NL Scout Says Plawecki 'Could Be Even Better Than D'Arnaud'
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Catcher Kevin Plawecki has been called up from Triple-A Las Vegas to replace Travis d'Arnaud, who suffered a fractured hand during Sunday's win over Miami.
D'Arnaud, who was off to a blazing start, was placed on the 15-day disabled list and will miss at least three weeks of action.
Plawecki, 24, has never appeared in a major league game. But he'll start when New York opens up a three-game series against the Braves at Citi Field on Tuesday night.
"Plawecki is extremely talented, and I think he could be even better than d'Arnaud," one National League scout told the New York Post. "He's not as ready right now, but with the right nurturing he is going to be really, really good. Without a doubt, he's a frontline catcher."
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The Carmel, Indiana native played his college ball at Purdue University and was selected in the supplemental first round (35th pick) of the 2012 MLB Draft by New York after Gavin Cecchini (No. 12 overall) went in the first round.
"I think he's going to be fine," another scout told the newspaper. "He's always done the job. He'll hit enough for a catcher. He makes contact. He may be just a bit of an upgrade defensively over d'Arnaud. Guys like to pitch to him."
Before getting called up, Plawecki played nine games for Las Vegas in 2015. He went 8-for-37 (.216) with two doubles, a triple and six RBIs.
"If he's coming, he's going to play," manager Terry Collins said, according to the Mets' official website. "Can he handle it here? We will most likely find out."
