Padres' A.J. Preller urged to add slugging catcher at trade deadline

Of the potential trade deadline options in baseball, even with the lack of talent in the infield and outfield, the catcher position is by far the most barren. It's an unfortunate reality for the San Diego Padres, a team in dire need of a new catcher.

For Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune, a catcher addition isn't just a need, it's a clear must-have at the deadline for the Padres. After the final game before the All-Star break, Krasovic outlined his case for the Padres to add a catcher.

"A.J. Preller should trade for a catcher by month's end. That's clear," Krasovic wrote. "Three catchers Preller should look into: Sean Murphy (Braves), Shea Langeliers (Athletics), Joey Bart (Pirates)."

Of the three catcher trade targets he mentioned, the most likely one to land in San Diego is Bart. Murphy would cost a lot to land, and Atlanta might not even move him. Langeliers is a similar case, with the young Athletics catcher most likely not going anywhere.

That leaves Bart, a 28-year-old catcher who, in 2024, was an impressive slugger for the Pirates. In 80 games played, he had a .265 batting average, with a .337 on-base and .462 slugging percentage, good for a .799 OPS and an impressive 120 OPS+.

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Across his 253 at-bats, Bart had 67 hits, 38 runs scored, 11 doubles, 13 home runs, 45 RBIs, 22 walks, and 73 strikeouts. In half a season, he put up 2.2 WAR and was very impressive in his first season with the Pirates.

But this season, he's gotten off to a poor start. In 59 games, Bart has a .236 average with a .333 on-base percentage and a .293 slugging percentage. His ability to slug has all but disappeared.

In his 191 at-bats, he has just six doubles, one triple, and one home run. Based on his 2024 numbers, he's capable of being a quality slugging catcher, but this season, he's struggled at the plate.

While not the most appealing trade target, his .627 OPS and 77 OPS+ are still higher than both Martin Maldanado and Elias Diaz. And with Luis Campusano struggling, having no hits through 21 plate appearances this season, a catcher is a dire need.

Bart, while not the best or flashiest move, could be a nice, affordable solution to their catcher woes. Krasovic is urging Preller and the Padres to add a catcher, and Bart could be a sneaky good pickup to improve the catcher position without giving up a ton to land him.

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