Boston Red Sox early surprise performances from 2020 spring training
By Sean Penney
Catcher is one of the most interesting position battles in camp this year. Vazquez has the starting role locked up on the heels of his breakout season but the role of his backup is up for grabs.
Kevin Plawecki has taken an early lead in this race by going 5-for-10 with three walks in 13 plate appearances. He hasn’t recorded an extra-base hit and nothing about his history suggests that more power is on the horizon. A solid defensive catcher who isn’t a liability at the plate is all the Red Sox can hope for from their backup and that’s what Plawecki is giving them so far.
Jonathan Lucroy has far more upside but the former All-Star is off to a rough start, hitting .154 with a .497 OPS. A neck injury was blamed for his dwindling production in recent years and the surgery he had to rectify the issue was supposed to lead to a bounce-back year. There’s no signs of that happening yet. Lucroy is in camp on a minor league deal so the Red Sox may cut bait if he doesn’t improve.
Connor Wong is probably a year or two away since he’s never played above Double-A but he has showcased his raw power with a pair of home runs this spring. The best catching prospect in the Red Sox farm system will put himself on the radar for 2021 with a strong season.