Scivique Emerges As Quiet Leader

LAKELAND, Fla.—Every organization wishes it had more depth at catcher. The Tigers think they’ve found a good young one in Kade Scivicque.

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The Tigers drafted Scivicque out of Louisiana State in the fourth round of the 2015 draft. He carried a good-sized workload for low Class A West Michigan last year as the Whitecaps made their way to the Midwest League championship.

Scivicque hit .269/.333/.381 with five home runs and 18 RBIs in 51 games, most of them with West Michigan.

“He really looks like he’s a bulldog-type kid,” said farm director Dave Owen of Scivicque, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 223 pounds. “He handles the pitching staff. Really, he has a lot of things that you like to see in young catchers and has the ability, so far, to really barrel up balls.”

The 23-year-old Scivicque has good leadership abilities, but he’s not as boisterous as some catchers, Owen said.

“He’s a quiet guy,” he said. “He leads by example.”

Scivicque threw out 50 percent of the 46 basestealers to test him in 2015. During two seasons at LSU, he threw out 29 of 51 runners (57 percent) and was one of three finalists for the Johnny Bench Award, given to the nation’s outstanding collegiate catcher, as a senior.

Scivicque worked with Tigers bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer and minor league roving catching coordinator Joe DePastino in big league camp this spring.

“His defense is a work in progress, but he catches well and receives well,” Owen said. “He’s working on his footwork with Joe D. and Mick in big league camp.

“He’s a very good student of the game, so we expect him to pick those things up and be able to apply them to his game.”

TIGER TALES

• Non-roster righthanders Logan Kensing and Lendy Castillo—battling for the final spot on the pitching staff—pitched two innings each Thursday against the Yankees. Journeyman Kensing did not allow a run, but Castillo, a former shortstop, gave up a two-run homer to Austin Romine, brother of the Tigers’ Andrew.

Castillo was reassigned Friday morning.