Arizona Fall League: Scottsdale Scorpions Prospect Report

Prospect on the Rise: Kevin Kaczmarski (NYM)

Stats: .367 AVG, 9 R, HR, 8 RBI, 4 BB, 2 SB

Outside of Missouri Valley Conference baseball fans and die-hard New York Mets enthusiasts, outfielder Kevin Kaczmarski is an unknown commodity.

The 25-year old has moved through the organization, primarily, station-to-station, only skipping Short-Season Brooklyn, during his three seasons of professional baseball. He has received just one in-season promotion and has not received an MiLB award since 2015.

Again, he is an unknown commodity. But, that could soon be changing.

Kaczmarski is taking full advantage of what the Arizona Fall League has to offer by stringing together a noteworthy month of bonus baseball.

The University of Evansville product is showing visible improvements at the plate, including in hitting with runners in scoring position. Kaczmarski struggled in such a scenario with Double-A Binghamton, hitting .258 last season. Granted, it is in a small sample size; however, he is batting .444 — 8 hits in 18 at-bats — with Scottsdale.

For Kaczmarski, the area of necessary improvement resides in consistency versus left-handed pitching. In 2017, southpaws dominated and frustrated the Illinois native, ultimately, keeping him in check with a .187 mark. But, this was a year after the left-handed hitter had no issue batting.303 between Low-A Columbia and High-A St. Lucie.

In the AFL, Kaczmarski has had just 11 at-bats against left-handed pitching, so a lack of evidence remains whether he can finally solve the puzzle and cross off the weakness.