers in the Fall League
Tristan Beck, RHP (No. 18) -- Beck signed with the Braves for an over-slot $900,000 as a 2018 fourth-rounder, then went to the Giants in the Mark Melancon trade this July. The Stanford product has a low-90s fastball, a decent curveball and a quality changeup. He dealt with an oblique injury early in '19 and posted a 3.98 ERA with 90 strikeouts in 81 1/3 innings (mostly in high Class A).
Frank Rubio, RHP -- Part of Florida's 2017 College World Series championship team, Rubio went in the 29th round of the Draft that June. Dealing a 90-92 mph fastball and an average slider from a low arm slot, he logged a 2.98 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 60 1/3 innings between high Class A and Double-A in 2019.
Tyler Schimpf, RHP -- A 13th-rounder from Texas in 2017, Schimpf throws a 93-96 mph fastball with high spin rates and has a promising slider. He recorded a 3.28 ERA with 81 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings between short-season ball, low Class A and high Class A this season.
Bryce Tucker, LHP -- Tucker had a 1.29 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 21 innings between short-season ball and low Class A in his first full pro season after signing as a 14th-rounder from Central Florida in 2018. He has high spin rates on his 90-93 mph fastball and backs it up with a curveball that features good depth.