N.C. State’s Patrick Bailey looks to take command behind the plate at the next level
Patrick Bailey should be the first catcher selected when the MLB Draft takes place on June 10.
Bailey (6-2, 207) is expected to be off the boards anywhere between picks 11-20 according to various mock draft boards. When he will start his professional baseball career is still to be determined due to COVID-19.
When it does start, it won’t be the first time Bailey will be behind the plate catching from big time arms. His journey to pros started like most baseball prodigies, playing T-Ball when he was little, latching on with an elite travel team, making a name for himself on the high school level, then becoming a standout prospect for N.C. State.
At Wesleyan Christian Academy, Bailey learned this game could take him far after having a solid sophomore year. Before attending Wesleyan, Bailey was home schooled. It was during those summers leading up to enrolling at Wesleyan where Bailey got the knack for controlling the game behind the plate, a skill that makes him a high commodity among big league owners heading into the draft.
When he was a middle school student Bailey played at the North Carolina Baseball Academy under former Major League pitcher Scott Bankhead. When Bankhead gave pitching lessons to local college kids he would call Bailey over to catch. Bankhead wasn’t interested in getting behind the plate at his age, so Bailey was drafted for duty. He was more than willing to participate.
“He didn’t want to catch them, so I got back there and was catching college guys in 7th, 8th and 9th grade,” Bailey said in a Zoom interview with the media on Wednesday. “At that age I’m freaking out because I’m catching this 19, 20 year-old guy. I think that kind of fueled the fire for getting behind the plate.”
That fuel has never stopped burning for Bailey, who didn’t slow down once he arrived at N.C. State. Following his freshman season in 2018, Bailey was named the ACC Freshman of the Year and All-ACC Second Team. He was All-ACC First Team in 2019 and was off to a hot start in 2020 before the season was cut short.
In a consolidated 2020 campaign, Bailey was second in the ACC in RBIs, fourth in home runs and third in walks. His offense has caught the eye of plenty of owners at the next level, but controlling the game behind the plate remains his calling card.
“Typically the strengths for me are on the defensive side,” Bailey said. “Commanding the pitching staff and calling my own game.”
The tough part will be adjusting to different pitchers on different levels of baseball, not knowing how long he might be with certain teams in the minors.
“In high school and college you come in and try to build that relationship with pitchers,” Bailey said. “That pitchers can trust what I put down and trust what I have to say.”
Bailey is also a switch hitter and said teams want to continue to see how he progresses at the plate. Even with the season being over, Bailey has been able to get in some batting practice, both off the tee and some live pitches. He said he’s been fortunate that his “life as an athlete has been somewhat normal” since the season ended due to COVID-19.
Staying on a regular routine has been important considering he hasn’t played a game in months.
“It’s been huge,” Bailey said. “For my swing, just being able to work more mechanics, it’s been nice. It sucks that we aren’t playing but I’m just trying to take advantage of what I can do at this time.”
When he does get drafted, Bailey doesn’t know what will follow. Nobody does. The game is on hold, which means he won’t be whisked away to a new city. He’s getting married in November, but his bride-to-be has done all the planning, wrapping that up in January, so there’s one less thing to worry about.
So much uncertainty still won’t spoil the night for Bailey when he hears his name called.
“I don’t think it’ll be any less magical,” Bailey said. “It’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid playing tee ball. I think it will be a pretty special moment still.”
Bailey, who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins out of high school, will become the 31st N.C. State baseball player drafted in the last six years.
