Kike Hernandez pens touching tribute to Kevin Plawecki after retirement announcement

Former Boston Red Sox catcher Kevin Plawecki announced his retirement in an Instagram post on Saturday post. In the post, Plawecki summed up his Major League experience by writing:

“There comes a time when all good things must come to an end.”

Kike Hernandez pens touching tribute to Kevin Plawecki after retirement announcement - Source: IG

Plawecki played with a number of organizations but is most remembered as a member of the Red Sox. Former teammates and friends have shown love and appreciation for the journeyman backup catcher.

One former teammate in particular, Kiké Hernández, expressed his love and appreciation on IG. Hernández wrote:

“Love you Plaw Dawg! You’re for sure gonna be a player’s coach!!”

Kike Hernandez pens touching tribute to Kevin Plawecki after retirement announcement - Source: IG

Hernández’s comments point toward Plawecki potentially turning his attention to coaching.

With baseball history filled with catchers successfully transitioning into great managers, there's a chance that fans will hear plenty more of Kevin Plawecki in the coming years.

Kevin Plawecki joins San Diego Padres minor league coaching staff

The San Diego Padres announced their minor league player development coaching staff on Friday. The announcement was part of the team’s ongoing efforts to bolster its farm system and player development. Interestingly enough, one of the names of the Padres’ minor league staff is Kevin Plawecki.

Plawecki, who has been a part of the Padres’ organizations for the last two seasons, played with the team’s AAA affiliate, the El Paso Chihuahuas.

Plawecki will join the staff as a player development instructor and is expected to work out of Peoria Sports Complex in Arizona.

The complex is part of the Padres’ rookie-level team, the ACL Padres, playing in the Arizona Complex League. Rookie-level is typically reserved for recent draft picks and international players looking to make the jump to Single-A.

With Plawecki’s addition, the Padres will look to shape a new generation of ballplayers looking to make it to the Majors. With instructors like Plawecki, there is no doubt that the next crop of ballplayers will develop in the image of one of the most respected and appreciated players in the game.

This opportunity could be the beginning of Plawecki's second baseball career. The 33-year-old could be on his way to a major league dugout sooner rather than later.