Susac starred for two seasons at Arizona before the Athletics drafted him 19th overall in 2022 and signed him for $3,531,200. Though he gradually improved his defense after turning pro and hit a career-high 18 homers in Triple-A, the A's opted not to protect him on their 40-man roster this offseason. The younger brother of former Giants catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel joined San Francisco after the Twins selected him in the Rule 5 Draft and dealt him for catching prospect Miguel Caraballo.
Susac offers plus raw power from the right side of the plate, and he has done a better job of using it the last two seasons by pulling and elevating balls more frequently. There still are questions about how much he'll be able to tap into it in the Majors because he generates his pop more with strength than bat speed and is too aggressive at the plate. The A's wanted him to tone down his approach after he posted a 41 percent chase rate in 2024, but he still swung at 40 percent of the pitches he saw outside the zone last year.
Though he's a 6-foot-4 catcher, Susac is also a former high school quarterback with some sneaky athleticism. He moves well for his size, has cleaned up his receiving and features solid arm strength. He also runs a pitching staff well, which will enhance his chances of sticking with the Giants, who have to run him through waivers and offer him back to the A's for half his $100,000 Draft price if they can't keep him on their active big league roster all year.
The younger brother of former big league catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel went 19th overall to the Athletics in the 2022 Draft after starring for two seasons at Arizona. Signed for $3,531,200, he progressed a level per season and spent 2025 at Triple-A. The A's declined to protect him on their 40-man roster afterward, and the Twins selected him in the Rule 5 Draft before dealing him to the Giants for fellow catching prospect Miguel Caraballo.
Susac's best attribute is his plus raw power from the right side of the plate, and he has done a better job of tapping into it by pulling and lifting more pitches during the last two seasons. Though he has posted respectable numbers in the Minors, there are questions about his ability to produce in the Majors because he turns his right-handed stroke loose way too often. After he posted a 41 percent chase rate in 2024, the A's wanted him to cut that down -- and he swung at 40 percent of the pitches he saw outside the zone last season.
A former high school quarterback, Susac is deceptively athletic for a 6-foot-4 catcher. He won't be a Gold Glover behind the plate but he's a better defender than he has gotten credit for. He has cleaned up his receiving, features solid arm strength and runs a pitching staff well.
Baseball is a family legacy for the Susacs. Daniel followed the footsteps of his brother, Andrew, a second-round Draft pick by the Giants in 2011, with two standout seasons at the University of Arizona that led to the A’s taking him 19th overall and signing him for just over $3.5 million in the 2022 Draft. His strong performance at High-A Lansing, hitting .303/.373/.437 with seven homers and 54 RBIs in 99 games, earned him a late August promotion to Double-A Midland.
There is some athleticism to the 6-foot-4 Susac, who was a standout dual-threat quarterback in high school. His stylish swing comes with good bat-to-ball skills and an ability to drive the ball to all fields. There is some legit raw power that was touted as an amateur that the A’s hope to see emerge as he continues his transition to pro ball.
Susac’s defensive prowess was part of the package that made him such a highly ranked catcher in his Draft class. His overall catching skills, particularly his receiving, improved as his first full season went along. Lauded for his strong arm and natural leadership characteristics, he will look to continue his impact on both sides of the diamond as he progresses through the system.
The Susac name might be familiar to baseball fans. Daniel’s brother, Andrew, was a second-round Draft pick in 2011 and reached the big leagues with the Giants. Daniel followed the family legacy, earning All-American and Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors at the University of Arizona before a 1.012 OPS as a sophomore led to the A’s taking him at No. 19 overall and signing him at the full slot bonus of just over $3.5 million in the 2022 Draft.
Susac was a standout dual-threat quarterback in high school, so he brings some athleticism along with his big 6-foot-4 frame. He has good bat-to-ball skills with legit raw power and the ability to drive the ball to all fields, which gives him the potential to impact the game on both sides of the ball.
Susac’s defensive prowess partly led to him being the second-highest ranked catcher of his Draft class. He’s agile enough behind the plate with solid receiving skills, though there is still some room for improvement. Equipped with a strong arm and lauded for his natural leadership skills in college, the A’s will look to continue his development as a backstop as he progresses through the system.
The younger brother of one-time big league catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel was a legitimate high school prospect from Northern California in 2020, but went undrafted in the five-round Draft that summer. He went on to the University of Arizona and earned freshman All-American honors, as well as being named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, before playing well for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National team over the summer. It carried over to a big 2022 season, especially at the plate -- he finished with a 1.012 OPS -- leading to his coming up in many first-round conversations and landing at No. 19 overall, where the A’s gave him a full slot bonus just over $3.5 million to sign.
Susac has the chance to be an impact player on both sides of the ball. A switch-hitter when he joined the Wildcats, he’s hit almost exclusively right-handed, which scouts thought was his better side as a prepster anyway. Big and physical, he's shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields, using the gap very well during his freshman season. There’s legitimate power to tap into as well. A former high school quarterback, he’s a better athlete and moves better than you’d think given his size.
Behind the plate, Susac’s plus arm plays well, and he’s improved his overall receiving, though there’s still work to do, enough to provide confidence that he’ll stay behind the plate long-term. The overall skillset is the reason why he was one of two catchers taken in the first round.
Jesuit High School in Sacramento has a well-deserved reputation for producing top-notch baseball talent. That includes the Phillies' Rhys Hoskins, who was a fifth-round pick after college, and Andrew Susac, who went in the 16th round out of high school before emerging as a second-round pick following his time at Oregon State. Now it's his brother's turn, with Daniel playing the same position as his sibling.
Big and physical, Susac wasn't seen much on the summer showcase circuit because he's also Jesuit's quarterback. The arm he shows off on the gridiron helps him behind the plate as well. He shows plus arm strength, though it plays down a bit right now because of a slower release. A switch-hitter who many feel is better from the right, Susac has some feel to hit and considerable raw power. He's willing to use the whole field, but he can get long with his swing and out of sync at times.
Susac was initially slated to follow in his brother's footsteps and go to Oregon State if the Draft didn't work out, but switched to Arizona because of coaching changes at OSU. Even with a lack of summer looks and a shortened spring, his considerable raw tools could make where he's committed to college a moot point.
The younger brother of one-time big league catcher Andrew Susac, Daniel was a legitimate high school prospect from Northern California in 2020, but went undrafted in the five-round Draft that summer. He went on to the University of Arizona and earned freshman All-American honors, as well as being named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, before playing well for USA Baseball’s Collegiate National team over the summer. It’s carried over to a big 2022 season, especially at the plate.
Now a Draft-eligible true sophomore, Susac has the chance to be an impact player on both sides of the ball. A switch-hitter when he joined the Wildcats, he’s hit almost exclusively right-handed, which scouts thought was his better side as a prepster anyway. Big and physical, Susac has shown the ability to drive the ball to all fields, using the gap very well during his freshman season. There’s legitimate power to tap into as well. A former high school quarterback, he’s a better athlete and moves better than you’d think given his size.
Behind the plate, Susac’s plus arm plays well, and he did show off above-average defensive skills last spring, though he wasn’t receiving quite as well in the fall. Even so, he’s one of the best college backstops in the class, cementing his place in the first round with a very strong spring.
These run values are leveraged, meaning the base/out situation at the time of the event does impact the run value (thus introducing context outside the batter's own contribution).
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift: three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about how positioning is defined here
