While star prospect Francisco Alvarez has not set the world on fire, the veteran New York Mets pitching staff is a big fan of his work and does not want to see him be demoted when a pair of injured catchers return from injuries.
Being viewed as one of the very best prospects in an organization is not easy, let alone being seen as one of the elites in the entire sport. However, that is the situation for New York Mets catching prospect Francisco Alvarez.
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Since 2022, the 21-year-old has been at the top of MLB minor league rankings and is considered one of the prospects in the game with serious superstar potential. He rocketed through the New York Mets farm system and has destroyed minor-league pitching over the last year. He seemed ready for the big leagues late last season but did not stand out when he was one of several September callups.
It was a small sample size and his first taste of play at the highest level, so it is understandable if he didn’t look like a superstar right away. Yet, early in 2023, Alvarez was given a second chance when both Omar Narvaez and Tomas Nido went down with injuries in April. Unfortunately, Alvarez’s highly praised hitting talents have not delivered to the level hoped for in his second go around in the show.
New York Mets record (2023): 25-23
With Nido and Narvaez close to returns there has been speculation Alvarez could soon be demoted since his defense was always a work-in-progress and wasn’t expected to keep him on the big league roster while he tries to be more consistent at the place. However, it seems like his defense could save him from being sent down.
- Francisco Alvarez stats (2023): .238 AVG, .304 OBP, .464 SLG, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 10 R
On Monday, SNY’s New York Mets insider Andy Martino revealed that “there is a sentiment among many on the veteran pitching staff that Alvarez should stay. Without wanting to appear to disparage other teammates in public, these vets say they like throwing to Alvarez and do not want the Mets to send him down.”
Martino notes the staff that includes former Cy Young award winners like Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander have been impressed with his growth behind the plate, his passion for the game and they would actually be “angry” if he were sent back down to the organization’s Triple-A affiliate.
It puts the New York Mets front office in a tough spot, but considering the support from key players and the upside of his talent, Francisco Alvarez may be safe from demotion for a while.