Joey Bart didn't take long to prove why the Giants selected him with the No. 2 pick in the 2018 MLB Draft.
As the big-league club stumbled in San Francisco, Bart blasted balls over the wall for the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. He launched nine home runs in his first month in short-season Single-A alone.
Bart joined the Giants in big-league camp this spring and hasn't slowed down at the plate. Through 11 games, the catcher is batting .467 (7-for-15) with one home run, two doubles and six RBI.
One scout told Baseball America it shouldn't take Bart long to reach the big league. Not long at all.
"Joey Bart for me is guy that could potentially be in the big leagues halfway through the year," the anonymous scout said. "I don't see why he couldn't. He's had that good of a spring."
That's a bold statement on a player who was drafted less than a year ago. The 22-year-old is expected to start the season in full-season Single-A with the San Jose Giants. But if you're trying to see him in the Bay Area, get a ticket now.
Sports
One year removed from being a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket, Bart should move quickly through the Giants' farm system. His bat is considered ahead of his defense, however, and Mike Krukow believes the catcher will benefit learning from manager Bill Hayes in San Jose.
The scout begs to differ that Bart's defense is holding him back.
"He's caught really well behind the plate," the scout told Baseball America. "He's handled new pitchers and all that fine. I think the attitude is there behind home plate. He's got the mental ability to do it."
[RELATED: Watch Bart's game-winning three-run double vs. Dodgers]
Bart did handle calling pitches in college. He also threw out 16 base-runners during his first year in the minors. But, no, he won't be used as the Giants' savior for the 2019 season, especially with three levels to climb.
There's a scenario in which Bart could be called up to San Francisco in September, though even that's a stretch. For now, watch him grow in the minors, and catch a ride to San Jose soon.
