Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
While it may not be exciting, sticking to internal options may make the most sense for the Mets, especially at second base.
Back in late February, I wrote an article about how the
Mets should not panic in the wake of a
fast-spreading injury bug in Queens. Back then, the injuries were namely to starting pitching, with Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea going down, and utility infielder Nick Madrigal likely seeing his season end before it began. While the names have gotten bigger—this time Jeff McNeil is down with an oblique, and Francisco Alvarez is down with a fractured hamate bone in his glove hand, the biggest injury by far. But it is likely that the internal options will prove to be the best ones in filling those two roles, more so at second base than catcher.
While McNeil’s injury is frustrating, it opens a pretty significant door to two of the Mets’ more interesting prospects and, down the line, one of their best prospects. Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña are now in line to form a platoon at second base, and I think letting them split time at the position is absolutely the best move. While both Baty and Acuña have fallen off the Baseball Prospectus’ Top 101 Prospects list in 2025, they both previously made appearances: Acuña ranked 76th in 2024, and Baty ranked 13th in 2022 and 17th in 2023.
Obviously the shine is a bit off of both players, but both of them were top prospects within the last few years, and it is worth it for the Mets to figure out of they can get them to take steps forward after both players took steps back. If one or both of Acuña and Baty are good, the Mets know they can start giving them playing time. And if both are bad, they know that they can look for alternatives to both and begin to move on.
Outside of Acuña and Baty, Jett Williams is the Mets’ best position prospect, and blocking him would be a mistake. Personally I think he profiles better as a second baseman than a center fielder despite playing both positions throughout his minor league journey, and he is a good enough prospect to make an impact on the 2025 Mets. Signing a veteran who blocks him, Baty, and Acuña may slightly raise the team’s floor, but it puts a significant cap on the ceiling of the position. The Mets’ offense should have plenty of floor with how good the top of their lineup should be.
Behind the plate, the answers to the problem are much less exciting. While McNeil will be out for a few weeks and likely come back as good as new sometime in late April to early May, Francisco Alvarez’s injury is much more severe. All estimates seem to take him out for six-to-eight weeks, and that does not include his eventual rehab assignment. The issue with his injury is threefold: hand and wrist injuries are always tough for hitters, it is his glove hand,
which means he may have a tougher time rehabbing it, and catcher is just bad league wide.
In 2024, the average catcher performance was .234/.299/.380 (91 wRC+). The best two available catcher free agents, according to this
MLB.com list, are 36-year-old Yasmani Grandal, who had a 1.4 fWAR last year, and 37-year-old Yan Gomes, who had a -0.1 fWAR last year. It is not what you want.
Internally, the Mets’ options are not great. Luis Torrens was fine overall last year, ending the year with a 90 wRC+, but he really faded as he played more. He had a 146 wRC+ in the first half and a 46 wRC+ in the second half. While the Mets may be able to get away with it for a month and some change, if Alvarez has any setbacks, things could get dicey.
Behind Torrens, there just is not much happening organizationally.
Chris Williams was optioned to the minor leagues, leaving the battle for backup catcher between Hayden Senger and Jakson Reetz. Both players are quality defenders, but Senger owns a minor league slash line of .235/.325/.360 in six seasons, and Reetz has a .239/.350/.413 line in ten minor league seasons. The offense just is not there.
While the Mets could have went after a better backup to Alvarez, the truth of the matter is almost every team is ill equipped to lose their starting backstop. There are a few exceptions: the
Dodgers with Dalton Rushing waiting in the wings, the Orioles with Samuel Basallo, or the Braves with Drake Baldwin.
Mets should have plenty of options if they're going to add another catcher to the mix. Here's a list of veteran catchers who are in MLB camp as an NRI, not expected to make their current team, and probably have an opt-out before end of camp ...
https://t.co/sIT4OhyYmw pic.twitter.com/WUJbp5xTbI
— Jason R.R. Martinez (FanGraphs/RosterResource) (@JasonRRMartinez)
March 9, 2025
While the list above shows some veteran options—and I think it is very possible one of them ends up in Queens—the likely starting catcher is going to be Luis Torrens by default.
With the Mets’ pitching lab looking like they can make a very solid rotation, and a 1-5 of Lindor, Soto, Alonso, Vientos and Nimmo, the Mets have more built into their roster than any Mets fan is used to. While rolling with Acuña and Baty presents some risk, and the catching situation is not in a great spot until Alvarez comes back, they can outhit any struggles with their top-heavy offense, and they should pitch well enough to survive these injuries in the short- and medium-term.
