Mets' Kevin Parada: Reports to camp in better shape
Rotowire
Parada improved his diet and his fitness during the offseason and lost 15 pounds, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
The 11th overall pick in the 2022 Draft, Parada has seen his prospect status tumble quickly as the offensive upside he showed in college at Georgia Tech hasn't materialized in the pros. The 23-year-old slashed a meager .214/.304/.359 with 13 homers in 114 games at Double-A Binghamton last year, and his defensive work behind the plate isn't strong enough to get him to the majors on its own. A more athletic Parada should post better hitting numbers in the high minors, but he's got a long way to go to represent any sort of challenge to Francisco Alvarez on the Mets' roster.
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Mets' Kevin Parada: Headed to AFL
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Parada will play in the Arizona Fall League this October, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra of MLB.com report.
The 22-year-old backstop will headline the Mets' contingent at this year's AFL after slashing .265/.340/.447 through 87 games at High-A Brooklyn in 2023, although he stumbled to a .185/.250/.389 line during a 14-game stint in Double-A to close out the season. Parada has Francisco Alvarez blocking his path to a big-league starting job in Queens, but neither player is a defensive standout -- whichever one improves behind the plate the most over the next couple years could end up being the team's long-term answer at catcher.
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Mets' Kevin Parada: Back in action for Brooklyn
Rotowire
Parada (ankle) has gone 5-for-24 with a home run, two doubles and five RBI over five games for High-A Brooklyn since being reinstated from the 7-day injured list Aug. 21.
Parada missed just under a month of action for Brooklyn due to a right ankle sprain before being cleared to rejoin the Mets' High-A affiliate following a four-game rehab assignment at Single-A St. Lucie. Though Francisco Alvarez looks to be the Mets' catcher of the present and future, the implementation of the universal designated hitter should create room for both Alvarez and Parada to eventually coexist on the big-league roster. Parada could still use some defensive refinement and is likely at least a couple years away from reaching the majors, however.
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Mets' Kevin Parada: Making strides at High-A
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Parada is slashing .309/.377/.507 with five home runs and a 23.8 percent strikeout rate over his last 35 games for High-A Brooklyn.
Parada got off to a bit of a slow start in his Sally League debut, but he has been meeting expectations at the plate over the past several weeks. He has only gotten starts at catcher and designated hitter and projects to eventually split the catching duties with Francisco Alvarez. A second-half promotion to Double-A is likely in the cards for Parada.
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Mets' Kevin Parada: Will begin 2023 in High-A
Rotowire
Parada will begin the 2023 season with High-A Brooklyn, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
After being drafted 11th overall in 2022, Parada got off to a hot start, slashing .275/.455/.425 over 55 plate appearances in rookie and Single-A ball. He's a known power hitter and has shown signs of defensive improvement over the offseason, which could allow him to quickly rise through the Mets' farm system in 2023.
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Mets' Kevin Parada: Draws raves for defense
Rotowire
Parada has made significant improvement with his throwing and pitch framing since making his pro debut last year, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports.
"From what we saw last summer, his receiving and throwing needed a lot of improvement, and I've never seen a guy improve at both so much this quickly," New York farm director Kevin Howard said this week. "He looks almost big league ready in both." Parada's bat has never been in question, so if he is able to turn himself into a viable catcher defensively, his timeline to the majors could be accelerated. Francisco Alvarez remains ahead of him in the system, but Parada could still end up being the Mets' long-term answer behind the plate.
