Inbox: Will Álvarez make ’23 Opening Day roster?

Happy holidays from all of us at MLB.com! While we watch for the winter freeze to thaw, it’s time once more to dig into the mailbag. Thanks to all who submitted questions by way of Twitter.

Do you assume Francisco Álvarez will probably be despatched to Triple-A to start out the season? — @acm1717

This gained’t be a well-liked reply, however I do. There are a number of causes for the Mets to push Álvarez again to Syracuse, and their latest acquisition of Omar Narváez suggests they’re planning on it.

Were Álvarez not so uncooked behind the plate, this could be a way more sophisticated dialogue. But I’ve spoken to people each inside and out of doors the group who significantly doubt Álvarez is able to begin five-plus video games per week at catcher. Using Álvarez at DH as an alternative — whereas tempting, given his offensive upside — wouldn’t do him or the Mets a lot long-term good. Álvarez is most useful if he can grow to be an on a regular basis catcher, which he’ll have a troublesome time conducting with out extra Minor League seasoning. 

To be clear: Álvarez’s service time isn’t the highest precedence right here, despite the fact that the Mets will guarantee themselves an additional 12 months of management over him in the event that they maintain him within the Minors a couple of further weeks. It’s value noting additionally that none of that is set in stone; there’s a path for Álvarez to make the workforce if he’s just too good in Spring Training to disregard, like Pete Alonso was in 2019. But as we sit right here in late December, I’d be shocked to see Álvarez on the Opening Day roster. 

I’m simply as assured he’ll be a significant factor earlier than the top of the season.

What is the plan with David Peterson and Tylor Megill (assuming Carlos Carrasco doesn’t get moved)? Will they’ve an opportunity to win a beginning spot, will one or each of them be within the bullpen, or are they anticipated to open the season in Triple-A? — @Manach_38

Mets officers will remind you, and rightfully so, that no workforce goes by means of a season utilizing solely 5 starters. Even if the signings of Justin Verlander and Kodai Senga finally drive Peterson and Megill to Syracuse on Opening Day, neither is more likely to keep there lengthy. Remember, Peterson didn’t make the 2022 Opening Day roster, and he wound up beginning 19 video games regardless.

Already, normal supervisor Billy Eppler is speaking about serving to Senga, who’s accustomed to throwing as soon as per week in Japan, acclimate to the Majors by giving him further relaxation when mandatory. It’s equally value noting that Verlander will probably be 40 on Opening Day and Max Scherzer will probably be 39 in July. The concept of inserting an additional starter into the rotation on occasion is a brilliant one which the workforce has already mentioned.

There’s additionally an actual risk that an damage will occur in Spring Training, or that Peterson or Megill will beat out Carrasco for a beginning job. Considering the Mets are in win-now mode, they’re extra possible than ever to take the very best 5 north with them — full cease.

Of the rookies we noticed make their debut final 12 months, which do you assume has the very best shot at making the Opening Day roster? Which do you assume will probably be within the beginning lineup? — Paul_Stamp1

Until the Mets signed Carlos Correa to a 12-year contract, the clear reply right here was Baty, who might have gained the third-base job over Eduardo Escobar (a lot as he did late final summer season earlier than a wrist damage ended his season). If Baty isn’t traded, he’ll nonetheless have an opportunity to crack the roster, however now it could must be in left discipline — a place that’s unnatural to him. Mark Vientos might additionally make the workforce as an additional right-handed bat, however his talent set can be redundant with each Escobar and Darin Ruf on the bench.

That leaves Álvarez because the most probably candidate to make the workforce and, as famous above, I’m skeptical. It’s doable not one of the three break camp within the Majors.

Do you assume both Jeff McNeil or Pete Alonso get prolonged earlier than hitting free company? — @DrShein

This has been a well-liked query, for good motive: McNeil and Alonso are two homegrown rocks of the lineup. Had the Mets pursued extensions with both of them years in the past, the membership virtually definitely would have come out forward on each contracts.

But the Mets didn’t try this, and now the equation is extra sophisticated with each gamers beneath workforce management for merely two extra seasons. Alonso not has any motive to signal a below-market contract; he’ll hit free company at age 29 and may rating a megadeal if he maintains his manufacturing till then. McNeil has a bit extra incentive as a soon-to-be-31-year-old who broke into the large leagues comparatively late, however the Mets — given McNeil’s physique sort and aggressive fashion of play — could view that state of affairs with a bit extra warning.

In brief, I’m skeptical the workforce will decide to both participant now. Over the previous two months, the entrance workplace has been so consumed with free company that there hasn’t been time for a lot else. Owner Steve Cohen has already spent greater than $800 million to create a profitable roster. There’s no urgent motive for him to open his checkbook even wider for a pair of gamers already beneath workforce management, no matter how fashionable these gamers is likely to be.

What pitchers do the Mets have arising by means of the system that they’re most enthusiastic about? Who will probably be changing Max Scherzer and Verlander once they’re gone? — @manoverboard_92

The Mets have an enhancing farm system to make sure, however one that’s closely skewed towards place gamers, with Álvarez, Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Alex Ramirez and Mark Vientos main the best way. Their prime two prospects from the 2022 Draft, Kevin Parada and Jett Williams, are each place gamers.

That’s to not say there’s a whole lack of high-end pitchers within the system; it’s simply that the majority of them have by no means performed above Single-A. That’s why the Mets have been aggressive in signing starters to free agent contracts this winter, hoping the Verlanders and Sengas of the world can maintain issues down whereas the pitching facet of the farm system matures.

To reply your query extra straight, the 5 pitching prospects I’ve heard probably the most about lately are Matt Allan, Calvin Ziegler, Blade Tidwell, Dominic Hamel and Mike Vasil. Allan has been within the system the longest, however he underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in May 2021 to throw a wrench in his growth timeline. Still, Allan stays well-regarded within the group and will push his approach to the Majors as quickly as 2024.

Ziegler struggled with management in his skilled debut, however possesses as excessive a ceiling as anybody on the farm. Tidwell, the Mets’ second-rounder final July, is already MLB Pipeline’s highest-ranked Mets pitching prospect. Finally, Vasil and Hamel are each 2021 Draft picks who acquitted themselves nicely in A ball final summer season and must be about prepared for an higher Minors take a look at.