Francisco Álvarez Needs Regular Playing Time

The injury bug struck the New York Mets once again in Wednesday’s game as catcher Omar Narváez suffered a calf strain that landed him on the injured list. As a result, top prospect Francisco Álvarez was called up in his place. The Mets’ offense has struggled to start the season, resulting in a lot of noise and frustration emanating from the fanbase amid calls for the team to call up their top prospects from Triple-A Syracuse. Álvarez is the first of those players to be brought up thus far, and the circumstances surrounding him are rather delicate all things considered.

It’s clear that Álvarez, who MLB Pipeline ranks as the No. 1 prospect in the sport, possesses the pedigree and tools to be a difference-maker at the major league level for years to come. At the same though, he needs consistent playing time both behind and at the plate to stay on track from a developmental standpoint. Tomás Nido is expected to start the Mets’ home opener on Friday, but the Mets need to carve out consistent playing time for Álvarez and allow him to prove himself in his first true audition at the next level.

Álvarez’s bat is ahead of his glove at this point in time, so it’s fair to assume that he should also see time in as the Mets’ designated hitter. He struggled offensively this spring, but that isn’t much of a concern considering his level of production last season and he was coming off ankle surgery. In 67 games with Double-A Binghamton, Alvarez slashed .277/.368/.553 with 18 homers, a .394 wOBA and a 146 wRC+. Then, in 45 games with Syracuse, he slashed .234/.382/.443 with nine homers and a 121 wRC+.

It’s likely that the Mets will opt to play Alvarez against lefties more often than righties, but in reality, he deserves to be in the lineup on a regular basis against both. 20 of his 28 homers across all levels last season came against righties while simultaneously slashing .240/.357/.487 against them. He hit .304/.412/.574 against southpaws, signaling that he is capable of providing a much-needed spark against them in a lineup that has had its fair share of struggles in that department. Álvarez was 4-for-16 with one double and two home runs to start the season in Triple-A Syracuse.

Álvarez’s preeminent tool is undoubtedly his raw power, making his skill set a perfect fit for a Mets lineup that is severely lacking thump. Both FanGraphs and Pipeline rate his power as a 70 out of 80 on their respective scales, and he’s put up 60 homers across 1,096 plate appearances in the minors. There’s little doubt that he’ll make loud contact regularly, but his ability to draw walks is another trait of his that should net him consistent at-bats early in his career.

Álvarez produced walk rates of 12.2% and 17.1% in Double-A and Triple-A, respectively, in 2022 on the way to a combined .374 on-base percentage. He is prone to chasing and strikes out a healthy amount too, but that’s an aspect of his game that can be forgiven a bit if he gets on-base and hits for power the way he’s shown he can.

Álvarez’s defensive profile makes for an interesting case study. He boasts exceptional arm strength and pop time, but does struggle with the accuracy of his throws at times. His framing has improved year-to-year as well, but it still remains a work in progress. His lack of true athleticism holds him back a bit too, and he is in need of more reps to improve his game-calling and overall fundamentals.

Álvarez is clearly raw as a backstop, but the only way he’ll improve is with more playing time. Nido has the trust of the pitching staff and has built up a reputation as being a skilled defender, so supplanting him won’t be an easy task for both Álvarez to accomplish or the Mets to go through with. However, there are obvious incentives for the Mets in giving Álvarez a chance defensively in the majors where he can work with a veteran pitching staff and grind his way through the growing pains.

Álvarez is viewed as a centerpiece of the organization’s future, so handling his progression is of the utmost importance. While playing in the minors would take pressure off and allow him to grow at his own pace, Álvarez has earned the right to be a part of the Mets’ roster. He has the tools to become an elite offensive weapon almost immediately while providing defensive upside at catcher and should supply some energy to an older roster. There’s absolutely no reason why he shouldn’t play nearly every day in some role for this team after calling him up, and doing otherwise would be a great disservice to all parties involved.

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