FRANCISCO ÁLVAREZ

Player Data: Age: 21 (11/19/2001), B/T: R/R
Primary Stats: 123 G, PA, 382 AB, .209/.284/.437/.721, 80 H, 25 HR, 63 RBI

Advanced Stats: 97 wRC+, 26.0% K%, 8.0% BB% .222 BABIP, .304 xwOBA, 0.9 fWAR, 2.7 bWAR
2022 Salary: $720,000

GRADE: B

2023 REVIEW

When the 2023 season began, Francisco Álvarez did not have a clear path to regular at-bats in the majors. The Mets signed Omar Narváez to a two-year deal (with a player option for 2024) before extending Tomás Nido to a team-friendly deal for two years. Álvarez was sent to Triple-A Syracuse after hitting just .107 with three singles in spring training. Injuries to both Narváez and Nido thrust Álvarez into the starting role, though, and the 21-year-old never gave that job up.

Álvarez was called back up to the majors on April 7 when Narváez went on the injured list with a calf strain. He struggled initially, going just 1-for-15 to start his season and appeared to be overmatched at the plate. In his second game of the season, he came to the plate against Josh Hader trailing 4-2 with two outs and the tying runs on second and third. Hader threw seven fastballs above the strike zone, but Álvarez chased four of them and struck out to end the game. After failing to earn a spot on the roster in spring training, Álvarez did not look MLB-ready in his first big spot of the season.

Although he did not have a promising start to his season, Álvarez quickly rebounded and showed why he was one of the top prospects in baseball. He went 6-for-17 (.353) with a home run in his final seven April games, and he followed it with a monster May. The Venezuelan catcher hit .292/.363/.667 with seven homers and came through in a pair of late-game spots.

With the Mets down to their last out and trailing the Rays 5-2, Álvarez once again came to the plate as the tying run. Unlike in his at-bat against Hader, the moment was not t0o much for him as he launched a game-tying three-run home run to help the Mets steal a win. Two days later, the Mets found themselves trailing the Guardians and down to their last out again. Álvarez, who had already homered earlier in the game, came to the plate against Emmanuel Clase with the tying run on second base. For the second time in as many games, he came through to tie the game, setting up another comeback victory for the Mets.

After an incredible May, Álvarez wasn’t able to carry that success into June. He hit just .151/.205/.329 with four homers over the month and saw his batting average drop from .259 to .215, but just as quickly as he went cold, he was able to heat up again. The rookie hit .275/.351/.623 while adding eight more home runs in July. Just as he did in May, Álvarez came to the plate against the Diamondbacks with the Mets down to their final out and delivered another game-tying homer to spark a come-from-behind win.

After July, things went downhill for Álvarez again. He hit just .167/.265/.318 over his final 45 games of the season, and the Mets began to limit his workload as he reached a career-high number of games played. Despite the poor finish, Álvarez was able to finish his season on a high note.

In the second-to-last game of the season, he launched two home runs, including his first career grand slam, to reach 25 homers for the season. Only Johnny Bench (26) hit more home runs in a season as a 21-year-old catcher.

His Defense Made Strides, Too

Álvarez’s power was well known as he made his way through the Mets’ system, but his defense had always been viewed as a weakness. In 2023, he made significant strides behind the plate. Álvarez ranked fourth in baseball with 9 catcher framing runs saved. His work on defense did not go unnoticed by Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, as the two future Hall-of-Famers both spoke highly of the young catcher during their time with the Mets this past season.

“I can’t say enough great things about him,” Verlander said about Álvarez in May. “He cares, number one, which shows big time behind the plate in the prep work. That goes miles for pitchers. I think we all know that the bat is going to be there, but the work he’s done behind the plate and the improvements he’s made are a great sign for him as a future major leaguer.”

All in all, Álvarez’s rookie season earned him a B. He had stretches of brilliance, and showed that he can quickly learn and improve his game on both sides of the ball. It was easy to see why Álvarez was the Mets’ top prospect, but the lack of consistency left a little more to be desired despite the historic power for a 21-year-old at his position.

2024 OUTLOOK

Álvarez will undoubtedly be the Mets’ starting catcher going into the 2024 season. After showing the ability to learn and make adjustments along with the commitment to putting in the necessary work, the sky is the limit for Álvarez. A 30-homer campaign or a first All-Star Game appearance are both realistic possibilities for the Mets’ backstop, but consistency will be key.

If Álvarez can avoid the prolonged slumps that plagued in 2023, he has the ability to put together a season that the Mets haven’t seen from the catcher position since Mike Piazza.