Former Red Sox Catcher Finds A New Home In National League


A favorite in the clubhouse wherever he plays, 32-year-old former Boston Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki has found a new home, signing a minor league deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

According to Rob Bradford, Plawecki will earn $1.5M if he's in the majors with the Pirates this season. He'll get an invite to major league spring training. 

Pittsburgh will have a number of other backstops at camp hoping to win a job in the majors as well. While Austin Hedges is penciled in as the starter behind the plate, Tyler Heineman and Jason Delay are the other catchers on Pittsburgh's 40-man roster, in addition to non-roster invitee Plawecki. 

In 2022, Plawecki played in a total of 63 games, hitting .220 with a .572 OPS. It was his third season with the Red Sox, though he finished the year playing in a handful of games for the Texas Rangers after Boston cut him loose. 

A former first-round pick in the 2012 MLB Draft, he has eight major league seasons under his belt, with a .235 lifetime average and a .654 OPS.

Photo: James A. Pittman-USA TODAY Sports