SAN FRANCISCO -- Bruce Bochy has a lot on his plate, but he's not too busy to keep up with a prospect who may be the future of the organization. Asked about Joey Bart's hot start with Class-A San Jose, Bochy lit up.

"You can't help but notice," he said. "I get reports. He's really playing great baseball. I talked to Billy Hayes yesterday and he said he's playing great on both sides. He's swinging the bat well but catching is where he's really shining. We've got a good one here, and he's doing what he should be doing."

Hayes, a longtime member of Bochy's big league staff, is the first-year manager in San Jose. So far he has watched Bart put up a .321/.406/.679 slash line in seven games, with two homers, two doubles, a triple and eight RBI.

What has really impressed onlookers, though, is the defense. Bart has thrown out seven of 16 runners on the bases. Bochy said Hayes told him that Bart is doing a great job with his throws.

With the big league team struggling, Bart could be a season-long point of discussion, but the Giants plan to promote him at the appropriate pace. Bochy said Bart should be on a similar pace to a young Buster Posey, and it took Posey, a similar prospect, until September of his first full season to get a look in the big leagues. He didn't become a full-time player until the following May.

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Bochy said Bart looks to be "on the fast pace" but noted that caution is needed.

"Let's give the kid some time here," he said. "But he's gotten off to a great start."