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2018 Georgia Tech Baseball Player Preview: C Joey Bart

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 15: Gloves and balls in the Seattle Mariners dugout during batting practice before their game against the San Francisco Giants at AT
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 15: Gloves and balls in the Seattle Mariners dugout during batting practice before their game against the San Francisco Giants at AT /
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Junior catcher Joey Bart is considered one of the top players in the nation and is going to be the Jackets most important player in 2018.

Not often do programs have a player like Joey Bart come through their system. For the Georgia Tech baseball program, they have been lucky to have Bart for the last two years.

The Buford, Georgia native was a highly touted prospect coming out of high school but his strong commitment to the Jackets kept him on the board until the Tampa Bay Rays drafted him in the 27th round.

Since stepping foot on campus, Bart has been a great asset for the Jackets offensively and has only gotten better defensively.

2017 Review:

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Bart had a great breakout season last year, hitting .296/.370/.575 with 13 home runs and 43 RBI. While he did cool down after an extremely hot start, Bart was still a huge part of the Jackets offense as the season continued.

A late season injury would keep him out of the lineup for a good chunk of the last part of the season. While he was out of the lineup, his absence was evident and the Jackets struggled.  When Bart started last season, the Jackets went 22-18. When he was out of the lineup, they were 5-10.

Over his first two seasons at Tech, Bart is a .297 hitter with 14 home runs and 74 RBI in 87 games. His stellar 2017 season has only risen the expectations for 2018.

2018 Outlook:

Entering this season, Bart has racked up several preseason All-Amerian honors and is also considered one of the top talents available in next year’s MLB Draft. A likely first-round draft pick, Bart will have all eyes on him.

Offensively, Bart is going to be the Jackets most important player in 2018. If Bart struggles, the team as a whole will struggle offensively.  That being said, Bart could see a season where he hits over .300 while hitting anywhere between 15 and 20 home runs.

Defensively he will be an asset especially when opposing runners try to swipe a second or third base. He has a great arm and solid behind the plate which is good news for his future in the professional ranks.

Next: Baseball Player Preview: INF Wade Bailey

Enjoy watching Bart this season because come June, he could be a first-round pick and one of the top catching prospects in all of baseball.