'He's taking advantage of the opportunity': Joey Bart performing at, behind plate for Pirates

The valleys Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Joey Bart has had to navigate so far this season have been plainly visible.

Bart was jettisoned by the San Francisco Giants at the end of March, and following his trade to the Pirates, with whom he appeared to be finding some rhythm in April and May, a left thumb sprain sidelined him for about a month.

But fast forward to late July, and the 27-year-old has for all intents and purposes emerged as the Pirates’ starting catcher, supplanting Yasmani Grandal.

Dating to June 30, Bart has started 12 games behind the plate for the Pirates, including five straight from July 6-10, compared to Grandal’s six.

Not a bad rebound for a player designated for assignment a few months ago by the club that drafted him No. 2 overall in 2018.

“I think he continues to get better behind the plate, but offensively, he’s been pretty consistent for us,” manager Derek Shelton said. “Even (July 14 vs. the White Sox) before the (All-Star) break, he had the big three-run homer.

“You talk about draft picks or pedigree, this guy was a really high draft pick with the Giants. It didn’t go on the time frame they needed. I think we’re seeing someone who’s a good player just having good at-bats. He’s taking advantage of the opportunity.”

If anyone can attest to how rapidly fortunes can change as an MLB player, it’s Bart, who for a variety of reasons, did not live up to expectations as San Francisco’s highest draft pick since 1985.

Anything pertinent to long-term prospects with the Pirates doesn’t appear to be on the mind of Bart, who tries to keep his focus on the game in front of him.

“My mindset’s pretty simple: Just show up and be prepared,” Bart said. “When I’m in there, I’m in there and when I’m not, I’m not. Be ready to go, make an impact and help the club — that’s kind of how I approach it. (I) don’t really get too carried away with thoughts or anything like that. Just be ready and put my best effort out there.”

So far, Bart has provided a notable offensive upgrade at catcher, a position at which the Pirates have struggled to get much production for much of the season.

Bart has displayed some pop in his bat, hitting six homers with 20 RBIs through 36 games while producing a respectable slash line of .245/.336/.459.

Grandal, by comparison, is slashing .182/.210/.303 in 44 games.

Collectively, all catchers utilized by the Pirates this season (Bart, Grandal as well as Henry Davis, Jason Delay and Grant Koch) are batting .196.

“I don’t think he’s missing mistakes,” Shelton said of Bart. “I think that’s the biggest thing. When he gets a ball in the zone, he has the ability to drive and he’s driving it.”

Bart saw a modest three-game hit streak end in Monday’s 2-1 win over the Cardinals, but he still managed to make an impactful play in the top of the third.

After Alec Burleson singled off Mitch Keller, Willson Contreras came to the plate. On a 1-2 count, Burleson took off for second base.

In a split second, Bart managed to receive a slider from Keller that was called strike three and fire a bullet to Nick Gonzales at second base, catching Burleson stealing for an inning-ending double play.

“Strike them out, throw them out is one of the coolest plays in baseball, I think,” Keller said. “That’s huge, especially when you can strike out a guy like Contreras and then throw him out and get out of the inning — that’s big-time. Outs are precious. You never know what’s going to happen.”

While he’s only been a Pirate for a few months — and healthy for less — Bart has earned high marks from the club’s pitchers for his attention to detail and presence behind home plate.

“He’s really learning us and really just communicating,” Keller said. “I couldn’t be happier with how he’s doing. He’s doing a really good job.”

In the Pirates’ clubhouse, Bart is a next-door locker neighbor to reliever Colin Holderman.

Having Bart as a trusted battery-mate, in addition to seeing him realize the potential that led San Francisco to draft him so high, has been doubly rewarding.

“I was familiar with him when he was a prospect and coming up and down with the Giants,” Holderman said. “I knew that this was in there somewhere. Coming here, when I heard we claimed him, I was like, ‘Oh, this is going to be good for us.’ Just watching him blossom into the player he’s become is insane. He’s grinding his butt off for us, and he’s also swinging it at the plate — that’s just the icing on top, and it’s been amazing to watch.”