Profile:
Class: Junior
Age: 21
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 215
- Hit .365/.454/.567 as a junior with 20 doubles and 6 homers.
- Does not have a single plus-plus tool but does everything well enough to make him an attractive draft prospect.
- One of the toughest hitters to strike out in all of Division I.
- Calls his own games (rare for college catchers).
- Good CS% despite a below-average arm.
- Walks a lot and does not strike out much.
- Good receiver, good game caller, receives some "plus" ratings from scouts defensively.
- A lot of experts consider him the best catching prospect after Mike Zunino.
Low-quality video of Kevin taking batting practice at Fenway: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUnsM5pIxoQ
Quick scouting report: http://mlbdraftcountdown.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/kevin-plawecki-c-purdue/
Baseball America on Kevin: "an offensive-minded catcher with enough defensive savvy to make it to the majors as a regular behind the plate. Plawecki has a mature approach, focusing on staying inside the ball and driving it back up the middle. Scouts marvel at his ability to make contact, as he has struck out just 28 times in 154 games over three seasons with the Boilermakers. A 6-foot-1, 215-pound righthanded hitter, he could develop average power once learns to backspin balls and turn on pitches. Defensively, Plawecki has fringe arm strength that plays up thanks to a quick release, and he has thrown out 40 percent of basestealers while making just one error this spring. He throws from a low three-quarters slot that costs him velocity and accuracy, and he developed a tired arm when he used a more traditional release point. He’s an efficient receiver who calls his own pitches and takes charge of his pitching staff. Add it all up, and Plawecki draws comparisons to a righthanded-hitting version of A.J. Pierzynski."
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Next up for Kevin Plawecki: An assignment somewhere in the New York Mets minor league system.
The Purdue catcher and former Westfield High School standout said today that he’s already reached an agreement with the Mets on a contract and expects to sign it in the next few days. The Mets selected Plawecki with the 35th pick in the major league amateur draft on Monday night.
“Kevin is what we feel is the best catcher in the draft, especially the best defensive catcher,” Mets scouting director Tommy Tanous told mlb.com. “He’s a really interesting player offensively. He does not strike out, yet he has a mix of power. We think this is a guy that is going to be really special both offensively and defensively.”
Plawecki led Purdue to just its second NCAA Tournament appearance in program history while hitting .359 with seven home runs and 47 RBIs. He had an on-base percentage of .445 and struck out just eight times in 223 at-bats, an exceptionally low rate for a power hitter. - link
42 comments:
Not bad....decent receiver will need some work. VERY HARD to strike out.
Ack. Too much talent on the board for them to pick for need. I don't like it.
They drafted a josh thole clone? Huh?
There are a lot of similarities to Josh Thole but could be a better defender. A lot to like about this pick as well, even though I had my heart set on Jankowski.
Seems much more like a Blake Forsythe clone. All you can do is laugh..
are you kidding me contact catcher little pop Midwest guy just drafted the right handed Thole. NUMBER ONE HS arm (healthy) best HS power hitter and perhaps highest upside LHP all on board. They screwed this draft up as poor a job as could be. And I am a high Sandy guy
I think Mets fans are jaded because of the former drafting strategies. A lot of people considered this guy the best catching prospect after Zunino.
While I would have taken Courtney Hawkins and Matt Smoral with pick 1 and 1s, I am far from disappointed from the outcome tonight.
Plawecki will be better than Forsythe.
DRAFT THE TWO best HS pitchers and take twenty senior catchers this sucks nice comp for Jose
Two safe picks...nothing to be excited about...sorry, but true. where's the power? Where's the velocity? how about picking someone that'll take some cash to sign? yes, thebSS the mets grabbed is a great player, but nothing like Hawkins. for a team that is going to build through the draft and stop spending on free agents, they needed to aim a touch higher here. I think they're pinching pennies here. And yes, I understand that the mets picked a superb player in the first round. I just like who they didn't pick better. This catcher is the compensation the mets got for loosing Reyes...its a gift pick, so aim HIGH!
not good picks .... basura.... I was expecting lots more from this day METS draft. poor poor.
why not HAWKING-SMORAL OR GIOLITO-McCULLERS also Dahl, Stroman, Roache, Trahan, Berrios, Coulter, Wacha?
Quick question Stephen, why reach so far for this kid when it was pretty much of a sure thing he would have been around for their next pick? I'm no draft expert but I have never seen this kid on any mock draft within the 1st or supplemental round. Even if he was taken Nelson Rodriguez would have probably been around for the Met's later picks and i've seen that kid personally and he seems like he has a ton of potential. This draft just seems like a let down. So much more potential at both picks. Not so upset about Gavin, he seems like a decent pick just much rather have had Lucas or Hawkins and this last pick made no sense. Both kids seem like they are going close to or under the slot, given at both picks, do you think the Mets planning to go overslot for someone because so far their strategy makes no sense
where is he rankedbthe second best catcher after zinno?
There is no rankings I've seen that resemble that at all BS
Long time waiting for this. Very disapointed.
2 low ceiling guys... at less take one high and one low.
Are you talking about reaching for Cecchini?
I don't think either are too much of a reach and both could/should sign for slot or under. No, they're not the sexiest picks and the upside might be limited when it comes to Plawecki but I can't complain. Smoral's been hurt, Hawkins could be demanding too much money...there is a lot we don't know.
I do know one thing--the Mets held a private workout with Cecchini and scouted him extensively and love his make-up. They made the pick because they believe he, in the long run, will be better than any other player they could have taken, given the situation (who was there, who would sign, what they'd cost...etc)
Thank Goodness the Mets themselves are playing great ball right now....really think Minaya had better drafts...really. ....... ......yes, really. And I don't think its too early to say that. The new rules mean that they'll be zero phillip evans type picks....needed to make this count. This Josh Thole clone pick sucks....hey Mack....A Vineyard? WE ALREADY HAVE A JOSH THOLE. WE NEEDED ANOTHER DUDA. A FRIGGING DUDA!!! OR A NIESE. Question, when are they going to find a knuckle baller to pick?
Anon,
"Aside from Mike Zunino, there isn’t much to get excited about when looking at the crop of college catchers. The second tier (Zunino is the sole member of the first) is comprised of a group that is spearheaded by Purdue backstop Kevin Plawecki, arguably the top performer this season after the Gators highly regarded catcher"
-- MLB Draft Countdown (linked in the article and one of the most reputable sources covering the draft).
The Padres seem to have done very well for themselves today: Fried, Elfin, Jankowski, Weikel. Nice haul, from what I've read about these kids.
I would kill for that selection. Those are four of my all around favorites in the draft.
Astros picked Correa- McCullens and the NYMETS Cecchini and Plawecki.
WHY????????
And where does minaya work again? Oh, yeah, san diego. ouch! Well, time will tell. I wasn't too excited about last years draft either, but was converted over time. We must take solace in knowing the mets front office guys are extremely bright and live for this day. Hopefully they have outsmarted us all....except for stephen, who seems oddly at peace with their picks tonight. I'll trust them and stephen over myself. Just can't understand picking a Thole clone when we already have thole. Doesn't strike out, walks alot. seems like a DePo moneyball pick.
I'm at peace with the picks because Cecchini was probably my #3 guy on the board we could have taken after Hawkins and Stroman. Stroman may never be a starter so Cecchini was one of the best picks in my eyes at #12.
As far as Plawecki, I would have preferred Smoral or Jankowski there but we BADLY need catching prospects in the system and Plawecki does enough right to make me believe he will be a major league player. Buster Posey? Probably not. But gets comps to a right-handed A.J. Pierzynski and that's good.
Look, these guys making the decisions know more than we do and while we might not get the flashy guys we all wanted, these were two VERY solid picks who have high chances of signing and at or under slot. A lot has to be said for that, if that makes any sense.
THIS DRAFT SUCKED A LOT!
I disagree. This is much better than the '08 draft and many in the Minaya era. We got a high-upside MI guy in Cecchini and a much-needed catcher. What's not to like?
Stephen. what do you expect in the next 9 rounds? bats or pitchers, hs or college. Thanks.
Stephen-
Sold or under matters in only two cases
* you draft and use the extra alotment to sign higher celling harder signs
* you simply don't spend the money
as fans lets agree we hope its not putting the money back in the owners pockets.
the first scenario ia becoming less likely as the guys who have fallen have mostly come ofbthe boards you may be right ofbthe grab the highest celling picks with their second rd picks if not I assume that even you have to retract your assments that incl joy for getting reasonable priced picks assuming your nova wilpon
Luis, Thanks for the question.
Last year the Mets went with college arms in the middle rounds and I expect they will go the college route again (with more bats mixed in this time) while taking the occasional raw high school athlete.
Some players I like in rounds 2-5: Mathisen, McGruder, Kivlehan, Rock Rucker, Raph Rhymes, Richie Martin.
Anon, I cannot rule out your option 2 beyond a doubt but I think it is a stretch. A big stretch. This is two picks deep. You may see two safe, under-slot picks but we have 10 more picks by the end of round 10. With a few extra thousand dollars, potentially, the Mets could go DOUBLE the slot recommendation for a number of picks in the middle rounds. THAT is how you build a well-balanced draft.
Look...we're two picks into this thing. Both picks were solid. You guys wanted who? McCullers? Not signing. Giolito? Not signing. Smoral? Probably not either. The Mets got two guys who will and probably saved some money for later picks as well. Was it safe? Yes. Was there better talent on the board? Yes. But it was a strategic and intelligent approach and one that will pay off.
I could've drafted Courtney Hawkins and Joey Gallo/Travis jankowski/piscotty for par slot and much better talent haul. They played it cheap safe and according to their position needs.
You could not have drafted Hawkins and Gallo at slot. There is a lot of thought that Gallo is going to go to college and you would probably have to go half a million OVER to get him at 35. Jankowski and Piscotty you could get for slot. Hawkins you cannot. C-Hawk will command a few hundred thousand over. The claim that you could magically accomplish getting these players for less money than they want is absurd.
And why is Plawecki conservative in some conspiracy penny-pinching theory by the Wilpons but Piscotty wouldn't be? We need catchers in the system. He's a good catcher. I think the Mets would have taken Coulter if he were available there but he wasn't. Had he been, would you still be complaining at the safe picks? Just because Plawicki is a college player does not mean he lacks upside, you know.
I'm very happy with these picks. Sure Smoral was my dream at 35 but I have a feeling he isn't signing. A good catcher, hell, ANY catcher with potential in our system at this point is a necessity. Cecchini looks like a solid pick and there seem to be so many more question marks than were initially reported. So, all things accounted for, very solid draft that could pay dividends for the Mets.
Right, that makes a ton of sense, why would COurtney Hawkins visit the draft if he planned on going to college? He COULDVE BEEN HAD EASILY AT 2.2 MILLION. If you want Cecchini at 2 million, that is your opinion. I think 200K shouldnt result in such a dropoff of talent level!
To be fair, Hawkins has a lot of holes in his game as well, like his ability to hit for average. He has average to slight above average speed, good, not great defensive tools. He has amazing power but the rest of his game really needs to be refined. Both have question marks. Cecchini is a little safer, while Hawkins has much bigger upside.
Anon1, I agree. With the new CBA, we just have no idea what happened in those draft rooms. The Mets had a lot of contact with Cecchini and got what I believe is a likely sign there. And yes, any catcher in the system is good.
Anon2, I do not think Hawkins intends to go to college but I also believe he will demand slot+ to sign. He has LEVERAGE. I spoke with Courtney personally and he was thrilled with his Texas visit and has a good relationship with the coach. He could tell the White Sox that he has a number and is going to Texas unless he gets it. While Cecchini has a commitment to Ole Miss, he wants to follow in his brothers footsteps and go pro, and he will.
Lastly, you see a large dropoff in talent between the two. While I wanted Hawkins more as well, we are not pro scouts. The Mets obviously saw something with Cecchini...the contact ability, ability to take a walk, and speed are all superior to Hawkins. Accept the pick and wait to see. Follow the two closely and see who does better. I'll bet good money that Cecchini ends up being much better than you (and the average Mets fan) believe he will be.
I mean who else in the Mets system really has the skillet to play a good defensive shortstop and bat leadoff? Not many, if any at all.
Agreed. Tovar is in there but he's raw and has a long ways to go. I don't consider Valdespin or Havens prospects of any kind anymore, Flores already moved off of SS to 3rd and Muno's suspended. It's really just Philip Evans. Mets need hitters and up-the-middle talent.
Its called picking Courtney Hawkins and then Tanner Rahier. And I can tell you I am pretty dam sure Hawkins will turn about to be a better player than Cecchini. I want a high ceiling impact player at 12, I don't know about you Stephen. I have nothing against the kid, he seems very polite and hardworking, but he simply doesn't have a high ceiling which scouts and gurus like Keith Law, Jim Callis, Kevin Goldstein know very well about.
Callis, Law, Goldstein, as well as Sickels all had Cecchini in the 10-20 range so what point are you trying to make?
Hawkins comes with risk--he has a long swing, will strike out a lot, and might have to move off of center to a corner spot. Power is plus but Cecchini has more tools, will stick at a position up the middle, and all signs point to him being an above average shortstop. I am not convinced, like you are, that Hawkins is hands-down better. I already said I would have taken him too but you just do not know what happened in those draft rooms and what communication the teams have had with players about signing. You can continue to whine about his pick but it was a good one. Better, imo than the Nimmo selection last year and Nimmo's looked pretty damn good so far.
morning...
is it Draft Day yet?
Seriously, regardong Nimmo, he has basically impressed no one in camp and has pissed off many. Stephen, it was a bad pick even if he goes to the HOF. You don't take chances with that kind of money.
So far, IMO, this draft is MEH... I would have picked Hawkins and Smoral or Joey Gallo
mack -
can you go into detail on Nimmo?
Are his tools already recognized as being least than thought internaly, how has he pissed everyone off- thought he had plus makeup and was good student?
what I'm told - hasn't made many friends - Bryce Harper attitude with no bat in camp - needs to shut up and show us what he has
where is he rankedbthe second best catcher after zinno? There is no rankings I've seen that resemble that at all BS
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