After an unprecedented spending spree during MLB free agency, the New York Mets roster seems just about set. How that affects their top prospects, including Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty, is to be seen. We will discuss what the Mets plan should be for Alvarez and Baty after their MLB free-agency binge.

First, though, Mets fans should revel in the incredible haul owner Steve Cohen signed off on this winter. The Mets signed Justin Verlander, Kodai Senga and Jose Quintana to fill out the starting rotation. They re-signed closer Edwin Diaz, set-up man Adam Ottavino and centerfielder Brandon Nimmo. They added relievers David Robertson (free agent), Brooks Raley (trade), and free-agent catcher Omar Narvaez.

And then out of nowhere in the middle of the night, the Mets agreed to a 12-year deal with Carlos Correa to play third base.

The Mets payroll will be roughly a jaw-dropping $380 million this season.

That said, let’s focus on what the Mets plan should be for their top prospects closest to the majors, including Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty, after the MLB free agency binge.

5. Zach Greene – RHP

Of all the Mets prospects, Zach Greene is the newest to the organization and most likely to begin the season on the 26-man roster. Greene was selected in the Rule 5 Draft and must remain in the majors all season or be offered back to the team he was selected from, the Yankees, for $50,000.

Barring a horrendous spring training, Greene will work low-leverage innings this season with the Mets. He’s a rare Mets pitching prospect with a power arm and high ceiling who’s at or near the big-league level.

Greene struck out 12.6 batters per nine innings in 48 games at Triple-A last season. He was 9-0 with a 3.42 ERA and 1.215 WHIP and allowed 51 hits (11 home runs) in 68.1 innings.

He’s an intriguing addition and deserves a long look in the majors this season.

4. Mark Vientos – 3B/DH

Mark Vientos has been a top Mets prospect for several years and is coming off a very good season with Triple-A Syracuse. But he likely has no future with the Mets.

Vientos is a player without a position. At 23-years-old he’s best suited to be a DH. A third baseman by trade, Vientos is a liability in the field. Plus, his path to the majors at that position was first blocked by fellow prospect, Brett Baty, and is now derailed by Carlos Correa.

But he can hit. In nearly a full season at Triple-A in 2022, Vientos had 24 home runs, drove in 72 runs and batted .280 with a .359 OBP. Those numbers play. In a late-season audition with the Mets to be their right-handed DH, he was 6 for 36 with one homer and 3 RBI.

The Correa signing likely moves Eduardo Escobar to DH, blocking the one path Vientos has to the majors. If Escobar is not traded, the best move is to play Vientos every day at Triple-A and then dangle him as trade bait during the season if New York needs reinforcements elsewhere.

3. Ronny Mauricio – SS

Ronny Mauricio is not going away. In fact, he’s making it difficult for the Mets to move on from him.

The 21-year-old was named MVP of the Dominican Winter League this week. He had five home runs, 15 doubles, 31 RBI, stole 10 bases, and batted .287 in 47 games. He was top 1 or 2 in nearly every major offensive category in the DWL.

This after he clubbed 26 homers and 26 doubles and stole 20 bases at Double-A Binghamton last season.

Mauricio is blossoming into the stud the Mets hyped him to be years ago. The only issue is that he’s a shortstop and, well, the Mets have Francisco Lindor locking down that position into the next decade.

The plan here should be simple. Play Mauricio every day at Triple-A and move him to the outfield (remember third base is not an option after the Correa signing). Then see if he’s ready for the Major Leagues in 2024 when Mark Canha’s contract is up.

Mauricio’s name is often discussed in trade rumors, but the Mets should not be quick to move on from him. Mauricio is a great athlete coming into his own. They’ve still got time to figure out his path.

2. Brett Baty – 3B

So, the one wrench in the plan to move Mauricio to the outfield is that the same plan should be in place for Brett Baty. The third baseman of the future now has his own path blocked by Correa.

The Mets have prepared for the possibility Baty could be an outfielder in the majors one day. He played 11 games in left field last season in the minors and 18 there in 2021. The smooth-swinging 23-year-old is ahead of Mauricio in development and is the more likely option to replace Canha in 2024.

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There are those who believe Baty is ready to contribute to the Mets now. But all along the plan should have been to start the former first-round pick at Triple-A, where he played only six games last season before being called up to the Mets in September (homering in his first at-bat).

Baty is a career .289/.390/.493 hitter in the minors who’s developing his power stroke. He killed it at Double-A in 2021 but let him get seasoning at the Triple-A level and adjust to playing the outfield full time, at last to start 2022.

1. Francisco Alvarez – C

Although Francisco Alvarez is arguably the top prospect in all of MLB, he, like Baty, is best served beginning the season at Triple-A. That’s even more so now that it appears Escobar will slide into the full-time DH role.

Alvarez has only 158 at-bats at Triple-A under his belt. And even though the 21-year-old is on the fast track to the Major Leagues, he’s best served to get more Triple-A at-bats while working on his defense, receiving behind the plate and game-calling.

The Mets are set at catcher with a righty-lefty platoon of Tomas Nido and free-agent signee Omar Narvaez. James McCann was traded to the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, so there’s one less obstacle in Alvarez’s way. But there’s also no need to rush him up.

Alvarez crushed his first MLB home run in a September call-up but was overmatched much of the time (2-for-13). He’s an absolute stud prospect, though. Soon enough Alvarez will arrive in Flushing and be the Mets No. 1 catcher for the next decade.

But it’s best to let him begin the season at Triple-A.