The Pittsburgh Pirates won’t be in the playoffs this season, but there have been bright spots.
Pittsburgh is loaded with exciting young talent and should be able to take another step forward in 2025. The Pirates have the means to make a few moves this winter and should retain much of the same roster in 2025. Ace Paul Skenes has drawn the most headlines, but there have been other players who have had solid 2024 seasons, as well.
One underrated player who has impressed for Pittsburgh in 2024 certainly is catcher Joey Bart. He has appeared in 74 games and is slashing .257/.333/.465 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. He has set career highs across the board. Bart still has some time left this season but already has career-highs in home runs, RBIs, doubles, hits, and runs.
The 2024 campaign has been a good one for Bart and because of this, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter listed him on his “All-Breakout Team.”
“Joey Bart was viewed as a future star and the heir to Buster Posey when the San Francisco Giants selected him No. 2 overall in the 2018 draft following a junior season at Georgia Tech where he hit .359/.471/.632 with 16 home runs in 57 games,” Reuter said. “He peaked at No. 29 on the Baseball America Top 100 prospect list during his time in the minors, but never found MLB success with the Giants, hitting .219/.288/.335 in 162 games over four seasons before he was traded to Pittsburgh on April 2.
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“The change of scenery has jump-started his career, and now at 27 years old and with club control through 2027, he can be a long-term piece of the puzzle for a Pirates team on the rise.”
There’s a lot to like about the Pirates heading into the 2025 and beyond, and Bart could be a solid piece for the future.
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