With the 11th overall selection, the New York Mets select Catcher Kevin Parada of Georgia Tech.
When you think of Kevin Parada, you think of a powerful hitter. Yet, despite his strength, there’s an awkwardness to him, almost like he doesn’t like hitting at all. He holds his bat over his shoulder like it’s a burden, or rather a golf club, but when he does swing, he shows off his quick wrists. While he’s a catcher for now, scouts suggest it may be best to move him to another position as he grows, especially considering the fact that the Mets already have suburb catching prospect Francisco Álvarez in the minors.
As one of the best hitters in college, Parada tied for 6th in his D1 with 26 homers while his walks almost identically match his strikeout numbers, 32:3- K:BB. Despite being known for his power, he’s not just brute strength, as his pitch recognition almost comes at ease as he’s able to quickly make adjustments on the fly and throughout the season. What’s unfortunate about his strength is that it doesn’t translate to his throwing. He has somewhat of a weak arm, it’s good enough, however there’s work to be done.
Compared to a year ago, the Mets prospect pool has grown substantially since then and Parada will fit in well with the organization.
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