Kevin Plawecki

Purdue is steaming toward its first Big Ten Conference regular-season championship in 103 years, thanks in large part to Plawecki, an offensive-minded catcher with enough defensive savvy to make it to the majors as a regular behind the plate. Plawecki has a mature approach, focusing on staying inside the ball and driving it back up the middle. Scouts marvel at his ability to make contact, as he has struck out just 28 times in 154 games over three seasons with the Boilermakers. A 6-foot-1, 215-pound righthanded hitter, he could develop average power once learns to backspin balls and turn on pitches. Defensively, Plawecki has fringe arm strength that plays up thanks to a quick release, and he has thrown out 40 percent of basestealers while making just one error this spring. He throws from a low three-quarters slot that costs him velocity and accuracy, and he developed a tired arm when he used a more traditional release point. He's an efficient receiver who calls his own pitches and takes charge of his pitching staff. Add it all up, and Plawecki draws comparisons to a righthanded-hitting version of A.J. Pierzynski.