Just before the clock struck midnight on Thursday, the Atlanta Braves made a trade to resolve an issue they had for nearly a month. In exchange for right-handed pitcher Hunter Stratton, the Braves acquired catcher Joey Bart from the Pirates in a late-night swap. Additionally, the Braves announced catcher Sandy Leon was designated for assignment.
The Pirates were approaching a bit of a catching log jam with Bart nearing return from his rehab assignment, and former No. 1 overall pick Henry Davis and 26-year-old Endy RodrÃguez already on the big league roster. As a result, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos took advantage. Atlanta fortified their backup catcher spot with Sean Murphy sidelined, in exchange for a reliever who had a 4.38 ERA in Triple-A Gwinnett.
The #Braves tonight acquired C Joey Bart from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for RHP Hunter Stratton. To make room on the 40-man roster, Atlanta designated C Sandy León for assignment.
— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) June 19, 2026
Braves' trade for Joey Bart is the perfect stop gap until Sean Murphy returns
Although veteran Sandy Leon was an ABS monster, upgrading beyond the 37-year-old as a hitter was pretty much an open goal. In 44 at-bats this season, Leon had a .091/.091/.091 slash line, -61 wRC+, and -0.5 fWAR. Bart was sidelined on May 12 with a left foot infection, and has a .259/.290/.379 slash line in 21 games played so far this season.
Bart was originally the second overall draft pick of the Giants back in 2018. Sadly, it was a bit of a rough start to his big league career, but he was able to find his footing in Pittsburgh. With Drake Baldwin back from injury, the Braves only need Bart to spell Baldwin on select occasions until Sean Murphy's return.
Bart will likely get most of his work in against left-handed pitching; which he has a 101 wRC+ and .718 OPS against for his career. The Braves have already used seven different catchers in 2026, and when Bart becomes the eighth, that will tie the franchise record (1929 and famously 2021) for most catchers used in a season.
The last month showcased how brutal Atlanta's catching situation was beyond Baldwin and Murphy. It may have took longer than fans would have liked, but Alex Anthopoulos eventually got the job done. Joey Bart isn't a player Braves fans hope they have to depend on for an extended period, but it is always nice to have the reliable depth just in case.
Add us as a preferred source on Google