NY Mets: 5 things I want to see from the farm system in 2022

4) Francisco Alvarez’s continued climb up the Mets’ system.

The Mets have something special in Francisco Alvarez.

He’s the #10 overall prospect in baseball, and the #2 catcher only to future Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman. The Mets signed Alvarez out of Venezuela in 2018 as a 16-year-old. MLB Pipeline has him rated at a 55 hit and field, and 60 power and arm.

Alvarez is known for his power. Being 5’10” and weighing in at 233 pounds, Alvarez packs a punch into a compact frame. He has a lofty swing, with almost 40% of his batted balls going into the air. The combination of loft and hard contact makes him a threat every time he steps into the box. Alvarez started the season in A- but got promoted to A+ after 15 games. Between the two levels, he hit .272/.388/.554/.942 with 24 homers, 18 doubles, and 70 RBI’s. He also stole eight bases.

Defensively, Alvarez is known for his arm. He is a big guy, so his blocking and mobility behind the plate could use some work, but he’s still rated as an above-average defender.

With James McCann behind the dish, there’s no need to rush Alvarez. He’s still just 19 years old, and he will be in AA at some point early this year. MLB Pipeline projects him to come up in 2023, which is the third year of McCann’s contract. Alvarez has the chance to jump McCann on the depth chart at some point thanks to his powerful bat.