Patrick Bailey is an absolute cheat code behind the dish.
Despite playing only 57 games, Bailey leads all catchers in MLB with 45 assists. That’s seven more than Gabriel Moreno in second place, who has 38 in 74 games.
The kid has been an absolute difference maker, and is looking like perhaps the best defensive catcher in baseball at the age of 24.
Buster Posey was considered one of the best defensive catchers in baseball at a similar age. Brandon Crawford caught balls from both players at the shortstop position, and broke down the similarities and differences between the two when he joined Tolbert & Copes on Wednesday.
“He’s quicker and maybe slightly more accurate than Buster was,” Crawford said. “I think Buster had maybe a little bit more behind the throw, but Buster always put it around the bag too so it’s hard to say he’s more accurate. The way Patty does it is impressive because he’ll throw from his knees like he did Tuesday night, he’ll throw almost behind the left-handed hitter, where he’s almost throwing side arm.”
Bailey took things to a new level on Tuesday night, when he ended the game with an incredible pickoff throw to first base. It was the fastest pop time from any catcher on a successful pickoff ever to be recorded in the Statcast era.
“He can do it from a lot of different angles it seems like, and always puts it right on the bag,” Crawford concluded.
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