Henry Kaczmar (2) is met at home plate after slamming a grand slam homer this spring against Penn State. (Press Pros Feature Photos)
The Walsh Jesuit cousin duo of Mason Eckelman and Henry Kaczmar continue their family sojourn through baseball by hooking up once again as a tandem, post-draft…Kaczmar signing a free agent contract Monday with the Seattle Mariners.
So it was announced Monday by the Ohio State baseball office that shortstop, and former Walsh Jesuit standout, Henry Kaczmar will get his shot at professional baseball after all, after being skipped over in last week’s MLB draft.
In short, another story for another time, but at 23 with four years of top-of-the-food-chain college experience – and a .315 career average – Kaczmar certainly deserves a shot, and projects ahead of many younger draftees that lack his overall experience.
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All that aside, Kaczmar has signed a free agent contract to play in the Seattle Mariners organization.
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In addition, he rejoins first cousin and Ohio State catcher Mason Eckelman, who was taken in the 8th round last week by Seattle, after putting up the best numbers in his three-year career at Ohio State this past spring. Eckelman hit a career-high .304 with 8 homers and 47 RBIs, but his value as a catcher at the next level is what makes his selection nothing less than a good calculated decision by the Mariners organization.
Eckelman was named third team all-Big Ten catcher, which in my observation is a joke. The 6’1″, 220 pound Eckelman actually ‘catches’ the baseball better than most Big Ten catchers you watch, and overall, since his freshman year he’s the most-improved at his position in the conference. He’s tough, he possesses a ‘plus’ arm, his mechanics are sound, and the only knock you might hear is that he runs OK, but not great. But Johnny Bench was no race horse, either. Eckelman was, however, the top Big Ten catcher taken in the draft.
The bigger question, Ohio State-wise, was why first cousin, shortstop, and all-impact Henry Kaczmar wasn’t chosen, at least with the same projection as fellow Big Ten infielders like UCLA’s Roman Martin, who went in the 11th round to Oakland (er, Las Vegas). After playing his junior season at South Carolina, reportedly to improve his draft status against better competition, Kaczmar came back to Columbus this past spring to start all 55 games, lead the team in hits (71), doubles (26) and runs scored (50).
Mason Eckelman proved himself as the top Big Ten catcher selected in last week’s MLB draft…8th round, to Seattle.
Defensively, what he touches he converts into an out. And with rare exceptions since his freshman year, it always has. Kaczmar doesn’t cover as much ground at short as UCLA’s Roch Cholowsky (overall #1 pick to the White Sox), but it’s likely if he makes it far at the next level he won’t be a shortstop, anyway, according to scouts surveyed. He projects more as a second or third baseman.
Arm strength is a slight concern, but again, I can’t think of many throws that he didn’t make under my observation, and his accuracy was dependable. I would rate him as adequate for any infield position as a professional.
And his leadership qualities are unquestionable. Not a rah-rah guy, Kaczmar leads by his competitive example, that no one has ever doubted.
“There are things you can nit-pick,” former Ohio State coach Bill Mosiello said on first impression of him as a freshman. “But you admire his work ethic and you don’t question his competitiveness. He comes to play every day.”
Interestingly, his age may have played a factor. Born in 2003, he was draft eligible after his sophomore year in 2024, after hitting .320 with 72 hits and 53 runs scored. And according to knowing scouts, Kaczmar decided to enter the portal and transfer to South Carolina to better test himself. He hit .315 in his year as a Gamecock, but to some it created other questions. Hence he came back to Ohio State this past spring and did everything he could to answer any, and all. At season’s end he was selected all-Big Ten second team.
Projection? Kaczmar is going to make friends with farm directors and player development people at the next level for his willingness to work, do what’s necessary to help a team, and for his desire to compete. His size (5’10”, 195) may or may not be an issue…the question of range…or his arm strength? Who knows? Bottom line, if he hits .300 as a professional he’s going to play for a long time. It’s just a matter of where.
And if he has any concerns about that, he can seek the counsel of another former Buckeye, Dominic Canzone, the everyday right fielder for the Mariners (draft of 2019), who after seven years as a professional is hitting .263 with 15 homers and 4o RBIs prior to the All Star break.
The major league standard for batting average is about .244 across baseball. So yeah…if you can hit, you’ll stick.
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