There are a lot of things that come rolling in with the new year, and in baseball predictions for the upcoming season are definitely one of them. Anthony DiComo of MLB.com contributed to a larger piece that offered one big prediction for every team, and his call for the New York Mets is definitely on the surprising side.
DiComo has catcher Francisco Alvarez becoming a superstar, which would shock Mets fans after what transpired last year. Alvarez has been mostly a disappointment since he was first touted as one of the best prospects in Mets history back in 2022.
So what happened to him? Everything, to at least some extent, and it's been a rocky ride. Alvarez has a power stroke with seemingly unlimited potential, but his undisciplined approach at the plate undermined him, and he was also sent down to the minors after his work ethic and ability to handle the staff were both questioned.
Injuries have been a problem as well, and they’ve been pretty freakish, as DiComo noted. The catcher’s injuries include three hand and wrist surgeries in two years, so he’s definitely been the victim of some bad luck that should turn to at least some extent going foward.
But Alvarez is healthy now, and unlike most of his collapsible teammates, he went on a tear down the stretch. He finished last season with a .939 OPS over his final 42 game, and Alvarez is still just 24-years old.
The Mets can’t afford to wait on him forever, though. Their window for winning is now, with shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Juan Soto in their respective primes. They're doing a roster overhaul to get back in the playoffs, and Alvarez is an important part of it.
Alvarez’s emergence as a true superstar would replenish some of the star power the Mets lost with the departure of first baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz, although GM David Stearns probably doesn’t care all that much about that. Stearns probably cares a lot more about his catcher’s ability to handle a young pitching staff that will include starters Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong, although probably not all three right away.
It’s a big ask, but evaluators have felt for years that Alvarez has the potential to deliver the goods. Potential and predictions won’t get it done, but if Alvarez is able to step up to that degree, the Mets will be a new team entirely, and they’ll also be a very viable threat in the NL East again.