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The Astros targeted catcher Joey Bart in trade discussions around Isaac Paredes.
The Houston Astros have been shopping third baseman Isaac Paredes for most of the offseason. The veteran is getting squeezed out of an infield that includes franchise staples Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa, rising star Jeremy Pena, and expensive signing Christian Walker. The DH spot is taken by superstar Yordan Alvarez.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are rumored to have interest in Paredes, and details have emerged about the potential return in a deal. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that former No. 2 overall pick Joey Bart was part of trade discussions. The catcher has been among the Pirates’ most productive hitters over the past two seasons. Pittsburgh acquired Bart in a trade with the San Francisco Giants shortly into the 2024 campaign.
Houston Astros Ask For Joey Bart in Potential Isaac Paredes Deal
The inclusion of Bart in a Paredes trade makes sense given his pedigree and recent production. San Francisco selected him with the second pick of the 2018 draft out of Georgia Tech. He was the top hitter off the board, as right-hander Casey Mize was taken with the first pick. Bart was a top-five prospect in the Giants’ system. He reached the major leagues after just 130 games in the minors.
Bart failed to meet the lofty expectations during his time in San Francisco. The backstop played in parts of four seasons with the club, accumulating exactly one full year of action (162 games). He slashed .219/.288/.335 in 503 plate appearances as a Giant. Bart hit 11 home runs while striking out more than 35% of the time.
San Francisco had seen enough by March 2024. The team designated him for assignment a few games into the season. Pittsburgh swooped in and worked out a trade, sending over right-hander Austin Strickland. Bart hit the ground running with his new club. The catcher posted a .879 OPS over his first 20 games in Pittsburgh. Thumb and hamstring injuries derailed the full breakout, but Bart finished the year with a strong 121 wRC+ across 80 games.
Bart Could Be Platoon Option
Bart was more of a league-average bat this past season. He hit .297 in April, but cooled off from there. A concussion also cost him a few weeks midway through the year. After cutting his strikeout rate to 25.9% in 2024, the number ticked back up to 28% this past season. Bart delivered a 101 wRC+ in 93 games. Despite the regression, general manager Ben Cherington remains confident in the 29-year-old Bart heading into 2026.
“He’s entering into a time of his career that sometimes guys at that position take the next step,” Cherington told Mackey. “That’s not unheard of. We believe the best days are ahead for Joey.”
If Houston acquired Bart, it would likely be for a part-time role. Yainer Diaz is locked into the No. 1 job behind the plate. Bart could chip in against lefties, though. The switch-hitter posted a .306 batting average versus southpaws last year. He hit three of his four home runs off lefties.
The right-handed Diaz actually has better career numbers against same-handed pitching (.770 OPS vs. righties, .728 OPS vs. lefties). The Astros also have a pair of left-handed batters penciled in at the corner outfield spots in Jesus Sanchez and Zach Cole. Bart could conceivably pick up starts at DH with Alvarez moving to the outfield when the club encounters a lefty.
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