Giants select Georgia Tech star Joey Bart No. 2 overall

With the second pick in the 2018 MLB amateur draft, the San Francisco Giants selected Georgia Tech star Joey Bart, a power-hitting catcher recently dubbed Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

"I hoped the Giants wanted me because that’s where I wanted to be," Bart said, according to Kerry Crowley of the Mercury News.

Bart joins a weak Giants farm system with just one other catcher - Aramis Garcia - anywhere near the top. Now, Bart is the likely heir to Buster Posey who, at 31 years old, slots in at first base with growing frequency. Coincidentally, Bart's player comparison was Posey himself, according to MLB Network.

From Buford, Ga., Bart was previously selected out of high school in the 27th round by the Tampa Bay Rays but went unsigned to attend Georgia Tech. Last season, the 21-year-old backstop led the ACC in batting average, slugging, and hits. He became the first ACC Player of the Year out of Georgia since Mark Teixeira.

Bio

Age: 21
Position: C
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 225 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: Georgia Tech
Player comp: Buster Posey
Pick value: $7,494,600
MLB prospect rank: 6
MLB.com money quote: "Bart's power potential could have gotten him selected in the first five rounds of the draft (out of high school) ... his development at the plate and improvement behind it (at Georgia Tech) has him positioned as the top college catcher available in 2018."

Scouting grades

2018 stats

Take a look ...

(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
(Grades courtesy: MLB Pipeline)