SF Giants 2026 training camp preview: catchers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Fielding Run Value is a metric that attempts to measure a player’s measurable defensive performance. It can’t measure the intangibles of catching, like leadership or pitching, but it’s one of the best current ways to gauge value with a glove.

Since Patrick Bailey made his debut, he has been worth a +79 FRV, the best in baseball. How cool is that? The second player is Alejandro Kirk of the Toronto Blue Jays at +50. The difference between Bailey and Kirk in first and second is the same as the difference between second and 32nd.

All of this means that the Giants have a two-time defensive Glove Award winner behind the plate, and when the offseason rolled around, finding a starting catcher wasn’t a priority.

As for Bailey’s backup? Now that is a very compelling topic.

Additions: Daniel Susac (Trade), Eric Haase (MiLB Contract)

Released: Andrew Knizner (DFA), Tom Murphy (Free Agent), Max Stassi (Free Agent)

Expected Position WAR Rate: 3rd

Bailey’s defense is discussed ad nauseamso this preview will focus mainly on backup hosting candidates. Before that, a quick word on his bat.

The 26-year-old had the worst season of his career, posting declines in batting average (.222), on-base percentage (.277), slugging percentage (.325) and OPS+ (73). Although the season looks bad, the whole year ended with juice.

In August and September, Bailey posted a .678 OPS over 48 games — not great, but not terribly bad for a catcher. In September, he had an .814 OPS over 24 games. He is always dedicated to hitting, and perhaps his changed position as a right-handed hitter would yield better results compared to left-handed pitchers.

Bailey doesn’t need to be an offensive threat like Rafael Devers, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman. If he’s in the league as a hitter, he has a legitimate case for being the second catcher in baseball behind the Seattle Mariners’ Cal Raleigh.

So, with Bailey’s place behind the plate solidified, who do the Giants choose as his backup? There are three outstanding options.

There’s Daniel Susac, who was selected by the Minnesota Twins out of the Athletics in the Rule 5 Draft and then traded to San Francisco.

There’s Jesus Rodriguez, acquired in the trade that sent Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees at last year’s trade deadline.

And there’s Eric Haase, a veteran outfielder who has spent parts of eight seasons in the majors.

Other starters in the camp include Logan Porter, who played four games for the Giants last season, and Diego Cartaya, a former Los Angeles Dodger star in the minors.

“It’s just that: competition,” manager Tony Vitello said. “He has varying levels of experience back there. Susac comes from a very good baseball family. I think one thing we talked about … is the importance of getting along with character, how you go about your business back there. Haase has a solid reputation for that. So, right now, it’s fun. Options are always a good thing. I think we have something back there.”

One of San Francisco’s options when selecting a backup would be to fill in as a glove-first catcher like Bailey with a bat-centric backup. Rodriguez, who has a career .309 batting average in the minors, fits that bill. But when asked what his priorities were, Vitello went with the gauntlet.

“My background has always been defense first in that position,” Vitello said. “My college career started as a running back coach, and instead of blaming the pitchers when something went wrong, I would just blame the catchers. It’s an easy way out. Those guys are so important in so many different ways, but if those guys can play defense, then everything they do offensively is icing on the cake for me.”

On the defensive front, Susac and Haase are limited.

Haase has not fared well defensively in the majors, he has a -21 Fielding Run Value in his career, but he has pitched over 2000 innings in the majors. Susac is unique in that he is a taller catcher than six-foot-four, but he has a compact arm and has been a full-time pitcher his entire professional career.

Rodriguez didn’t get a ton of fans in the Yankees’ minor league system because their farm was full of catchers. His bat was good enough to play on the diamond, but he lacks in the experience department compared to Susac and Haase. Rodriguez’s best way to improve defensively, perhaps, is starting the season with Triple-A Sacramento, where he can catch more than a backup in San Francisco.

“It’s a great opportunity to compete,” said Rodriguez. “I feel like everyone here is going to get better and try to find that place, but for me, it’s getting better every day, better than yesterday. If the team gives me a chance to be a backup, I’ll be happy about it. If not, I’ll go wherever they send me and continue to do my job.”

While Vitello preached competition, one of the biggest factors that will decide this fight is the situation.

Susac is a Rule 5 draft pick, meaning he was assigned directly to the 26-man roster when the team acquired him. He must stay there for the rest of the year, and in order to remove Susac from the roster, the Giants must sideline him. If no one wants him, he moves out of the 40-man roster and commits to his first team for half the $100,000 pick.