Francisco Alvarez remains the New York Mets‘ catcher heading toward the 2027 MLB season, whenever it actually gets to start after a conceptual lockout.
First, he’s getting some baseball work in playing for a different team this winter.
In some parts of the world, baseball is a year-round endeavor — and one particularly potent during the winter in Latin America.
It’s such a notable thing that MLB players will head south and play “winter ball.”
That’s what Alvarez is doing right now.
Francisco Alvarez in Winter Ball
Alvarez, a native of Venezuela, is currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League.
He’s suiting up for Magallanes.
It’s actually the first time recorded on record that Alvarez has suited up in a winter league since becoming a pro, so it’s notable.
It’ll be an interesting question to ask Alvarez down the road — he likely hoped to accomplish something this winter by heading to Venezuela.
Through Nov. 8, Alvarez has played nine games. He’s off to a cold start. Alvarez is hitting 6-for-28 (.214 average) with a .674 OPS. He has one home run and six RBI. He has walked five times and struck out nine times.
Given that Alvarez likely has a stronger reason for this pursuit this winter, the stats may not be that important. It could be more about what he can improve upon in the meantime.
Francisco Alvarez Future
Alvarez remains under contract with the Mets through the 2029 season.
He’ll still have a few more seasons of the arbitration process to go through first, so the Mets can have him as their starting catcher for years to come if they want.
Alvarez was once a very high-level prospect, and while he has had some bumps, he has mostly delivered on his conceptual talent. He has big power and a big arm, and he’s a reasonable catcher behind the plate.
The Mets will hope his time in Venezuela this winter can help him grow.
There’s a chance Alvarez decided to play with the lockout looming in baseball — or he simply wanted to suit up for some ballgames in his home country while he was healthy and still in his prime.
Either way, it’s a cool opportunity for Alvarez to get some extra action on the diamond.
Mets’ Francisco Alvarez Quietly Playing for New Team