Francisco Alvarez set to become MLB's youngest player

Mets GM Billy Eppler hinted in August that calling up top prospect Francisco Alvarez could be an option late in the season. That day has arrived. Alvarez will join the Mets in Atlanta for a critical series that could decide the National League East, and he'll be an option in the postseason as well.

That's a tough task for any new arrival to the majors, but Alvarez's situation is unique. He is now the only 20-year-old on an active major-league roster. 

Born in November 2001, Alvarez was younger than most competition in the minors but performed well enough to force the Mets' hand. Since returning from an ankle injury three weeks ago, Alvarez is batting .362 with three home runs and a 1.079 OPS for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. 

Alvarez is three months younger than Colorado's Ezequiel Tovar and four months younger than Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson, the league's two youngest players before this decision by the Mets. Before Henderson was called up in late August, Braves standout rookie Michael Harris II was the league's youngest player. 

Seeing Alvarez make an impact in the postseason might leave some fans feeling old, but the Mets will gladly take anything they can get out of the player ranked as baseball's No. 1 overall prospect. Alvarez is expected to receive at-bats as a designated hitter with Darin Ruf and rookie Mark Vientos struggling.