Giants sign catcher, No. 2 pick Joey Bart to record $7 million deal

ESPN logo
Monday, June 18, 2018

The San Francisco Giants signed Georgia Tech catcher Joey Bart, the No. 2 overall pick in the MLB amateur draft, on Sunday.

According to MLB.com, he signed for $7.03 million -- the highest up-front bonus paid to a position player in MLB draft history. Despite that, the Giants were able to sign him below the slot value assigned to the pick, which was $7,494,600.

The Giants said Sunday that Bart was one of 32 draft picks who signed with the team. They will introduce him Monday at AT&T Park before their game against the Miami Marlins.

During his junior season for the Yellow Jackets in 2018, Bart led the ACC with a .359 batting average and hit 16 home runs. Defensively, he had a .992 fielding percentage, had only two passed balls and threw out 12 of 33 base runners who attempted to steal against him. He was named the conference player of the year and was a first-team All-American.

Bart was the first catcher selected by the Giants in the MLB draft since Buster Posey, who was picked No. 5 overall in 2008.