While discussing the Sterling Award winners on Monday at Citi Field, general manager Sandy Alderson was asked how the organization would handle the potential logjam at catcher in 2015 with the emergence of Kevin Plawecki, who the front office has loved since taking him with the 35th overall pick in the 2012 draft, and incumbent catcher Travis d’Arnaud, who has been coming on strong since a mid-summer demotion to Triple-A.
Alderson minced no words. “If their potential starts to converge at the major league level, and it warrants major league time, then we’ll have to make a decision,”
Alderson added that he doesn’t see either Plawecki or d’Arnaud in a backup role which suggests that there won’t be another Duda and Davis type situation in the future.
“But in the meantime, we’re happy to have both of them. But Kevin has made a lot of progress, and obviously Travis has done well the second half of this season.”
Plawecki was also asked about how this would play out next season: “That’s a business decision. Thank God I don’t have to make it. Travis is a great friend, and he’s a great player. I can go to him if I have any questions.”
For a franchise that has struggled to develop their own starting catchers for the better part of 52 years, this is certainly a nice problem to have.
Both players have a lot in common. D’Arnaud, 25, has slightly more power while Plawecki, 23, makes more contact and is tough to strikeout. It also appears that the younger of the two is the better defender.
D’Arnaud’s recent resurgence at the plate has improved his average to .245 for the season with a .307 on-base percentage. In 408 plate appearances he’s hit 13 home runs and driven in 41 runs. If the team has any concerns with TDA’s game it’s his defense. He has an MLB leading 12 passed balls and ranks at the bottom of defensive runs saved. Additionally, he’s allowed 55 stolen bases this year while stopping only 14 for a .198 caught stealing percentage.
Plawecki had a solid season and if not for a 40 man roster logjam, was being considered for a September call-up. The Mets praise his discipline, high contact rates and low strikeout totals and view him as high-average, line drive hitter with moderate power who can spray the ball to all fields.
There’s rampant speculation in the Mets blogosphere that one of them will be dealt this offseason. But I doubt the front office would be so shortsighted as to move one without first ascertaining exactly what they have in d’Arnaud or what Plawecki can be capable of at the major league level.
