Francisco Alvarez takes large swings, each together with his bat and in charting targets.
Coming off an underwhelming offensive season, the younger Mets catcher has pledged he will likely be a greater and extra selective hitter in 2025.
“I’m engaged on quite a lot of issues in my hitting. … I’ve modified quite a lot of issues,” Alvarez mentioned final weekend on the fanfest at Citi Discipline. “So I’m going to have extra plate self-discipline, and I’m going to have higher numbers, too.”
Alvarez arrived within the main leagues for good in 2023 with a minor league popularity as a mighty bat and questionable glove.
Because it has turned out, his protection behind the plate has been terrific — working effectively with pitchers and rating ninth final season in catcher framing runs regardless of lacking important time — whereas his swing has run cold and warm.
In 2023, he didn’t hit for common (.209) however compensated by slugging 25 dwelling runs in 123 video games. In 2024, the contact and common points remained whereas the facility (11 homers in 100 video games) regressed.
It’s attainable Alvarez was compromised by a torn ligament in his left thumb that price him seven weeks of the season, however Alvarez reiterated Saturday that his thumb was to not blame for his offensive output.
Whatever the supply of his struggles in a 12 months that he completed with a .710 OPS, the 23-year-old is assured his third prolonged season in Queens will likely be his breakout marketing campaign.
“I discovered loads from final 12 months, so it’s going to be method completely different this 12 months,” mentioned Alvarez, who must carry out higher in opposition to breaking pitches.
Final season, Alvarez crushed fastballs and was OK in opposition to offspeed pitches. He was uncovered, although, by breaking balls, in opposition to which he hit .159 and swung and missed 35.9 p.c of the time.
He was notably weak in opposition to sliders, and it’s no thriller that he noticed a slider 22.4 p.c of the time in 2023 and 27.8 p.c of the time in 2024.
Regardless of that, Alvarez, swings onerous — hitting coach Eric Chavez would really like him to be extra managed on the plate — has drawn walks and is in the course of the pack when it comes to chasing pitches exterior the strike zone.
Plans for enhancing his plate self-discipline may contain figuring out and shedding the sorts of breaking pitches he didn’t hit effectively.
There won’t be a greater mentor in baseball for hitters studying which pitches to assault than new Met Juan Soto, whom Alvarez certainly will lean on.
Household Discipline in Milwaukee. Jason Szenes / New York Submit
But when Alvarez needs assist from one other Mets catcher with critical energy, he needn’t look far.
“He’s bought quite a lot of enthusiasm. He’s a particular expertise,” Mike Piazza mentioned of Alvarez. “He’s bought quite a lot of energy. Simply the one critique for me, I believe, is simply to be a bit of bit extra plate-disciplined. I believe we’ve seen some hitters — and I used to be responsible of it myself … it’s good to be aggressive. There’s guys that once they get that first fastball, they’re at all times looking for it.
“However I believe there’s occasions the place, if the pitcher is throwing effectively, they might use that in opposition to you. And I believe there’s occasions the place it’s a must to type of shrink your strike zone a bit of bit and never stretch it, particularly with two strikes. However once more, I believe he’s nonetheless younger.”
In a lineup that no less than at the moment doesn’t have Pete Alonso and boasts simply Mark Vientos and the switch-hitting Francisco Lindor as energy threats from the best facet, Alvarez looms as a wild card.
If the previous No. 1 prospect in all of baseball develops into the hitter the membership envisioned, the Mets’ order would look far more intimidating.
Maybe 2025 is the season he fulfills that promise and takes steps on the plate.
“He’s going to need to mature,” Piazza mentioned, “as a result of this recreation has a humorous method of adjusting to you.”