The Cleveland Guardians have acquired catcher Patrick Bailey from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for the No. 29 draft pick and prospect Matt Wilkinson. Bailey, a two-time Gold Glove winner, is expected to be the team's catcher for the next three-plus seasons.
Key points
Cleveland Guardians acquired Patrick Bailey from San Francisco Giants
Trade involved No. 29 draft pick and Matt Wilkinson
Bailey is a two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher
Expected to be the Guardians' catcher for three-plus seasons
Bailey was the 13th pick in the 2020 MLB draft
Cleveland GuardiansSan Francisco GiantsPatrick Bailey
The Cleveland Guardians think they have found their catcher for the next three-plus seasons.
The Guardians acquired two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher Patrick Bailey in a trade with the San Francisco Giants for the No. 29 pick in this year's draft and left-handed pitching prospect Matt "Tugboat" Wilkinson.
Here's what to know about the 13th pick from the 2020 MLB draft.
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates with third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Q&A
Who did the Cleveland Guardians trade for Patrick Bailey?
The Guardians traded the No. 29 pick in this year's draft and left-handed pitching prospect Matt 'Tugboat' Wilkinson to acquire Patrick Bailey.
What is Patrick Bailey's background in baseball?
Patrick Bailey was the 13th pick in the 2020 MLB draft and is a two-time Gold Glove-winning catcher.
How long is Patrick Bailey expected to play for the Guardians?
The Guardians expect Patrick Bailey to be their catcher for the next three-plus seasons.
What impact is Patrick Bailey expected to have on the Guardians?
The Guardians are excited about Patrick Bailey's potential impact as a strong defensive catcher and his contributions to the team's success.
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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) hits a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
2 / 3
Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates with third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
3 / 3
Cleveland Guardians home series vs. Minnesota Twins
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Travis Bazzana (37) celebrates after hitting a home run during the first inning against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Guardians veteran catcher Austin Hedges loves the trade for Patrick Bailey
Austin Hedges has never shied away from competition at the catching position and is one of the team's biggest fans of the move.
"He has all the aspects that I personally look for in a catcher," Hedges said. ". "He's the elite receiver, blocker, thrower, human. He's a special, special guy. Behind the plate he's second to none."
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Cade Smith (36) celebrates with catcher Austin Hedges (27) after the Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
May 8, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians relief pitcher Cade Smith (36) celebrates with catcher Austin Hedges (27) after the Guardians beat the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Bailey's ability to adapt will be tested quickly as he's already in Cleveland.
It's much more than switching from the National to the American League.
"It's very tough, especially when you've been in an organization very long where you've helped groom a lot of guys," Hedges said. "You get to know them inside and out. Going to a new spot, forces you to go back to the basics. You get to know a pitcher's strengths and learn another group quickly.
"Luckily, we have the best culture in baseball. He's going to catch on really quick. That's his skillset. This is nothing he's not built for. With the group that we have, the learning curve is going to be quick for him. I anticipate him helping us quite a bit."
Apr 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) hits an RBI single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning.
Apr 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) hits an RBI single against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt sees great things in Patrick Bailey
Catchers are a special breed and as a former Major League catcher himself, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt sees great things in Bailey.
"I got eight (or) nine texts from the Giants organization just raving, not wanting him to leave," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "We feel like we got a good one.
"... Just seeing the spark in Hedgy's eyes, he knows he's going to get pushed. He knows he now has to push somebody and with David (Fry) right there between them, ... that's why it works. That the three were so close (Fry, Hedges and Bo Naylor) and I know it will be the same with Patrick. Our goal hasn't changed. it's to win and we know Patty will step right in and help us to do that."
Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt walks back to the dugout after a pitching change during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
Apr 29, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt walks back to the dugout after a pitching change during the eighth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
What Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti sees in Patrick Bailey
Chris Antonetti didn't hide the fact that the Guardians have been trying to acquire Bailey for the last few years.
As those talks intensified over the last week, the president of baseball operations hammered out a deal late Friday evening.
"We gave up value to get him," he said. "He does everything well behind the plate, from receiving to game-calling to controlling running game to leading the pitching game, he checks all the boxes.
"To get a guy like that who is elite in so many different ways, it will help us prevent giving up more runs. That's ultimately what we're trying to do, impact the scoring runs equation and win as many games as we can. We think Patrick will help us."
What MLB.com says about Patrick Bailey
Bailey, 26, had been the Giants’ starting catcher since breaking into the Majors in 2023 and became the first backstop in franchise history to win back-to-back Gold Glove Awards last year. But his elite defense wasn’t enough to make up for his lack of production at the plate.
The switch-hitting Bailey has batted only .146 with a .396 OPS, one homer and five RBIs over 30 games this year, a miserable stretch that became harder for the Giants to absorb given their collective offensive futility this season.
With fellow rookie catcher Daniel Susac also nearing a return from the injured list, Bailey looked in danger of losing even more playing time, which prompted the Giants to move on from their 2020 first-round Draft pick.
The club has control of Bailey for three more seasons.
The 26-year old is in the pre-arbitration phase of his contract for the 2026 season, with a salary of $2.2 million. Bailey is under team control and not eligible for free agency until 2030, with arbitration years ahead in 2027-2029.
