Mets promote former first-round pick to Triple-A Syracuse

After finally finding his stride at Double-A Binghamton, the Mets have given Kevin Parada a promotion.

May 15, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Mets logo on the sleeve of J.D. Martinez during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

One of the New York Mets' first-round draft picks and former top prospects is moving up in the farm system.

First reported by Mike Mayer of Metsmerized, catcher Kevin Parada has been promoted from the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets. The 24-year-old backstop earned the call thanks to a strong August performance, as well as solid overall numbers with the bat.

Kevin Parada has been promoted to
Triple-A Syracuse!! 🎉

🎠 x #NeedForSteed x @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/URjmd9oIsy

— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) September 3, 2025

Due to being a catcher, Parada was perhaps overshadowed by Francisco Alvarez in the Mets' minor league system, with Alvarez being considered the best prospect in baseball at one point. A rough 2024 also led to him falling out of most of New York's top prospect lists, but Parada seems to have rediscovered what the Mets saw in him this year.

The resurgence of Kevin Parada

Feb 23, 2023; Port St. Lucie, FL, USA; New York Mets catcher Kevin Parada poses for a picture during the New York Mets media photo day at Clover Field. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images | Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

After two monster seasons with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Parada was considered a blue chip prospect and was selected by the Mets with the 11th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. After being drafted, the young catcher played just three games in rookie ball before moving up to Single-A St. Lucie; he finished 2022 with a .275/.455/.425 slash line.

In his first full season in the Mets' system, Parada quickly moved up to the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones and spent the majority of the 2023 season there. He demonstrated solid, but still developing hitting prowess with 21 doubles, four triples, and 11 home runs while slashing .265/.340/.447 in 87 games. This earned him a promotion to Double-A Binghamton, but he struggled to a .185 clip in 14 games; nonetheless, of his 10 hits, half of them went for extra bases.

Read More: Insider predicts Brandon Sproat's Mets promotion

Unfortunately, the 2024 season was a disaster. Playing all 114 games of his season with Binghamton, Parada cratered by hitting a meager .214/.304/.359 with 17 doubles and 13 home runs, while his 45 walks were counterbalanced by a whopping 153 strikeouts. Parada was also a liability behind the plate; he allowed a staggering 129 stolen bases in 157 attempts in 2023, and 2024 wasn't much better with only 26 runners caught in 115 attempts.

Being a bat-first catcher who wasn't hitting did a number on Parada's stock, as he went from being a top 3 prospect in New York's system to completely falling out of the top 30. But this year, the 24-year-old is making sure the Mets don't forget about him.

Kevin Parada lines an RBI single 👏

Parada recorded at least one hit in 16 of his 20 games in August

🎠 x #NeedForSteed x @MetsPlayerDev pic.twitter.com/tDglyjsEHG

— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) August 31, 2025

So far in 2025, Parada is hitting .254/.326/.429 with 34 extra-base hits in 92 games. He caught fire in June by slashing .328/.395/.582 in 67 at-bats, while his August performance (.304/.388/.478, six doubles, two homers) convinced the Mets to move him up to Triple-A. After such a rough 2024, Parada has shown impressive resilience, and while he isn't commanding the attention as fellow Triple-A prospects Carson Benge and Jett Williams, he is rediscovering what made him so coveted in the past.

Is there a lane for Parada to reach the majors?

New York's catching depth has been tested throughout the year, as Francisco Alvarez has dealt with both injuries and severe slumps. Luis Torrens, despite his occasional big hits and strong defensive play, is best utilized as a backup, while Hayden Senger has shown that he's unable to handle big-league pitching (despite a small sample size).

Read More: Mets provide another much-needed positive update on Francisco Alvarez

Considering Parada's only modest numbers this year in Double-A before getting the call, it would be foolish to call him up to the big leagues with minimal time in Triple-A. But considering he is younger than both Torrens and Senger, while also having much higher offensive upside, it may make sense to consider him as a backup option in 2026 if he proves himself in Syracuse.

Parada is still a work in progress, both at and behind the plate. But if the Mets' recent decision to promote him is any indication, his arrival to The Show may not be too far in the future.