Minor League Mondays: Francisco Alvarez off to a fast start in Binghamton

After a pair of years impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, minor league baseball is back to its typical April-September schedule. The New York Mets’ farm system is a bit top-heavy, but the organization does have some intriguing prospects to keep an eye on this season. The most notable to fans and analysts is catcher Francisco Alvarez, who is the focus for the first 2022 edition of Minor League Mondays.

The Mets assigned Alvarez, their top prospect according to MLB.com, to AA Binghamton to start the year. The Rumble Ponies have benefitted as Alvarez has torn the cover off the ball, batting .375 with four home runs and 10 RBIs over his first six games with Binghamton. The hot start is nothing new for Alvarez, who dominated Low-A St. Lucie a year ago before forcing his way to High-A Brooklyn, where he spent the rest of the summer.

Alvarez’s offensive potential has to be exciting for the Mets, who have never really had a true star behind the plate since Mike Piazza left after the 2005 season. The Mets did sign James McCann to a four-year deal prior to last season with an eye toward having him bridge the gap until Alvarez is ready to come to the majors, but Alvarez’s hot hitting could accelerate that timetable.

While Alvarez’s bat is off to a hot start, there are still areas of his defensive game that could use improvement, notably in terms of pitch framing. Those defensive adjustments could warrant a longer stay at Binghamton, but if Alvarez keeps dominating Eastern League pitching he could push his way up to AAA Syracuse in short order.

The scary thing about Alvarez’s offensive development is that he is just 20 years old, making him one of the youngest players in the Eastern League. The fact that Alvarez’s electric swing is already producing results against advanced competition is a tremendous sign for his long-term potential to become a franchise cornerstone behind the plate. Alvarez also has a strong arm behind the plate, which should be an asset in gunning down potential base stealers, so it is more a matter of when than if he makes his major league debut. That could come as early as September if all goes well, making Alvarez a player to watch all year long on Minor League Mondays.