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The New York Mets appear to have put all the pieces together during the 2022 season. Barring a complete collapse over the final few weeks of the season, the Mets will roll into the 2022 MLB playoffs as one of the top teams in the league.
Right now, the Mets are in a battle with the Atlanta Braves a top the National League. New York has a solid three game lead over the Mets right now, but it's worth noting there's still a lot of baseball left to be played this season, and as the Mets have shown us over the past few seasons, they aren't prone to collapsing.
But things feel different in New York this season, and it has resulted in them being among the 2022 World Series favorites. But they are going to have hold off the Braves and make it to the playoffs first, and September call-ups may help them accomplish that. Let's take a look at three star prospects the Mets could call up in September to aid their playoff push.
3 prospects the New York Mets need to call up
3. Mark Vientos
Of the Mets prospects, Mark Vientos is probably the most major-league ready of the bunch. The 22 year old Vientos, who primarily plays third or first base, has spent the entire season in Triple-A with the Syracuse Mets, and he appears to be ready for his first taste of major league action.
Vientos numbers on the season (.277 BA, 20 HR, 59 RBI, .885 OPS) showcase a very consistent hitter. Those numbers, if he could replicate them in the MLB, would instantly make him a solid hitter. Obviously it would take awhile for Vientos to be able to reach those heights, but it's clear he has the potential to be a solid presence in the Mets lineup in the future.
Vientos does have some fielding concerns, as he's committed 12 errors in the field this season, and evaluators don't know if he's a good enough fielder to stay at third base once he reaches the majors. Either way, Vientos has earned himself a call-up in September due to his hitting alone, and he could provide a nice spark to the lineup off the bench.
2. Ronny Mauricio
Another young prospect the Mets could call-up is Ronny Mauricio. Mauricio is a power-hitting shortstop who has spent the entire 2022 season in Double-A with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. For the most part, Mauricio has played as expected (.247 BA, 22 HR, 70 RBI, .756 OPS) as a boom-or-bust hitter who relies heavily on home runs for his production.
Mauricio has the potential to become a deadly hitter in the majors. He's a switch hitter who has hit pretty similarly from both sides of the plate, although it's worth noting he's hit 20 of his 22 home runs from the left side of the plate. He can also run on the basepaths, and has stolen 14 basepaths this season.
The concern with Mauricio is his plate discipline and contact rates. He's only drawn 17 walks this season compared to 99 strikeouts, which has significantly lowered his OPS. He also has committed a whopping 22 errors in the field, which is a massive concern moving forward. But for now, Mauricio's bat has earned him a look in the majors, and it may end up aiding his development come next season.
1. Francisco Alvarez
Francisco Alvarez is the number one ranked prospect in the entire MLB according to MLB.com. With one of the best bats in the minors, and an ability to play catcher, Alvarez has quickly become one of the brightest young players in the game, and he's only helped his stock increase in 2022.
Alvarez was tearing up Double-A pitching earlier this season in Binghamton, and earned himself a promotion to Triple-A. He's struggled there so far (.168 BA, 5 HR, 18 RBI, .693 OPS), with his ability to get on base helping him out. Alvarez's struggles in Triple-A are undoubtedly concerning, and chances are it will prevent him from getting called up in September.
The Mets could call-up Alvarez to give him a taste of the majors, though, and maybe that would help the team, and Alvarez. Sure, he hasn't been able to hit Triple-A pitching, so it makes sense to question promoting him to the majors. That could potentially harm his development, which is precisely what the Mets don't want.
But it is worth noting that New York has gotten virtually no production from their catchers this season, and there's a chance Alvarez could be an upgrade at catcher for the Mets. He has fantastic hitting ability, even as he struggles in Triple-A, and he could end up becoming a big part of the Mets team immediately. It may be jumping the gun suggesting Alvarez get promoted, but it would make for an exciting month of September if Alvarez got a run in the majors with the Mets.
