Freddy Peralta trade rumors put subtle pressure on another NY Mets player

FanSided’s Robert Murray spoke with two different MLB executives about what Freddy Peralta could bring to the New York Mets. One executive leaned heavily into the idea that the Tampa Bay Rays could be a strong possibility. It definitely makes sense, however, two of the prospects mentioned seem to put pressure on a teammate of Peralta’s he has worked with closely yet sparingly.

Peralta has now pitched more innings to Luis Torrens than he has to Francisco Alvarez. 34.2 vs. 32.1, the results have been drastically different with a 4.18 ERA with Alvarez behind the dish and 2.86 with Torrens. Unrelated to his status as a Mets trade candidate or anything else for that matter, it is a reminder of the line Alvarez has been stepping toward.

One of the executives who spoke with Murray named multiple Tampa Bay Rays prospects as targets for the Mets. Two of them are catchers. Is it an oversight, coincidence, or is there a sense the Mets could be in search of maybe making a change behind the plate?

What’s giving this MLB executive the impression the Mets are looking to trade for a catching prospect?

Nathan Flewelling is a 19-year-old third round draft pick from 2024 who is off to a powerful start this season down in Single-A. 10 home runs through his first 204 plate appearances with an .867 OPS. He has a 50 grade for fielding which isn’t excellent nor is it worth passing over.

Caden Bodine is the other catcher, a 22-year-old hitting .379 through his first 33 games in High-A this year. He was traded in the offseason from the Baltimore Orioles to the Rays as part of the Shane Baz deal. He was the 30th overall selection in last year’s draft and someone we should fully expect to zoom up the system as long as he doesn’t run into any problems. He rates better defensively with a 55 grade. His MLB Pipeline page raves about some of his abilities at the position. He sounds like the kind of guy the Mets would love to have at the position.

A quality catcher has been something the Rays have often hunted for and to trade away one of these youngsters would mean having to be certain they know which one is the guy and which one isn’t. Bodine, with his age, is probably the more polished player and near MLB-ready. Flewelling, who doesn’t turn 20 until November, would seem to fit more of a Mets narrative that allows Alvarez the time to develop further and prove he’s the man or not. The Mets already extended Torrens for two more seasons to lock up their catching core from the backup aspect of things. Meanwhile, there’s not much in the pipeline other than believing maybe Kevin Parada’s recent success in Triple-A has more merit than it should. Chris Suero is fascinating but not lighting up Double-A pitchers enough.

With certain positions, acquiring a player doesn’t mean a whole lot. At catcher, it’s different. It’s far more complicated than moving a player off of that position and somewhere else.

If the Mets do trade Peralta for a catching prospect, it signals at least some belief Alvarez isn’t the long-term solution. At 24 and still a work in progress, it’s easy to say he deserves more time. How much time is too long? It's year four of being a regular and between the injuries, slumps, and defensive questions, thinking about alternatives isn't outrageous.

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