Mets make surprising move with former top prospect

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez is getting a reset.

On Sunday, the Mets announced that Alvarez has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. Catcher Hayden Senger will take his place on the roster.

Alvarez has not been the player the Mets had hoped for this season. He's produced a disappointing .236/.319/.333 batting line in his 138 plate appearances, hitting just three homers and three doubles. His power outage from 2024, where Alvarez hit just 11 homers and 14 doubles, had gotten worse.

His disappointing season extended to the defensive side as well. While Alvarez ranks fourth in the National League with a 33.3 percent caught stealing rate, his other defensive metrics have lagged behind. Alvarez has been one of the worst framing catchers in the game, tied for 50th out of 55 catchers with -4 framing runs on the season. His strike rate - 37.9 percent - ranks 51st. He has struggled to steal strikes in every quadrant of the zone as his defensive page is awash in blue.

Although Alvarez is in the midst of his third full major league season, he is just 23 years old. Alvarez had been a consensus top 100 prospect from 2020 through 2023, lauded for his impressive raw power and approach at the plate. While there were concerns about his defense, particularly when it came to his framing and stealing strikes, Alvarez had worked to improve in that area.

However, he has struggled in virtually every facet of the game this season. A stint in Triple-A, where he can refocus without any pressure, may be what he needs to get back on track. Alvarez is an important part of the Mets lineup and, despite a return to the minors, can still make an impact going forward. He just needs to get back on track.