When will Mets Prospect Kevin Parada reach the show and what can we expect?

The New York Mets are in spring training mode, through 10 games into March, with a refreshing showing of talent. Amongst that talent is non-roster invitee, catching prospect Kevin Parada, the Mets 2022 amateur draft pick.

As it may seem too early to discuss the status of Kevin Parada, it is unfair to disregard his quick adaptation to the professional pace of play, and his eager ability for quick promotion. Parada was selected by the Mets in the first round of the 2022 draft, 11th overall. Since then he’s flipped the switch from collegiate to pro, settling into rookie ball and single-A St. Lucie. His performance last season and current projections has us all anticipating his future in the organization and what we could see.

Mets catching prospect Kevin Parada has what it takes for early promotion and fast-tracking through the system

The Mets have 3 catchers on the 40-man roster; Francisco Alvarez, Omar Narvaez, and Tomas Nido. Alvarez is at his peak, and will likely be around for a while; he is pre-arbitration eligible, arbitration set for 2026 and will be a free agent in 2029. Alvarez is protected on the 40-man roster and will likely be the everyday option. Although he could be a piece to move later on, he’s expected to be the face of the Mets behind the dish.

Omar Narvaez is signed through 2023 with a 2024 player option. Tomas Nido is signed through 2024, on a two year contract. It looks like the next two years will have a fair amount of backstop coverage, which may align perfectly with the timeline of Parada. Kevin Parada is ranked third in the top 30 Mets prospect rankings, being the only catcher listed aside from Alvarez. He is ranked third in the top 10 positional prospect rankings in the league, and he’s 36th of the top 100 prospects.

Parada’s performance when joining the organization was imperative to his evaluations, as he’s shown great capability to handle himself in professional baseball, especially on the offensive side against professional pitching. In 2022, his 13 games saw him in 40 at-bats, hitting .275 with an impressive .455 on base percentage. His projection to make it to the major league level is 2025, however, I think we can see his arrival at some point in 2024.  There is a ton of bumps to get over in the minor league journey, and a lot of graduating to do as a player, however, Parada has what it takes to elevate himself through the Mets food chain.