Francisco Alvarez, C

Position: Catcher
Bats/Throws: R/R
Age: 24 (November 19, 2001)

2026 Stats: 232 PA, .254/.317/.416/.734, 53 H, 9 HR, 22 RBI, 19 R, 17 BB, 60 K
2026 Advanced Stats: 103 OPS+, 106 wRC+, 25.9% K, 7.3% BB, .312 BABIP, .333 xwOBA, 0.2 bWAR, 0.8 fWAR

Contract Status: Pre-arbitration, 3 years remaining

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Rundown

Francisco Alvarez has had a weird career since being named the top overall prospect in baseball. He was rushed up to the majors before he was ready to try to save the 2022 season and then rushed back up again after ankle surgery because Omar Narvaez got hurt. That 2023 season he hit 25 home runs, but also had a .284 OBP. Over the next few seasons, he had multiple injuries, including two broken thumbs, a hamate injury, and knee surgery. After working with JD Martinez and his coaches in Maven to try to become a more complete hitter, he struggled in the first half of 2025 and had to be demoted to the minors to unlearn everything he changed in the offseason and reinvent his swing once again. Now he seems to have settled in as a plus hitter for a catcher. Over the last calendar year, he has slashed .262/.333/.470/.803 with 17 home runs and 43 RBIs in 105 games.

Alvarez is incredibly young. His defense has not been amazing in 2026, but it is unclear how much of that is short-term due to injury and inexperience in the big leagues. If the Mets do not believe he can be a starting catcher defensively going forward, it would make sense why they could be open to moving him. His bat is likely not strong enough to be the everyday designated hitter, and he is a bit short compared to your typical first baseman.

There is the potential that if he were to move off catcher, his bat could improve further as he would be spending more time in the batting cage if he isn’t running catcher drills. Still, Alvarez has plus power with a 107.4 miles per hour 90% exit velocity (86th percentile), which was on display Friday when he homered against the Dodgers. Dating back to June 29, Alvarez is slashing .288/.362/.538 with four homers. 

POTENTIAL LANDING SPOTS

Catchers do not get traded at the deadline typically, so there are not really true “comparable trades” when focusing on just catcher. But many players with multiple years of control can be used as comparisons.

It has been reported that the Mets are only trading Alvarez if they get back a player that can impact the 2027 major league team. Their biggest need is starting pitching, though they may also need an infielder if Bo Bichette opts out. They will also need a catcher who is not Luis Torres starting games but that can also be acquired in the offseason through a trade or free agency. Ryan Jeffers and Carson Kelly are the top catchers available in free agency, and Hunter Goodman could potentially be available via trade. 

1. Yankees

This year, few teams have gotten worse production offensively from the catcher position than the New York Yankees. They are desperately in need of both a catcher with any semblance of offensive ability and a right-handed hitter. Francisco Alvarez checks both boxes for them. The Mets would likely want at least one of the many major league-ready pitchers that they could stick right into their 2027 rotation. Maybe a return of RHP Will Warren, who has four years of control, and 74th overall top prospect RHP Elmer Rodriguez would be a fair return for the Mets. Another option could be #64 overall prospect per BA Carlos Lagrange, who currently has a shoulder injury but has serious velocity. 

2. Red Sox

The Red Sox have gotten some production out of Connor Wong, but he has only one home run on the season, and you ideally want more power from a catcher as limited defensively as he is. Similarly, Carlos Narváez has struggled heavily with the bat this year. What the Red Sox do have in droves is pitching, even if some of it is injured. I do not think the Red Sox would part with Payton Tolle, but maybe the Mets could convince them to trade LHP Connelly Early, who currently has an elbow injury, though that would depend on how his medicals look. He could be traded alongside a mid-ranked pitching prospect like Marcus Phillips. Another option could be INF Marcelo Mayer and RHP prospect Kyson Witherspoon (94th overall), whose fastball shape seems to be back to what it was when it was at its best.

3. Giants

The Giants are not competing this year but Buster Posey will want to compete next year. He recently traded catcher Patrick Bailey because he wanted more offense out of the position and reportedly does not believe framing is that important. Francisco Alvarez sounds like a match made in heaven. Maybe Alvarez is enticing enough to convince Posey to move Logan Webb while eating some money alongside someone like OF Bo Davidson (83rd overall prospect).