The San Francisco Giants have a couple of players that could end up in the All-Star game for the first time, but their catcher might have the best chance.
As David Adler of MLB.com examined the best ‘under-the-radar’ All-Star candidates around MLB, he landed on Patrick Bailey as the National League’s catcher.
Bailey was praised for his ability on both sides of the baseball, shining as both a batter and defender at times this season.
The switch-hitting slugger is up across the board at the plate from his rookie campaign to now. He’s slashing .278/.353/.417, whereas he had just .233/.285/.359 last year.
One of the biggest changes in his toolset has been the plate discipline. He has almost drawn as many walks as he did all of last season through under half the amount of games. To compliment his higher walk-rate, he’s also striking out at a much lower rate this season.
It isn’t just luck, either. His xBA and xwOBA are higher than what his actual numbers look like. If anything, he should be having more success than he already is.
The 25-year-old is chasing less balls out of the zone and is making contact at a better rate when he does swing.
Though he is a switch-hitter, he’s much better against right-handed pitching this time around. All four of his home runs this year have come when he’s batting left-handed.
During his rookie campaign, though, he had the exact opposite approach. He was hitting much better against left-handed pitching and that’s where he flashed the power.
Along with his advancements at the plate, he’s stayed consistent as one of the best defenders in the league.
He’s in the top-five percentile for framing, pop time and caught stealing.
Looking around the league at the other players that could make a case for a spot at catcher, only two more players in the NL have more WAR at the position,Will Smith of the Los Angeles Dodgers and William Contreras of the Milwaukee Brewers.
Smith is the only catcher that has been a better dual-threat catcher this season, putting Bailey in great company for his performance.
Three catchers made the roster last season, so Bailey could realistically make it despite being a bit behind the other two players.
On paper, the North Carolina native has done enough to warrant his first All-Star nod. Every team has to be represented and it could be him making his way to Arlington next month for San Francisco.
