The New York Mets sent catcher Francisco Alvarez to Triple-A Syracuse, quashing for now the possibility of putting the prized 21-year-old on the Opening Day roster.
Alvarez, who made his major league debut with the Mets near the end of last season, had just three hits in 28 at-bats in Grapefruit League games.
Ranked by ESPN's Kiley McDaniel as the fifth-best prospect in baseball, Alvarez batted .260 with 27 homers and 78 RBIs in a combined 112 minor league games in 2022 at Double-A and Triple-A.
The Mets have newcomer Omar Narvaez, a 2021 All-Star with the Milwaukee Brewers, as their primary catcher, with Tomas Nido likely to play mostly against left-handed pitchers.