The Mets are trying to make a splash in international waters.
That was evident last winter, when the club hired Omar Minaya as a special assistant to help the Mets improve their Latin American presence, and even more so Monday, when Venezuelan catcher Francisco Alvarez received a $2.7 million signing bonus from the team. It is the biggest international signing bonus in franchise history.
According to a talent evaluator, the 16-year-old Alvarez — who is listed at 5-foot-11 and 220 pounds — hits for power and has a “good” arm, but needs to improve his catching.