Photo Credit: foxsports.com

At the time of Francisco Alvarez’s debut in late 2022, there were endless possibilities and a large amount of potential for the next superstar catcher in baseball. He was dubbed as the #1 prospect during the 2022 season, hit 58 HR in his 3-year minor league stint, showed great discipline, provided mammoth home runs, and gave Mets fans dreams of finally having an outstanding offensive catcher!

2023

2023 was a mixed bag for Alvarez, as it showed glimpses of his power (25 HR, 63 RBI), but his weaknesses became exposed as the season progressed. This was evident in several areas, including BA (.209), OBP (.284), SO (110), and his defense (13 errors, 13% CS rate).

Heading into 2024, Alvarez worked with hitting coach Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes to focus on limiting those issues, such as aiming for more contact and adopting a more disciplined approach behind the plate. In addition, he worked on his framing and ability to block balls, as he wanted to become a better defensive catcher for the pitching staff and organization.

Photo Credit: www.northjersey.com

2024

In the first few weeks of 2024, Alvarez’s improvements looked legit, as he sprayed the ball to all parts of the field and showed progression in his framing and defense. However, he tore a ligament in his left thumb, which left him on the IL for several weeks and hindered his growth. This resulted in Alvarez having a very slow summer and dealing with a prolonged slump before rebounding in the final month of the season (5 HR, 17 RBI, .900 OPS).

To recap, 2024 showed some improvements in Alvarez’s game (6 errors, 18% CS, .237 AVG), but his power ultimately decreased, which decreased his value to the Mets. This can be attributed to the thumb injury, Alvarez putting too much pressure on himself, or ultimately, Eric Chavez changing Alvy’s swing mechanics.

Photo Credit: sportsillustrated.com

2025

Leading up to 2025, Alvarez continued to work on different aspects of his game to strengthen, such as his hitting approach and regaining his power. Unfortunately, he suffered another freak injury (a fractured hamate bone in his left hand), resulting in him missing the first 6 weeks of the MLB season. This inserted backup Luis Torrens into the starting role, who handled the job nicely, but the need for more offensive production behind the plate was there for a Mets team with championship aspirations.

On April 25, Alvarez returned from his injury around the 6-8 week timeframe and looked much better behind the plate, as he homered in his second game and recorded 7 RBI in his first 7 games.The only downside is that he’s recorded 1 HR and 1 RBI in the last 26 games, which is a significant concern.The only downside is that he’s recorded 1 HR and 3 RBI in the last 26 games, which is a significant concern.

In addition, the same mental mistakes that plagued Alvarez in 2024 have returned this year, similar to the passed balls and a lazier approach behind the plate. Furthermore, his advanced metrics on Baseball Savant are rough to see, as most of his numbers are mediocre or low, which proves that he isn’t getting bailed out by luck or other factors. One last thing to note is that Luis Torrens has effectively outperformed Alvarez, another significantly concerning sign for the organization.

Overall, Francisco Alvarez’s downfall throughout his career has been frustrating to watch for Mets fans. He is only 23 years old, which gives him lots of time to turn his career back in the right direction! Possibly, a trip to AAA or being benched for several games could wake Alvarez back up and push him to begin producing once again!