3 Mets prospects to know in 2021

The Mets’ farm system is considered middling overall, but they have a clear top tier of about eight prospects whom they strongly preferred not to trade — and indeed did not trade — during the offseason. Most of their best minor-leaguers are at the lower levels, years away from impacting the major-league team, but here is a closer look at a few of them.

Francisco Alvarez, age 19, C

Along with shortstop Ronny Mauricio, who will turn 20 on April 4, Alvarez is the Mets’ highest-rated prospect at any position and any level. His power is "electric," in the view of Mets director of player development Kevin Howard, who added: "He’s a different kind of combination of strength and explosiveness that you don’t see a lot. He moves quick and he’s a really, really large individual. That’s going to equal a lot of power."

Alvarez acknowledges that his offense is ahead of his defense, with a need to improve his receiving and blocking specifically. Howard said those parts of his game are "better than I expected," though the Mets are working with hiim on his "soft skills," such as game-calling and communicating with pitchers.

In his only professional season, 2019, Alvarez hit .312 with a .916 OPS. Rookie-level statistics mean only so much, but the Mets thought enough of him that they had him debut stateside (as opposed to in the Dominican Republic) at 17 years old.

Matt Allan, 19, RHP

The Mets have not developed a pitcher with huge hype since 2015, when Noah Syndergaard (and Steven Matz) debuted. With Allan, their top pitching prospect, they have a shot at ending that drought.

A third-round draft pick in 2019, Allan has a mid-to-high-90s fastball with "effortless" velocity, Howard said. He also has an above-average curveball and what he believes is an improved changeup. Howard noted that like most any young pitcher, Allan still "needs to learn how to trust his off-speed stuff."

The Mets rave about his character, too. Combine that with his skill and you just may have a Next Big (Pitching) Thing.

"His makeup is a 10/10," Howard said. "You don’t get guys with that kind of arm and that kind of makeup very often. So all that comes with him makes him one of our most exciting players because the talent matches the makeup."

Jaylen Palmer, 20

Note that we did not list a position. That’s because Palmer, a New York City native and graduate of Holy Cross High, "plays everywhere," Howard said. He isn’t part of the previously mentioned top tier, but he might be there by season’s end, qualifying as a sleeper of sorts in the Mets’ system. They picked Palmer in the 22nd round of the 2018 draft, and he hasn’t played above rookie ball (where he played shortstop and third base). The Mets like the potential, though.

"The bat speed and power is something else," Howard said. "The athleticism, it’s really interesting. That’s a guy that’s got a really high ceiling."

Honorable mentions: Mauricio, 3B Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, CF Pete Crow-Armstrong, RHP J.T. Ginn, OF Khalil Lee.