Dream NY Mets starting lineup for the 2026 season

The starting nine for the Mets in 2026 when we close our eyes.
Apr 4, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) and right fielder Juan Soto (22) and first baseman Pete Alonso (20) and left fielder Brandon Nimmo (9) stand for the national anthem before the Mets home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Apr 4, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) and right fielder Juan Soto (22) and first baseman Pete Alonso (20) and left fielder Brandon Nimmo (9) stand for the national anthem before the Mets home opener against the Toronto Blue Jays at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Batting seventh Francisco Alvarez, C

The gloves are off. Is Francisco Alvarez in your dream Mets lineup? He should be. The young catcher is still trying to figure things out on both sides of the ball. He had a more evenly spliced year at the plate, posting a career-best .256 batting average. The power wasn’t quite where we’d want it and yet the exchange of hitting more regularly and getting on base feels worth the slight dip. For what it’s worth, his .447 slugging percentage was higher than what he posted in 2023 when he finished at .437.

Alvarez is the one young player most Mets fans will agree we’re most eager to see become a star. This is a franchise that has regularly employed catchers who can hit. They aren’t a one-trick pony club who’ve exclusively been searching for the next Mike Piazza. Even before him, Jerry Grote, John Stearns, and Gary Carter made the catcher position a prideful one for the Mets.

This hasn’t been the case for quite some time. After Paul Lo Duca left, the Mets rotated through a mix of veterans and farmhands who never reached their full potential. Alvarez was supposed to be the difference maker at the position. The 2026 season, at least in this dream, has him getting there.

Although his name has been speculated as a potential trade piece, I’d doubt this happens. Luis Torrens is a proven backup catcher but not one to carry the major load. Potential remains the keyword with Alvarez. He still seems a fully healthy year away from being one of the best in the game, at least offensively. Can a different voice from the hitting coaches turn him around? In this dream, yep.

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