Mets catcher depth chart from the top down to the bottom

Entering the offseason, it was crucial for the New York Mets to figure out the future of the catching position. Over the past decade, it has been a revolving door and one that never had a true stud at the position.

Josh Thole and John Buck were never multi-year solutions. Travis d’Arnaud on the other hand was supposed to be. That is, until injuries and inconsistent play while in a Mets uniform led to his eventual departure.

Then came the aging “Buffalo” Wilson Ramos. He posted a fantastic 2019 campaign, only to fall flat in 2020.

In reality, the last time the Mets had a definitive answer at the catching position was back when Mike Piazza was with the team. And he last played in 2005.

Again, this year it was time for a change. Yes, the Mets skipped out on J.T. Realmuto – the best catcher in all of baseball. However, James McCann is certainly no scrub.

With the Mets having signed James McCann, the team appears to be set for years to come at the catcher position.

As a matter of fact, McCann being New York’s primary free agent catching target may have shined light as to owner Steve Cohen and executive Sandy Alderson’s big picture plan for the position.

No, it does not mean a continuing revolving door at the position. Nor does it involve dealing the entire farm system for a solution. Instead, it is all about what Cohen and Alderson have echoed all offseason, winning now and in the future.

That being said, let’s take a look at how the Amazins’ catching situation shapes up throughout the entire organization for the future…

Apart from McCann and Nido, the future for all but one catcher in the Mets organization seems rather cloudy at the moment. Of course, injuries can happen, though with McCann and Nido both being solid options, anyone else is blocked at the moment.

On the 40-man roster, the Mets have two catchers in addition to the duo – Ali Sanchez and Patrick Azeika.

Ali Sanchez

At 23-years-old, Ali Sanchez finally made his debut for the Metropolitans this past season. Sanchez has been in the organization since signing in July of 2013, having always been known as a top-notch defensive catcher.

It has always been known that Sanchez may not become a great hitter, rather if his bat can become suitable enough to complement his defense. In 10 at bats in his major league career, he has one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts.

At the same time, nobody should be judged on their first ten at bats in the majors. In case of injury, Sanchez, who ranks 20th among Mets prospects,  will be the first to get called up.

Patrick Mazeika

Shortly behind Sanchez at 23rd amongst prospects is Patrick Mazeika. A left-handed catcher, Mazeika has made it to the majors already, just has not yet appeared in a game.

An 8th round pick in 2015, Mazeika is a solid defender and hitter, improving year by year. What is also interesting about his game too is he has experience playing first base already. Both Sanchez and Mazeika will be battling for that third catching spot, only to be waiting for an injury to truly get their first reps.

There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that McCann, Nido, Sanchez, and Mazeika will be seeing all the reps at catcher. They’re all under contract until at least 2025, and still, have plenty to prove. Not to mention, all are solid defenders, which the Mets needed after Ramos.

Even so, the team does have two more players with the organization right now at catcher, being non-roster invitees.

Bruce Maxwell

The first is Bruce Maxwell, a former second-round pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2012. Now 30-years-old, Maxwell’s last major league action came in 2018.

In 2019, Maxwell spent time in the Mexican league, hitting for an average of .325 and 112 runs batted in over 109 games. Those numbers come as a surprise compared to what he put up in the majors. Over 127 career games in Oakland, he had five home runs, 42 runs batted in while hitting .240.

He spent last season in the minors with the Mets and re-signed this offseason as a non-roster invitee. Being a veteran in the majors obviously is a plus, although, given the talent at the catcher position that the Mets employ, Maxwell likely will not be in the organization for long.

David Rodriguez

Another non-roster invitee catcher with the Mets this offseason is 24-year-old David Rodriguez. The Venezuela native has never made it to the majors and has spent the past eight seasons bouncing between the minors and foreign teams. In 644 games, Rodriguez has 53 home runs, 343 runs batted in, and has hit for a .270 batting average.

Like Maxwell, Rodriguez is getting a shot this spring with the Mets, despite probably not being in the picture in 2021.

Francisco Alvarez

Taking this all into consideration, the master plan that Cohen and Alderson have becomes clear. The vision is for McCann, Nido, and company to hold down the fort until the team’s second-ranked prospect, Francisco Alvarez, is ready to take over.

Alvarez, a 19-year-old international signing in 2018, has quickly become one of the most promising catching prospects in all of baseball. He currently ranks as the fourth-best catching prospect in the league, and with three estimated to hit the majors in 2021, Alvarez could reach the top spot by next season.

Now, why is Alvarez the 48th ranked prospect in Major League Baseball? Why it is because of his fantastic defense and knowledge of the game.

Alvarez is a phenomenal defender with a strong arm, and one that if his offensive game continues to develop can be the young, complete catcher the team has been searching for. In 2019, Alvarez hit seven home runs, batted in 26 runs, with a .312 batting average and .407 on-base percentage in only 182 plate appearances.

It is easy to see where the hype surrounding Alvarez comes from. He has the tools to be an elite defender, and a very good hitter, all while only having played in 42 games in the organization.

The future of the catching position is in his hands, and it is clear that the Mets plan to have McCann and Nido help ease him into the majors. Both are under contract through 2024, meaning that the catching position will be Alvarez’s sooner than later.

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Ultimately, it is clear that the Mets are in a fantastic position both now and in the future at catcher.