2 Mets players who will exceed expectations and 2 who will fall short

Francisco Alvarez won’t quite reach the lofty expectations of the fans

Meanwhile, as many aren’t expecting much from Baty this year, the Francisco Alvarez bandwagon continues to add seats. I get it. This guy is something special. Younger than Baty and Mark Vientos by about two years, his growth as a rookie last season was most obvious from a defensive standpoint. Alvarez has the kinds of intangibles you’d want in more than a player. He’s an elite employee willing to learn a language to help his communication skills.

How high are fans setting the bar for Alvarez this year? See enough Mets fans’ takes on him and they already have Alvarez bound for the All-Star Game. This is a bit too quick of an assumption. Playing the position he does typically means a slower rise. 

Stud Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman is someone worth referencing when it comes to expectations for Alvarez. Rutschman is 26. Alvarez isn’t even halfway to turning 23. He’s well-advanced physically but needs a little more patience. If the Mets had their way, he wouldn’t have made his MLB debut until mid-2023 at the absolute earliest.

Alvarez has things to work on all over the place. The power is the only thing that’s present and not going anywhere. It’s possible we see a repeat of what he did offensively with a slight uptick in areas such as batting average and OBP. The 2024 campaign will be another one for growth. Don’t expect him to put up Mike Piazza numbers just yet.