Eight-year MLB veteran Kevin Plawecki Announced his retirement on social media today. Pravik’s announcement comes shortly after the Padres released their 2025 minor league coaching staff, with Pravik listed as the coach of the club’s Arizona Comprehensive League team.
“As I close this chapter of my career, I’m excited for the future. I still know I have a lot to give to this game and it’s taught me a lot. Plawecki said in a statement. “I look forward to joining the Padres organization as a minor league player development coach this upcoming season. Thank you all for your love and support over the years! The best is yet to come! See you at a stadium near you!
The 33-year-old was drafted 35th overall by the Mets in 2012 and made his major league debut during the 2015 season. Pravik was considered a top-100 prospect when he debuted, but struggled at the major league level, posting a .211//s slash line in 121 games between 2015-16. .287/.285. His offense took a step forward over the next two seasons, and while he remained a part-time player, he slashed .225/.330/.379 with a roughly league-average 96 wRC+. Plavic’s four incomplete seasons with the Mets came to an end when he was traded to Cleveland before the 2019 season and New York acquired Walker Lockett and Sam Hagerty. Unfortunately for Plawik, he underperformed with his new club and went undrafted in the 2019-20 offseason.
This led to Plawik signing with the Red Sox before the 2020 season, which quickly proved to be the most successful year of his career. While the receiver was sidelined by a hamstring strain and COVID-19 diagnosis that limited him to 24 of the shortened 60-game schedule, Pravek is healthy and available. Played pretty well when he came on. That year, the 29-year-old posted a strong .341/.393/.463 slash line in 89 at-bats with the club, helping the team reach the ALCS. Plavic then went on to play two more seasons with the Red Sox as a backup Christian Vazquez. He had a solid 2021, but regressed in 2022, hitting just .217/.287/.287 in 60 games before being designated for assignment at the end of the year.
Pravik was drafted by the Rangers late in the 2022 season and appeared in three games for the club in what turned out to be the final three games of his major league career. The veteran bounced between the Rangers, Nationals and Padres organizations on minor league deals in 2023, then spent the entire 2024 season in the Padres’ minor league system, but in 2022 He never returned to the major leagues after that year.
We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Plawecki on a great career and wish him the best as he begins the next chapter of his life as the Padres coach.
