Francisco Alvarez poised to take title of NL East's best catcher

The New York Mets have the most promising young backstop in the entire National League East.

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) runs to first base after hitting a single against the Houston Astros during the first inning at Clover Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

By the end of the 2025 season, one that will hopefully finish with a New York Mets victory in the World Series, Francisco Alvarez will be the best catcher in the National League East.

The 23-year-old backstop has virtually everything going for him - youth, health, offensive upside, and the needed offseason improvements to break out in his third full season in the majors. Taking the mantle of best catcher in the division might seem a tall task, as J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies has been one of baseball's best catchers for a decade now, but Alvarez is poised to make the leap from "budding young talent" to "superstar" this coming season.

Alvarez has been inconsistent in his first two full seasons, hitting just .209 in 2023 but with 25 home runs and then following that campaign with a better batting average (.237) but much worse home run total (11). This offseason, Alvarez put in the work with Mets hitting coach Eric Chavez, revamping the swing for more stability and efficiency.

Manager Carlos Mendoza was pleased earlier in camp, saying that Alvarez had a "better base" when speaking to reporters.

"The gather, the load. He's getting himself in a better position. It's batting practice, so he's gonna have to play around with the mechanics because there's some major adjustments there," Mendoza said. "Middle of the field -- that's what we want. That approach, middle of the field, use the whole field. He's getting at-bats, we know the impact is real. We'll see how he progresses here once we start playing games."

Francisco Alvarez appears to have made some adjustments at the plate! 👀

Tom Verducci breaks it down on #MLBNHotStove. pic.twitter.com/PlcDKjM059

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 28, 2025

Alvarez agreed with Mendoza about the reasoning for the changes. "I think I can put the ball in the air more, hit the ball to the opposite way more," Alvarez said last month. "I'm very powerful; I don't have to pull every pitch."

Read more: Mets' Eric Chavez makes bold statement about Pete Alonso's swing upgrade

With that new swing, Alvarez went 1-for-3 on Tuesday and, just like Mendoza asked for, used the whole field for his hit. Coming off of last season's NL saves leader in Ryan Helsley of the St. Louis Cardinals, Alvarez laced a single to the opposite field in the 4th inning of New York's 6-1 loss to St. Louis.

Francisco Alvarez with an opposite field base hit off of Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley

(via @ESPN) pic.twitter.com/g6SzmVCX8i

— SNY (@SNYtv) March 4, 2025

Alvarez is also heading into the season fully healthy. Missing two months in 2024 for a torn ligament in his thumb, the backstop struggled on his return with both his timing and his power. But the end of the year was a boon to Alvarez's season line - in September, he hit .254 with five home runs and a .899 OPS. His 11% barrel rate for the month was close to 2023's full-season mark of 12.8%, showcasing Alvarez's power potential for 2025.

But Alvarez didn't spend the entire winter with a bat in his hands. The already-quality receiver worked on his defense behind the plate, attempting to rebound from some defensive regression. Going from 4th in Framing Runs in 2023 to 9th last season, Alvarez spent time working on receiving and framing pitches in the bottom corners of the zone. His strikes (called) rate in those two locations dropped 7.1% (towards the right-handed batters box) and 14.8% (towards the left-handed batters box) from his 2023, possibly impacted by the thumb injury and lingering issues after returning to play.

Francisco Alvarez showing why catcher is the most important position in baseball pic.twitter.com/ivHfcnZQ6D

— Baseball Legends (@Leg_baseball) December 23, 2024

With age and injury impacting the two catchers in the division considered to be ahead of Alvarez, now is the time for the young Venezuelan to step up and take over as the East's dominant backstop.

J.T. Realmuto of the Philadelphia Phillies, entering his age-34 season, has 1,146 games behind the plate on his legs and has begun to show his age. Missing time last season for a knee issue that required surgery in mid-June, he made a career-low 99 starts behind the plate. His defense also suffered, finishing the year at -3 Framing Runs and -2 Blocks Above Average.

Sean Murphy of the Atlanta Braves, a former Gold Glove winner, is still dealing with injury issues. After missing 58 days to a strained oblique last season and finishing the year with a career-worst .193 average, Murphy is already on the shelf this spring. Suffering a fractured rib after being hit by a pitch on Friday, he is expected to miss three to five weeks and will not be on the Opening Day roster for Atlanta.

With some offensive development and defensive improvements, Alvarez can be the best catcher in the NL East by the end of the season.