The Mets’ top prospect will have to wait a little longer for another big league opportunity.
Catcher Francisco Alvarez was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday, ending the 21-year-old’s chances of making the Mets’ Opening Day roster.
Alvarez, the third-best prospect in MLB Pipeline’s rankings, struggled in spring training, allowing three hits in 28 at-bats.
Francisco AlvarezCorey Sipkin for the NY Post
It was always considered an option for Alvarez to start the season in Triple-A, with Omar Narvaez and Tomas Nido already there as catchers.
“He’s not a guy you want sitting as a backup catcher, but we can go in that direction,” Mets manager Buck Showalter Alvarez said Wednesday. “We feel good that he’s going to be able to carry the load if and when it goes up.”