Buck Showalter Casts Doubt On Francisco Alvarez's Ability To Break Camp With Mets

New York Mets top prospect Franciso Alvarez figures he's a cinch to make the team out of spring training. He's said so, plain and clear. but listening to Mets manager Buck Showalter answer that question leaves more than a bit of uncertainty around the catcher's status.

Can Francisco Álvarez make the major-league club out of spring? Buck Showalter didn't make it sound all that likely: pic.twitter.com/q7sB0RnOFq
— Tim Britton (@TimBritton) February 17, 2023

"I think he's going to approach it that way (that he'll be making the team)," said Showalter. "You always want players to make you think about 'what if'. We look at every possible scenario, whether it's an injury...

"There's ways just about everybody in camp could make the club, if something happened. We know (Tomas) Nido and Omar (Narvaez) are going to be the two catchers, and we'll see where Francisco fits in that mix."

Hmm. If he isn't one of "the two catchers", does that leave him with an option of making the team at DH? Is that really something you want to do with a 21 year old?

Besides, Daniel Vogelbach and Tommy Pham are likely the main bats at DH, with Darin Ruf in the wings.

Sounds like Alvarez, despite being the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball, is going to have to really show out during spring training to win himself a job in Queens.

Photo: Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports