The New York Mets entered Wednesday night entrenched in second place in the NL East, despite average pitching and batting stats. One bright spot for the offense has been catcher Francisco Alvarez's play of late.

Alvarez, a powerfully built 5-foot-11, 233 pound right-hander, has been hitting the cover off of the ball lately. Stats-wise, Alvarez achieved something recently that reminds many of Joe Mauer, the Minnesota Twins legend.

 

“Pretty good company,” wrote one commenter on Twitter.

“And probably gonna get sent down,” another said.

Mauer hit .308 in limited action in 2004 before hitting .294 and .347 the next two seasons, showcasing his versatility. Alvarez's contact hitting is not on the same level. He still needs to improve his sub-par batting average, but the Mets are encouraged by his power hitting.

He pulverized a 102.9 MPH fastball on Wednesday, blasting it 390 feet into the Wrigley Field bleachers.

Alvarez spent months with the AA Binghamton Rumble Ponies and the AAA Syracuse Mets before his call-up to New York last October.

He said prior to Wednesday's game that the speed of the Major League level has become more familiar to him. The game has slowed down, thanks to his oft-praised work ethic.

He added through a translator that working with Mets star pitchers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer has paid dividends as of late.

The Mets will head to Colorado for a three-game set with the Rockies at the conclusion of tomorrow's series finale in Chicago.

The team's veterans have praised Alvarez's play, strengthening his case to stay with the team long-term.

“He’s growing up on us,” said Mets hitting coach Jeremy Barnes.

“There’s not a human being I’ve ever met,” Barnes added, “with a bigger growth mindset than him.”