Braves acquire Bart
Atlanta Braves acquire former Georgia Tech star Joey Bart from Pirates for backup catcher role.
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The Atlanta Braves made a late-night deal on June 18, 2026, acquiring catcher Joey Bart from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for right-handed reliever Hunter Stratton, according to MLB Trade Rumors. The move brings the former No. 2 overall pick back to his home state of Georgia, where he starred at Buford High School and won ACC Player of the Year honors at Georgia Tech.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated veteran catcher Sandy León for assignment. León was hitting just .091 — 4-for-44 — with 18 strikeouts and zero walks during his time in Atlanta, per NBC Sports.
Braves' Catching Corps Hit Hard by Injuries
The trade was driven by a catching crisis in Atlanta. Rookie Drake Baldwin, the 2025 NL Rookie of the Year, landed on the injured list with an oblique strain. All-Star Sean Murphy followed with a broken finger that sent him to the 60-day IL, according to CBS Sports. The Braves used seven different catchers in 2026 before making the move.
Bart is expected to join the big-league roster immediately, per WSB-TV. He will likely serve as the primary backup and catch left-handed starters while Baldwin and Murphy recover. Manager Brian Snitker gets a real option behind the plate — one hitting .101 wRC+ against lefties, a significant upgrade over León.
Pirates Clear Path for Younger Catchers in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh had a simple problem: too many catchers, not enough roster spots. Endy RodrÃguez was posting an .880 OPS and playing like an All-Star. Former No. 1 pick Henry Davis needed major league reps. Bart, coming off a left foot infection that put him on the injured list May 10, had no minor league options left, according to Sports Illustrated.
That meant the Pirates could not send Bart to the minors without exposing him to waivers. Trading him made sense. The deal clears the way for RodrÃguez to become Pittsburgh's long-term catcher, with Davis as the backup and personal catcher for ace Paul Skenes, per Pittsburgh Baseball Now.
Bart's Georgia Roots Fuel 'Homecoming' Story
Bart grew up in Buford, Georgia, less than an hour north of Truist Park. He went on to Georgia Tech, where he became the highest-drafted player in the school's history — taken second overall in the 2018 MLB Draft, ahead of even Kevin Brown, who went fourth overall in 1986, per Georgia Tech Athletics.
Atlanta media quickly framed the deal as a homecoming. WSB-TV noted that the return to familiar surroundings could be the mental reset Bart needs. He is 29 years old and on a one-year, $2.53 million deal. He will not reach free agency until 2028, giving the Braves cost-controlled depth at a key position.
Stratton Return Draws Criticism from Pittsburgh Analysts
Not everyone was happy with the deal. TribLIVE analyst Joe Starkey called trading Bart for Stratton a move that "solved absolutely nothing" for Pittsburgh's bullpen. Stratton, 29, posted a 4.38 ERA in the minors before the trade. He does return to the organization that drafted him back in 2017.
For Atlanta, the cost was low. The Braves had already designated Stratton for assignment before the deal. They essentially traded a player they no longer wanted to fill a glaring roster hole. FanGraphs noted the Braves are near the luxury tax threshold, but the front office viewed catching depth as too critical to ignore.
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