Positive impact of former NY Mets player continues to shine on team's youth

J.D. Martinez might no longer be a member of the New York Mets, but his influence is still very much a part of the team. When Francisco Alvarez stepped up to the plate in the spring training opener some may have wondered if it was actually Martinez, just five inches shorter.

Francisco Alvarez looked a whole lot like J.D. Martinez when he made his first appearance of spring training.

Despite struggling down the stretch, Martinez was a big part of the 2024 Mets, hitting .235 with 16 home runs. His walk off homer against the Marlins was a top moment of the season. He had just as big of an impact off the field as he did on it. It was well reported throughout the season that he was a mentor to Mark Vientos, whose DH spot he took during camp. This offseason he continued to make the players around him better and time it was with the Mets franchise catcher.

2024 is a season Alvarez would like to quickly forget. In 100 games he hit just .237 with eleven home runs. In early February the New York Times reported that Alvarez spent most of his offseason at Maven Baseball Lab, a training facility recommended by Martinez.

Well, When Alvarez stepped up to the plate against the Astros the resemblance to Martinez’s swing was uncanny. The way he stood up a little straighter, his bat hanging right above his right shoulder and taking a decent sized step forward when the pitcher began his motion was like watching Martinez hit all over again.

It certainly did not go unnoticed either. SNY tweeted out a video of the new stance and fans immediately made out the difference. The 49 comments under the post included “mini JD,” and “JD Martinez?”  

Still unsigned, Martinez has played for nearly 15 years in MLB with a .283 career average and 331 home runs. If Alvarez wants to emulate his swing down to an exact science, who can blame him.

It goes without saying if Alvarez can get back to the player that hit 25 home runs in 2023, it would be a huge asset to arguably one of the deepest lineups in baseball. Hopefully, the guidance of the Mets former designated hitter can get him there.