Giants manager Gabe Kapler raised some eyebrows this weekend when he said Joey Bart isn’t guaranteed to be the starter at catcher that season, let alone guaranteed to make the team.
The 26-year-old former No. 2 overall pick didn’t exactly become the successor to Buster Posey in 2022 despite having the opportunity to run away with the job. But Bart’s roster spot is probably safe, despite the hubbub, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.
The Giants insider joined 95.7 The Game’s “Willard & Dibs” Tuesday to give an update from spring training in Scottsdale, saying it’s hard to envision Bart off the opening day roster.
“He’s making the team,” Pavlovic told hosts Mark Willard and Dan Dibley. “Nothing happened with him. Early spring talk is maybe trying to make sure the young player has to win his job, most years. He’ll be on the team, he’ll be fine. I don’t make much of it, but I know other people have. I just don’t see a realistic path for two other guys to jump over him.”
Non-roster invitees Roberto Pérez and Austin Wynns, along with Rule 5 Draft pick Blake Sabol are also vying to make the team as a catcher. Pavlovic offered his guess as to who could join Bart on the roster.
“I think it’s Roberto Perez if I had to guess,” Pavlovic said. “He’s a veteran. He got, not a huge deal, but one that has a lot of incentives for playing time. He chose the Giants over some other options. For me he’s probably the front-runner there. He has the most experience out of anybody in that group. He’s got two Gold Gloves. For me he makes a lot of sense for the roster.”
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