Francisco Alvarez Is Quietly Proving That Mets Future Catcher Concerns Are Overblown

It's way to soon to panic as much as some Mets fans are.

Catcher isn't as big an issue as some Mets fans might fear. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

For the Mets, basically everything has gone wrong in 2026. However, Francisco Alvarez is quietly proving the Mets not only have their present catcher but an option who can be locked down for the future.

While many think Alvarez producing during this spurt of surging hot play is the perfect time to move him, the 24-year-old is proving that, when healthy, his production in the Mets lineup is essential.

Alvarez burst onto the scene in 2023, the No. 3 overall prospect praised for his elite pop and offensive production. That’s exactly what he provided in his rookie season, hitting 25 home runs in 123 games, along with 63 RBIs. He became the ninth rookie catcher to hit 20 or more home runs, also falling one home run behind Johnny Bench for the most home runs hit in a season by a catcher in their age-21 season or younger.

His consistent power has yet to find the surface at the major league level, with many factors interfering along the way. From having his approach switched up by hitting coaches to consistent injuries pausing Alvarez’s development in the majors, his level of adversity has immensely improved the 24-year-old's skill as a big leaguer.

Francisco Alvarez is soldifying his case as the Mets' franchise catcher

Alvarez showed promise offensively last season. Although he started the 2025 campaign slowly, the Mets sent Alvarez down to Triple-A so he could recalibrate his swing. What wasn’t expected was a full-blown breakout, with Alvarez batting .276 through the final 41 games he played in, also carrying a .360 OBP and .921 OPS, hitting nine home runs and tallying 21 RBIs.

The injury bug yet again struck Alvarez early in 2026, suffering a torn meniscus that shelved the Mets' starting catcher for a six-to-eight-week timeframe. Fans were ready to move on, writing him off as a “bust,” calling for his trade and future replacement. While Luis Torrens served as a serviceable backup with elite defense, his bat most definitely isn’t game-changing.

However, Alvarez quickly found himself back on the major league roster four weeks after suffering a torn meniscus, eager to help bring success to Queens, something that has been missing in 2026. Offensively, as of Thursday, Alvarez has found his footing playing in 13 games since his return, slugging four home runs with eight RBIs while batting .319.

Through three games against the Cubs, the surge has reached its peak, with Alvarez going 5-for-11 at the plate with a home run in each of the three games, holding a .500 OBP.

Francisco Alvarez homers!!

He's hit a home run in every game of this series💪 pic.twitter.com/SFARW6uXq8

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 24, 2026

Mets fans, is that enough to put to bed the cries for a trade? Fans even went further to say that it was “addition by subtraction” when Alvarez went down with an injury. While his defensive abilities aren’t the greatest, the Mets have recently found a way to balance their lineup by having Alvarez consistently serve as the designated hitter while having Torrens act as catcher, putting Alvarez in the best position to succeed offensively.

In what will likely be a summer full of subtractions and demoralizing baseball, at least Alvarez can further develop for the Mets' future, where he most definitely serves a purpose. He won't be a free agent until 2030, after all, giving him plenty of time to cement his case.