While not likely, it is still possible that the New York Mets promote top prospect Francisco Alvarez this season.
Alvarez, a catching prospect one MLB expert recently called the best in baseball, is destroying opposition pitching this season in Double-A ball. In just under 200 at-bats for the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the 20-year-old has 53 hits and 13 home runs. However, over his last 15 games, he has been an absolute monster, hitting .356 with 9 HRs and 14 runs batted in.
Alvarez would likely need a trip to Triple-A first, but his resume through the various levels of the minor leagues has shown he has the ability to take his success to the next level. But with the Mets playing like serious title contenders in 2022, there is certainly no reason to rush their top prospect.
However, that doesn’t mean Mets fans won’t see Alvarez in Flushing this season. On Tuesday, New York Post MLB insider Jon Heyman tweeted that the team isn’t “ruling out top prospect Francisco Alvarez catching in the majors in 2022. Prefer to see him at Triple-A first but has 1.000 OPS over last month at Double-A.”
On Wednesday, MLB Network expert and former Mets general manager Jim Duquette explained that while Alvarez’s defense is still a work-in-progress, it is his power hitting that is well ahead of schedule. However, if he does get called up it should be in a “lesser role” that is stress-free.
“First off, it’s in the power category [that Alvarez has improved the most]. I think he’s had nine home runs in his last 15 games,” Duquette said. “He has a really good idea of the strike zone and he can show that he can hit and he can use the whole field but the power usually comes a little bit later, so I’m surprised how quickly, at age 20, that he’s starting to hit for the type of power that you look for at the major league level.”
“… I think the only way he comes up is in a lesser role as a third catcher,” he added. “He maybe gets an at-bat or two, maybe gets a start or two, I wouldn’t have him catch the staff at all unless it’s a late-innings when they have a lead of some kind. It’s a meaningless game like a September call-up would be.”
The Mets sit in first place in the National League East with a 41-22 record. Injured starter James McCann and backup Tomas Nido have put in a solid effort as veteran backstops for the team in 2022.
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