Giants Double-A Catcher Drew Cavanaugh Focuses On Getting Better Every Day

Catcher Drew Cavanaugh is that rare player who has had four stints in Triple-A before he ever appeared at Double-A.

With the Sacramento River Cats in dire need of catching help in May of last year, Cavanaugh went from Low-A San Jose to Sacramento for six games. He also went from San Jose to Sacramento for three games in late August and early September.

The lefthanded hitter began this season with San Jose before a nine-game stretch with the River Cats that began April 29. He was promoted to High-A Eugene on June 10. A day later, the River Cats called on Cavanaugh once more, this time for five games.

Giants farm director Kyle Haines said the Sacramento pitching staff quickly learned to appreciate Cavanaugh’s work because “his intellect for the game is really high . . . Everybody there is very comfortable with him managing the game from behind the plate.”

Cavanaugh said his preparation combines the factual with the personal. He’ll look at scouting reports and video. “It would be almost idiotic not to use the stuff that they give to us,” he said. But he also makes sure to talk with each starter.

With that conversation, Cavanaugh wants to put “just a little more emphasis on the pitcher and how I can help him get to where he wants to go.”

As for Cavanaugh’s overall defensive game, Haines praised his “pitch-calling, framing, blocking, throwing . . . There’s really not a glaring weakness behind the plate.”

Cavanaugh has thrived at the plate in 2025. Through 81 games, he was slashing .271/.398/.467 with 13 home runs at four minor league levels. “He’s got a good idea for what a quality at-bat is,” Haines said.

In 362 plate appearances this season, Cavanaugh had struck out 99 times and drawn 57 walks.

The Giants’ 17th-round pick in 2023 out of Division II Florida Southern, Cavanaugh was “very a much late bloomer, so to speak,” Haines said.

Cavanaugh, 23, believes his strong 2025 stems from “not focusing so much on the results and just focusing on getting better every single day.”

Prominent Florida Southern alums to make the majors include pitchers Rob Dibble, Andy McGaffigan and Brett Tomko and outfielder Matt Joyce.