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          New York Mets

          Kevin Plawecki poised to take over behind plate

          • Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff WriterApr 19, 2015, 10:53 PM
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              Adam Rubin has covered the Mets since 2003. He's a graduate of Mepham High School on Long Island and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He joined ESPNNewYork after spending 10 years at the New York Daily News.
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          NEW YORK -- Kevin Plawecki struck out only eight times in 223 at-bats during his junior season at Purdue. That helped persuade the New York Mets to select the catcher 35th overall in the 2012 draft, with a supplemental pick obtained for losing Jose Reyes to the Miami Marlins.

          The 24-year-old Plawecki’s propensity for making contact has continued as a pro, albeit not at that unsustainable rate. In 1,230 career plate appearances as a Mets farmhand, Plawecki has produced a .367 on-base percentage and struck out a modest 129 times.

          Now, Plawecki is headed to the majors to be the Mets’ No. 1 catcher. He was pulled from Triple-A Las Vegas’ game after two at-bats Sunday and informed of the promotion.

          Plawecki and right-handed reliever Hansel Robles are being summoned from the Pacific Coast League club to replace Travis d'Arnaud and Jerry Blevins, both of whom suffered fractures in Sunday’s 7-6 win against Miami.

          This season, Plawecki is hitting .216 with six RBIs in 37 at-bats.

          He hit a combined .309 with 11 homers and 64 RBIs in 376 at-bats between Las Vegas and Double-A Binghamton in 2014. He threw out 23 percent of would-be base stealers last season.

          “He’s swinging the bat well now. He did a nice job for us in spring training,” general manager Sandy Alderson said. “We’ve got all the confidence in the world that Kevin will do a nice job us.”

          Is Plawecki ready?

          “That’s tough for me to answer,” manager Terry Collins said. “With what I saw in spring training, I thought he was going to be a very good player. I thought he handled himself very well behind the plate. Everybody that’s been around him thinks he’s going to hit. Can he handle it here? We’ll most likely find out.”

          As for his knack for avoiding strikeouts, Plawecki told ESPN.com last season: “I really don’t know how to answer the question every time I’m asked it. I just say that I like getting good pitches to hit, and I feel like I get myself in good hitter’s counts. I try not to chase and expose any weaknesses that the pitcher on the other team might be able to use against me at any point in the at-bat or in the series.

          “And with two strikes I’m just up there battling, just trying to put the ball in play -- make them get you out any way possible.”