Boston Red Sox / Boilermakers in Pro Ball / Plawecki at MLB.com
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball alumnus and 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year Kevin Plawecki has reportedly agreed to sign with the Boston Red Sox, keeping the catcher in the American League for his sixth season at the big league level.
Plawecki makes the move to Boston after playing in 59 games and catching 418 innings for the Cleveland Indians in 2019. He and fellow Boilermaker Nick Wittgren helped Cleveland win 93 games, the most of any non-MLB postseason qualifier of the decade. They were the first Boilermakers to be teammates at the big league level since 1965.
The Boston Globe reported Plawecki's deal with the Red Sox is a one-year major league contract, which means he would be guaranteed a spot on Boston's 40-man roster. MLB's active rosters also are expanding to 26 players for the 2020 season. Plawecki is arbitration-eligible again following the 2020 campaign.
Cleveland opted not to tender a contract offer to Plawecki after acquiring catcher Sandy León in a trade with the Red Sox in November. Plawecki now essentially replaces León on Boston's roster. Plawecki registered 13 extra-base hits and 17 RBI while striking out just 31 times in 174 plate appearances for Cleveland. Defensively, he enjoyed another strong season, ranking 13th among 113 catchers in Baseball Prospectus' fielding runs above average metric. He threw out seven base stealers in 31 opportunities and was charged with just one passed ball in the 418 innings. His strikeout rate at the plate was the best of his MLB career. He also pitched in relief twice, working a pair of 1-2-3 innings, and has now made four career appearances on the mound.
Plawecki was selected 35th overall by the New York Mets in the 2012 MLB Draft after leading Purdue to a program-record 45 wins and a Big Ten title. He was the first of a program-record seven Boilermakers drafted that year. Plawecki made his MLB debut in April 2015, playing in 237 games over four seasons (2015-18) with the Mets. The 2012 Purdue Male Athlete of the Year was traded to the Indians on Jan. 6, 2019.
Plawecki was back on campus in January of last year for a unique day-night doubleheader. Before serving as the featured speaker at baseball's inaugural First Pitch Dinner in Holloway Gymnasium, he was in attendance at Mackey Arena as men's basketball defeated rival Indiana. During his college career (2010-12), Plawecki helped lead Purdue to a 7-1 record vs. the Hoosiers.
With Josh Lindblom (2007-08) signing a three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers last month and Wittgren (2011-12) in line to remain a key part of the Indians bullpen, the Boilermakers are projected to have three alumni in the big leagues during the 2020 season.
RED SOX NOTABLE SERIES OF 2020
• April 17-20 vs. Cleveland Indians
• June 1-3 at Cleveland Indians
• June 5-7 vs. Milwaukee Brewers
• June 19-21 at Chicago Cubs
• Aug. 25-27 at Chicago White Sox
• Sept. 15-16 at Cincinnati Reds
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue baseball alumnus and 2012 Big Ten Player of the Year Kevin Plawecki has reportedly agreed to sign with the Boston Red Sox, keeping the catcher in the American League for his sixth season at the big league level.
Plawecki makes the move to Boston after playing in 59 games and catching 418 innings for the Cleveland Indians in 2019. He and fellow Boilermaker Nick Wittgren helped Cleveland win 93 games, the most of any non-MLB postseason qualifier of the decade. They were the first Boilermakers to be teammates at the big league level since 1965.
The Boston Globe reported Plawecki's deal with the Red Sox is a one-year major league contract, which means he would be guaranteed a spot on Boston's 40-man roster. MLB's active rosters also are expanding to 26 players for the 2020 season. Plawecki is arbitration-eligible again following the 2020 campaign.
Cleveland opted not to tender a contract offer to Plawecki after acquiring catcher Sandy León in a trade with the Red Sox in November. Plawecki now essentially replaces León on Boston's roster. Plawecki registered 13 extra-base hits and 17 RBI while striking out just 31 times in 174 plate appearances for Cleveland. Defensively, he enjoyed another strong season, ranking 13th among 113 catchers in Baseball Prospectus' fielding runs above average metric. He threw out seven base stealers in 31 opportunities and was charged with just one passed ball in the 418 innings. His strikeout rate at the plate was the best of his MLB career. He also pitched in relief twice, working a pair of 1-2-3 innings, and has now made four career appearances on the mound.
Plawecki was selected 35th overall by the New York Mets in the 2012 MLB Draft after leading Purdue to a program-record 45 wins and a Big Ten title. He was the first of a program-record seven Boilermakers drafted that year. Plawecki made his MLB debut in April 2015, playing in 237 games over four seasons (2015-18) with the Mets. The 2012 Purdue Male Athlete of the Year was traded to the Indians on Jan. 6, 2019.
Plawecki was back on campus in January of last year for a unique day-night doubleheader. Before serving as the featured speaker at baseball's inaugural First Pitch Dinner in Holloway Gymnasium, he was in attendance at Mackey Arena as men's basketball defeated rival Indiana. During his college career (2010-12), Plawecki helped lead Purdue to a 7-1 record vs. the Hoosiers.
With Josh Lindblom (2007-08) signing a three-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers last month and Wittgren (2011-12) in line to remain a key part of the Indians bullpen, the Boilermakers are projected to have three alumni in the big leagues during the 2020 season.
RED SOX NOTABLE SERIES OF 2020
• April 17-20 vs. Cleveland Indians
• June 1-3 at Cleveland Indians
• June 5-7 vs. Milwaukee Brewers
• June 19-21 at Chicago Cubs
• Aug. 25-27 at Chicago White Sox
• Sept. 15-16 at Cincinnati Reds