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ORLANDO — Earlier this summer, former Giants catcher Andrew Susac came out to a game at Oracle Park and caught up with the man he backed up for a couple of seasons. When Susac returns to San Francisco next season, it’ll be for a much different reason.
The Giants on Wednesday traded for Daniel Susac, the younger brother of Andrew, who was Buster Posey’s backup in 2014 and 2015. Daniel Susac, 24, is a former first-round pick who was left unprotected by the Athletics ahead of the Rule 5 Draft. He was taken fourth overall by the Minnesota Twins and then sent to the Giants, who had tried to acquire him from the A’s earlier this offseason.
As a Rule 5 pick, Susac must stay on the roster the entire season or else he must be placed on waivers and then offered back to their original team. That designation, plus the fact that the Giants gave up minor-league catcher Miguel Caraballo and cash considerations for him, makes him the early frontrunner to be Patrick Bailey’s backup on Opening Day.
“I think he’s a candidate,” general manager Zack Minasian. “Obviously he’s going to have to come in and earn it, but obviously to take him shows what we think of him, and we definitely see him as a really strong candidate. We’re excited about where our catching depth is with him.”
Other than Bailey, the only other catcher on the 40-man roster heading into the Winter Meetings was Jesus Rodriguez, who was acquired from the New York Yankees at the deadline. The Giants love Rodriguez’s bat and his development defensively, but he has limited experience behind the plate.
In Susac and Rodriguez, they now have two young right-handed hitters to compete for that job this spring and down the line. They might still bring a veteran in, too, but that is not anywhere close to the front of their wish list as they continue to search through the free-agent and trade markets.
A Roseville native, Susac was taken 19th overall by the A’s in 2022. The Giants scouted him in high school and again at the University of Arizona, and Minasian said they see someone who is a plus defender behind the plate and has power. Susac historically has hit lefties well, which is needed as Bailey’s backup.
Susac spent all of last season in Triple-A with the A’s and hit 18 homers with a .832 OPS in a hitter-friendly environment. He struck out 109 times in 360 at-bats, but A’s general manager David Forst said he made some strides defensively.
The A’s have Shea Langeliers as their starter and Austin Wynns as their backup, so they took the risk of leaving Susac unprotected. Forst said he thinks his former first-rounder is ready for a look in the big leagues. He’s hopeful it works out for Susac, noting that this is the point of the Rule 5 Draft, which cost the Giants several of their own minor leaguers.
“The catch-and-throw skills have gotten a lot better,” Forst said. “He may be challenged offensively. Vegas has a way of helping some guys’ numbers, but that’s the case with anybody in this situation. The bat will determine probably if he’s able to stick or not.
“He has a chance to be in a good situation and they can get him good matchups and that’s when it does work out for guys, is when they have a specific role and fill it.”