'You got some Yinzer in ya': Pirates catcher Joey Bart has deep family ties to Lower Burrell

WASHINGTON, D.C. — As soon as Joey Bart got word that he had been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates, he called his father. Tommy Bart grew up in Lower Burrell, where he was a multi-sport star for the Burrell Bucs and instilled his love for Western Pennsylvania in his son.

“He’s so fired up,” Joey Bart said of his father, who owns a chain of Zaxbys Restaurants around Atlanta. “It’s kind of crazy the way it all worked out. So it’s really cool. It’s really special. It’s really special to my family, no doubt, just with all the ties. Most of my family I have is in this area, so it’s gonna be really fun.”

Joey Bart recalled how the first jersey he got as a kid was Ben Roethlisberger’s No. 7. How he traveled from Atlanta to Pittsburgh every year to visit his grandmother. How his mother, Karen, is from Toronto, Ohio, near Steubenville. How he still has family in Butler.

The Bart family has roots so deep in Lower Burrell that they go back to before the family shortened its surname. An uncle, Jeff Bartosiewicz, was a two-way tackle on Burrell’s 1967-68 WPIAL football championship teams. Tommy Bart scored five touchdowns in a game against Leechburg in 1977, a school record that stood for 35 years, and was drafted by the Pirates in the 29th round as a pitcher-outfielder in 1979 but opted instead to attend Miami-Dade Community College and later played at Miami and Penn State.

“I’ve heard his stories,” Joey Bart said, “that are probably not true.”

An All-American at Georgia Tech who became the 2018 No. 2 overall pick and a top-20 prospect, Joey Bart is hoping to revive his career after it bottomed out with the San Francisco Giants. The 27-year-old backstop, who played in 162 games split over four seasons, was supposed to be the successor to Buster Posey but became a bust.

Newly acquired Pirates catcher Joey Bart talks about the trade, his excitement for a fresh start and his deep family ties to Lower Burrell. pic.twitter.com/dfC0INZgD0

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) April 3, 2024

With Endy Rodriguez out for the season after offseason elbow surgery, Yasmani Grandal out with plantar fasciitis, Ali Sanchez electing free agency and backup Jason Delay being placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation, the Pirates suddenly had a shortage at catcher and wanted someone with major league experience.

Pirates manager Derek Shelton called it “the perfect storm” that Bart became available when the Giants designated him for assignment Sunday before dealing him for minor league right-hander Austin Strickland on Tuesday.

“I didn’t know that, actually, until (general manager) Ben (Cherington) called me last night and we were talking about it,” Shelton said. “Then this morning when I met him, I said, ‘Hey, you got some Yinzer in ya.’ He was pretty excited about it, and I think anytime someone gets a fresh start and it’s coming back to where you have family, it’s really cool.”

Shelton said Grandal’s prolonged absence factored into the move because the 35-year-old who was signed to a one-year, $2.5 million contract with performance incentives isn’t close to returning.

“He’s still a ways away,” Shelton said. “He’s gotta play in games, he’s gotta go through his running progression. He just started the running progression, and it’s not even on the bases yet, so I think we have to make sure we’re covered at that position depth-wise in our organization with Endy being on the IL. When you’re able to acquire someone that’s caught in the big leagues, that’s a different story.”

Bart has plenty of that, though some came at the expense of his development.

The Giants rushed Bart to the big leagues in 2020 when Posey opted out during the pandemic-shortened season, and he batted .233 with five doubles, two triples and seven RBIs in 33 games, with 41 strikeouts against three walks. He played only two games in the majors the next season, then bounced back and forth from Triple-A Sacramento to the Giants over the next two seasons while compiling a career .219/.288/.335 slash line with 16 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 38 RBIs.

Last season, Bart batted .207 with five doubles and five RBIs in San Francisco but was .248/.357/.393 with 12 doubles, six homers and 28 RBIs in 60 games at Sacramento. He had a strong spring, hitting .414 (12 for 29) with a .974 OPS in 15 games in the Cactus League, and made the Opening Day roster as the third catcher behind Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy. But the Giants cut him to make room for right-hander Daulton Jefferies, who started Sunday against San Diego.

“I learned a ton. Obviously, played with a lot of good players, have been a part of some cool things,” Bart said. “I’ve been at the highs and been at the lows, and I feel like I can bring that forward with me and learn from all those experiences. I’m feeling great, super confident, ready to go and super ecstatic about being in Pittsburgh.”

So ecstatic that Bart packed his bags as soon as he was informed about the trade. When Cherington asked Bart when he was available, he replied, “Whenever you need me.” Bart got a flight from Atlanta in time to be in the Pirates’ clubhouse Wednesday afternoon and catch some bullpen sessions at Nationals Park.

Bart admitted that he doesn’t know any Pirates players, so familiarizing himself with the pitching staff is a priority. Shelton called it “one of the more challenging things” for Bart but noted that the Giants have a good reputation for their advance process.

“The Giants, over the past couple of years, are a team that has thrown openers out and have done different things, so you have to be prepared for a catcher in that space,” Shelton said. “We feel very confident we can catch him up to speed quickly.”

Bart is excited not only to get a fresh start but to join a team that was 5-0 entering Wednesday’s game, with a pitching staff featuring All-Stars in starter Mitch Keller and closer David Bednar and a rookie right-hander, Jared Jones, who recorded 10 strikeouts in his MLB debut.

“I’ve been lucky to be around some really good arms, a number of guys that are at the top of the level, and learned a lot from them,” Bart said. “And these guys here, from what I can tell, it’s really strong and really young and really talented. So just bring what I bring to the table behind the dish and pump them up with confidence and let them know that, ‘Hey, moving forward, I got your back, and we’re gonna find a way through this thing when times get tough or you’re not feeling it, we’ll find a way.’ So I think that’s something that I kind of bring to the table. I try to get guys confident and try to get the best out of them.”