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MMN Top 30 Prospects: No. 3 Kevin Parada

By John Sheridan

March 10, 2023 No comments

Kevin Parada, Photo by Ed Delany of MetsMinors

No. 3 Kevin Parada, C

B/T: R/R     Age: August 3, 2001 (21)
Ht: 6’1″       Wt: 197 lb.
ETA: 2025 Previous Rank: 3
Acquired: Drafted in the first round (11th overall) of the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft (Georgia Tech).
2022 Statistics (Low-A and FCL): .275/.455/.425 (.880 OPS), 1 HR, 8 RBI, 13 SO, 12 BB (55 plate appearances)

The New York Mets selected the California-native with their first of two first-round picks during the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft. Before the draft, Parada was a consensus, fringe top-five pick (Keith Law, MLB.com, Fangraphs, and ESPN all rated him inside the top seven). However, he miraculously fell to the Mets at 11. To ensure he signed with the team, the Mets paid $239,035 over-slot value. As a result, New York then went slightly under-slot with their second first-round pick, Jett Williams, at 14th overall.

Parada played his high school ball in California. He owned a career .367 batting average and tallied several different impressive accolades while attending a multitude of different high-level showcases. At the conclusion of his high-school career, he was the fourth-ranked catcher in the country and the sixth-ranked player in the state of California. Instead of entering the draft, where he projected to be a second-or-third-round pick, he opted to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).

In his freshman year at Georgia Tech, Parada slashed .318/.379/.550 (.929 OPS). He hit nine home runs and tallied 20 doubles which resulted in 42 RBIs. His 70 hits as a freshman was second on the team. As a result of his performances, he was named to the 2021 Freshman All-American team, 2021 Freshman All-ACC team, and 2021 Third-Team All-ACC team.

The next season was when Parada really exploded. He slashed an absurd .361/.453/.709 (1.162 OPS), while tallying 26 home runs and 88 RBIs across 258 at-bats. Though, what may have been the most impressive is Parada walked almost as much as he struck out – 30 walks to 32 strikeouts.

By season’s end, he led the best offense in the ACC and, as a result, was an Unanimous First-Team All-American. The six-foot-one backstop was also recognized as the nation’s best catcher via the Buster Posey Award (formerly known as the Johnny Bench Award).

After his aforementioned terrific sophomore season, Parada was drafted, then sent to the Florida Complex League, where he got 14 plate appearances (three hits, two walks). After a short stint in the FCL, he was assigned to St. Lucie (Low-A), where he slashed an impressive .276/.463/.414 (.877 OPS). Parada walked 10 times compared to 12 strikeouts and totaled eight hits before season’s end. Coincidentally enough, St. Lucie went on to win the league title.

Parada, who is currently in camp with the Mets as a non-roster invitee, is expected to report to High-A Brooklyn to begin the season.

Parada is currently ranked inside MLB Pipeline‘s Top-100 prospects at 36th overall. He is the third-highest ranked catcher behind the Mets’ Francisco Álvarez (third) and the Dodgers’ Diego Cartaya (14th). Here is how MLB Pipeline currently grades him:

  • Hit: 60
  • Power: 60
  • Run: 40
  • Arm: 45
  • Field: 50
  • Overall: 55

For context, 40 is regarded as below average, 50 average, and 60 is above average.

When it is all said and done, Parada appears to be someone who will be able to hit for both average and power. He projects out to be a 25-plus home run-a-season-caliber catcher who can hit at least .280-plus, as well. Add in the fact he already has a strong eye at the plate, there is a real chance he can develop into one of the better hitting catchers in the game. Simply put, he has all the tools you look for in a young, stud-offensive prospect.

As is the case of a lot of young catchers, there are some question marks defensively. He struggled at points with his arm strength at Georgia Tech, specifically with throwing runners out. There is certainly work to be done there, but given how strong he will likely be offensively, average defense – which he will be capable of – will more than get the job done.

Of course, the elephant in the room is how does Parada fit with the best catching, and arguably overall prospect in the game, Francisco Álvarez, already a part of the Mets’ system? The Mets took the right approach in the draft of taking the best player available. Having Álvarez in the system rightfully didn’t dissuade New York from taking an arguably top-five talent in Parada at 11th overall.

At the end of the day, it is a good problem to have as an organization. Since 2008, the Mets have had a rough go of it at the catcher position. Now, they have two of the top three prospects at the position in the game.

Parada, specifically, will be an exciting guy to keep an eye on this year. His already professional-level presence at the plate, combined with his bat-to-ball skills, and raw power he flexed his last year of college, paints an intriguing picture for one of the Mets’ best prospects.