Mets welcome stability behind the dish in '25
Anthony DiComo
@AnthonyDiComoThis story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo¡¯s Mets Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
This is the third part of a five-part Around the Horn series detailing the Mets¡¯ roster heading into 2025. Next up: Catchers.
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- While no segment of the Mets¡¯ roster is free from uncertainty -- that¡¯s not how these things work -- the team has created a clear area of stability behind home plate. In Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens, the Mets have their catching tandem for the foreseeable future.
Alvarez, 23, is not far removed from being the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball, a unique talent who already has a 25-homer season to his credit. He¡¯s under team control for four more seasons. Torrens, 28, achieved plenty as Alvarez¡¯s backup after the Mets acquired him from the Yankees in a cash deal last May. He¡¯ll be around for two more years.
Together, that duo is in line to receive most, if not all, of the Mets¡¯ catching reps this season.
Here¡¯s the organizational situation at a glance:
On the 40-man roster: Alvarez, Torrens
Notable departures: None
Non-roster invitees: Kevin Parada, Jakson Reetz, Hayden Senger, Chris Williams
The starter: This is a crucial season for Alvarez. Three years ago, he planted the seeds of stardom when he blew through the upper Minors to debut at age 20, even earning a postseason at-bat. Two years ago, Alvarez seemed to blossom as he shook off some early issues to hit 25 homers and post a .721 OPS -- respectable numbers for a 21-year-old. Along the way, he shed his prospect reputation as a defensive liability. But last year, Alvarez took a clear step back at the plate, hitting just 11 homers -- a left thumb injury played a role in that -- and going long stretches as essentially an automatic out.
With the help of former teammate J.D. Martinez, Alvarez reworked his swing over the winter. He wants to become better at using the whole field instead of relying on his natural pull power. If he can accomplish that, Alvarez is still young and talented enough to assume his mantle as one of the game¡¯s best catchers.
The backup: The Mets probably wouldn¡¯t have made the playoffs last year without Torrens. A Yankees castoff, Torrens arrived in late May and made an immediate impact, hitting two home runs in his fourth game with the Mets and, days later, starting a rare 2-3 double play to steal the London Series finale from the Phillies. Even after Alvarez returned from injury, Torrens earned steady work behind the plate. He gave the Mets professional at-bats on offense and played a notable role in neutralizing the running game -- long a problem for Mets pitchers -- on defense.
Unsurprisingly, the Mets didn¡¯t hesitate to tender the arbitration-eligible Torrens a new contract this winter.
Any competition?
At this position, no. Barring injury, Alvarez and Torrens will be the only two catchers on the Opening Day roster.
What about the future?
If things break Alvarez¡¯s way, he¡¯ll remain the Mets¡¯ unquestioned starter through 2028, his final year of team control. Two offseasons ago, the Mets had at least cursory talks with Alvarez about an extension. While that situation appears to have cooled, Alvarez should still remain the catcher for a long time to come.
But nothing is certain in this game -- just ask Parada. When the Mets selected the Georgia Tech product 11th overall in the 2022 Draft, some wondered how he and Alvarez would coexist. That has yet to become a problem, as Parada posted a middling season in 2023 and a downright poor one last year, batting .214/.304/.359 in 114 games. Running out of chances to prove his long-term viability, Parada must have a bounce-back season to remain in the picture.
The Mets don¡¯t have another blue-chip catching prospect on the immediate horizon, though if Alvarez proves himself as a regular, that won¡¯t be a significant issue. Backup catchers aren¡¯t too hard to find in free agency, and by the time Torrens departs, one or more of the Mets¡¯ younger hopefuls could be factors.