San Francisco Giants catcher Patrick Bailey (14) reacts after getting doused after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Oracle Park. Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Giants Star Patrick Bailey Claims Fielding Bible’s Top Overall Honor

Originally posted on San Francisco Giants on SI
By Matt Postins | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 3:00 PM ET

Patrick Bailey is already considered one of the best defensive catchers in the game. Now, at least one outlet considers him the best among all players.

The Fielding Bible, which has honored Major League players for their defensive prowess for the past 20 years, revealed their winners for the 2025 season on Thursday. The Fielding Bible selects the top defender at each position and a defensive player of the year, regardless of position.

Bailey was not only the outlet’s selection at catcher he was selected as the defensive player of the year. This is the third year the Fielding Bible has selected an overall defensive player of the year.

Bailey won the Fielding Bible’s award at catcher last season, along with a National League Gold Glove at catcher. He is a finalist again in 2025. Bailey was the only Giants player to claim an award this year. Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho won defensive player of the year in 2024. In 2023 the defensive player of the year was former Pittsburgh third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, now with Cincinnati.

Patrick Bailey, Award-Winning Defender

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Fielding Bible noted Bailey led all catchers in defensive runs saved with 19. Since 2023, he’s led all catchers in the category and trails only Varsho among all players. Bailey also has 40 strike zone runs saved, which is more than any other catcher has total runs saved in the last three years.

Mark Simon, the editorial operations lead for SIS, which manages the Fielding Bible, wrote that Bailey has several ways to control the game as a catcher.

"He is a leader on the field with the way he supports his pitching staff defensively through pitch framing, stolen base prevention, and pitch blocking,” Simon wrote. He is a deserving honoree as defensive player of the year.”

Per Baseball Savant, Bailey’s blocks above average were in the 80th percentile, his caught stealing above average was in the 97th percentile, his framing was in the 100th percentile and his pop time was in the 99th percentile. Behind the plate, there were few catchers better in baseball than Bailey. He had a fielding run value in the 100th percentile.

San Francisco would like to see their 2020 first-round pick get better at the plate.

Bailey played in 135 games and slashed .222/.277/.325 with a .602 OPS, including six home runs and 55 RBI. Those numbers remained in line with his season totals in 2023 and 2024, though his OPS has dropped each of his first three years in the Majors. It was .644 in 2023 and .637 in 2024.

This article first appeared on San Francisco Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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