Giants Rookie Catcher Makes Rare MLB Debut History

Daniel Susac joins elite company with his 3-hit, 1-walk performance in first game.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 10:55am by Ben Kaplan

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball catcher in motion, with sharp planes of color and overlapping shapes conveying the excitement and significance of the historic debut.A cubist interpretation of a young catcher's historic debut, capturing the dynamic energy and multiple perspectives of the moment.San Francisco Today

In his MLB debut, 24-year-old San Francisco Giants catcher Daniel Susac went 3-for-3 with a walk, becoming the first catcher to achieve those stats in a debut since Hall of Famer Mike Piazza in 1992. Susac, a first-round pick by the Athletics in 2022 who was traded to the Giants this offseason, is the latest in a line of brother duos to each record a hit in their first MLB plate appearance.

Why it matters

Susac's historic debut performance highlights the high expectations surrounding the young catcher, who was a highly touted prospect but was traded away by the Athletics after a strong 2025 season in the minors. His success could earn him more playing time alongside the Giants' current starting catcher, Patrick Bailey, and signals the potential for an exciting new era behind the plate for San Francisco.

The details

In his first MLB at-bat, Susac lined a single to left field on the first pitch he saw from Mets pitcher David Peterson. He would go on to finish the game 3-for-3 with a walk, becoming the first catcher to achieve those stats in a debut since Mike Piazza in 1992. Susac is also part of a rare brother duo, joining the Ramos, Contreras, Solano, and Valaika siblings as the sixth pair where each recorded a hit in their first MLB plate appearance.

  • Daniel Susac made his MLB debut on April 3, 2026.

The players

Daniel Susac

A 24-year-old catcher for the San Francisco Giants, who was a first-round draft pick by the Athletics in 2022 and was traded to the Giants this offseason.

Mike Piazza

A Hall of Fame catcher who last accomplished the feat of a 3-hit, 1-walk debut in 1992.

Andrew Susac

Daniel Susac's brother, who also recorded a hit in his first MLB plate appearance in 2014.

Patrick Bailey

The Giants' current starting catcher, whose strong defensive skills have him entrenched in the role.

David Peterson

The Mets pitcher who gave up Daniel Susac's first MLB hit.

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What they’re saying

“Daniel and Andrew (2014) Susac are the 6th brother duo to each record a hit in their 1st MLB PA, since 1961, joining: Henry (2021) & Heliot (2022) Ramos, Willson (2016) & William (2020) Contreras, Jhonatan (2012) & Donovan (2012) Solano, Chris (2010) & Pat (2016) Valaika, Mickey...”

— Sarah Langs, Sports Journalist

What’s next

The Giants will have to decide how to balance playing time between Daniel Susac and Patrick Bailey, their current starting catcher, as Susac looks to build on his historic debut performance.

The takeaway

Daniel Susac's standout debut showcases the Giants' impressive pipeline of young catching talent, and the team will need to carefully manage the playing time between Susac and Bailey to maximize the potential of both players and position the franchise for long-term success behind the plate.