Giants' rookie catcher Daniel Susac came to Spring Training in 2026, not really sure what to expect. And to be fair? Neither did anyone else, including those within the franchise. The young backstop, who turned 25 just a few days ago, entered camp in Arizona as a total X-factor, with no one sure if he would compete for the starting spot or even make the big league roster. His range of potential success was literally that far apart.However, Susac would indeed make the Giants this season, and he has taken on a much bigger role since the organization traded two-time Gold Glove winner Patrick Bailey to Cleveland on May 9. Hitting batting .407 with five RBI and a .984 OPS in 27 MLB at-bats, despite battling an early-season elbow injury. Still, San Fran skipper Tony Vitello has yet to name him the team's official starter.A look at life after Patrick Bailey on the catching front and Daniel Susac's clear path to the Giants' starting job: https://t.co/l05kcwnNmM via @sfstandard— John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) May 16, 2026"I don't think we're assuming anything at this point,” Vitello said. “I think in a long season, a really fun lineup -- which I think we all know we have the potential to have -- is when you don't know who your No. 1 guy is. It depends on the night."“I think the one thing that we would hone in on, why you would be excited about Susac coming back, is his attitude and the way he approaches the game. He’s a ballplayer. He’s a dirtbag. Behind the plate, he can really, really throw. Whether it’s from his knees or a regular throw, he kind of shuts that down probably better than anybody to this point."Susac goes home to SacramentoApr 2, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants catcher Daniel Susac (6) acknowledges infielder Willy Adames (not pictured) after receiving a Powerade bath after the game against the New York Mets at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn ImagesThe youngster attended Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California, just outside of the city, where he was a multi-sport standout before signing to play baseball for the Arizona Wildcats. He was chosen by the A's in the 2022 MLB Draft with the 19th overall selection. He was picked up by the Minnesota Twins as a Rule 5 player this offseason and immediately traded to San Francisco. With the Giants, he has developed quickly and flourished occasionally.“I’ve just got to go prove it now,” Susac said. “I think when they took me in the Rule 5, the biggest goal of mine was to make them look right. That’s the goal every day, just to keep playing my best.”Quite simply, baseball was in his blood. He grew up attending games at the California capital's ballpark and the home of the Giants' Triple-A affiliate. And to top it all off, his older brother Andrew was also a Major League player. Susas acknowledged that it was a bit surreal playing in the ballpark where he grew up rooting for his local team as a kid.— Kevin John (@heykevinjohn) May 17, 2026“It’s definitely an interesting scenario,” he commented. “I never thought when I was a kid, going to River Cats games for my birthday parties, that it would be hosting big league games. But it’s pretty cool to see.”Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow