Niko Kavadas proving to be a potent bat for the WooSox
Since the Red Sox drafted Niko Kavadas in 2021, the former Notre Dame product has made headlines with his power. That helped him move quickly through the system into the heart of the WooSox order. Through the first few weeks of the 2024 campaign, Kavadas has been stellar at the plate, one call from the majors.
In 28 games, the South Bend native has posted a .294 batting average and driven in 21 runs. He has terrorized opposing pitchers with his power, adding 16 extra-base hits to his resume. His play has been an encouraging sign after struggling in Worcester last season.
Following an impressive start to the season during the 2023 campaign in Portland, Kavadas was promoted to Triple-A. In 48 games, he added seven home runs to his resume but posted a .209 batting average. While he showed flashes of being a run producer, the former 11th-round pick saw his strikeout numbers increase. However, so far this season, that has not been the case.
Through 85 plate appearances, the talented 25-year-old has struck out 32 times and drawn 20 walks. His ability to limit strikeouts and put the ball in play has made it hard for WooSox manager Chad Tracy to take Kavadas out of the lineup. Since the calendar flipped to May, he has taken his game to another level with a .296 batting average.
While Kavadas has improved with each game, his play has been hard to ignore. In the minors, his power has never been a question, but now he is getting on base at a high rate. That is an encouraging sign, with the Red Sox's first base depth being tested. At the moment, Dominic Smith, who has struggled at the plate, has gotten the majority of the playing time with Triston Casas on the 60-day injured list.
As the games pile up, Kavadas is a prospect that could push for a promotion. He would give Alex Cora another dangerous bat in a lineup that already includes Rafael Devers and home run machine Tyler O'Neill. However, for the moment, Kavadas is focusing on crushing Triple-A pitching until his opportunity comes.
“Only 32 times”… um, that’s a 37.6% clip. Doesn’t seem like an “only”