The Giants select catcher Patrick Bailey 13th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft

With the 13th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Giants have selected catcher Patrick Bailey out of NC State.

The top catcher in this draft class without question is Patrick Bailey out of North Carolina State. Bailey is already very able behind the plate with a strong arm and relatively smooth actions which gives scouts a lot of confidence that he will stick at catcher. He also has some interesting upside with the bat as he is a switch-hitter with some pop from the left side of the plate. The team that drafts him will be getting a polished receiver who has all of the tools to be a very able catcher for a long time.

The question with Bailey is whether or not he can be a standout offensive catcher and that seems to be less likely. Being a switch hitter is a definite plus, but he isn’t amazing from the right side with some even wondering if he can be serviceable long-term as a right-handed hitter. The track record of performance is there, though, and the offensive bar for catchers just isn’t very high. Even if Bailey never ends up being a star at the plate, his value will come from the position he plays rather than where he would bat in a lineup.