Francisco Alvarez, the No. 1 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline, has been out of Syracuse Mets lineup for each of the last four games, and we now have a reason for the absence.
According to SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino, Alvarez has been dealing with right ankle soreness and will be evaluated in New York. Martino adds that the Mets will likely offer an update on Alvarez’s status at some point in the coming week.
The 20-year-old slugging catcher made his Triple-A debut with Syracuse on July 4. Since his promotion, Alvarez is slashing .180/.340/.378 with six home runs, 21 RBI, and 21 walks in 32 games.
Buck Showalter has previously said that Alvarez likely wouldn't be a call-up option for the Mets at the end of this season, as the team wants the young phenom to continue to play every day in the minors to help with his development. Still, his pure power could make him an intriguing option to help the Mets try to win the division.
Overall, Alvarez has played in 99 games this season between Syracuse and Double-A Binghamton, slashing .247/.359/.500 with 24 homers and 68 RBI.