New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez Moving Up This Impressive All-Time List

New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez has 17 homers this season, moving him up this prominent list in baseball history.

The New York Mets are red-hot, and so is rookie catcher Francisco Alvarez.

The Mets have won six of their last seven games and Alvarez has helped carry the offense in that time. He's also doing things on a season-long level that are rarely done by rookie backstops.

Per Sarah Langs of MLB.com:

most HR in age-21 season or younger, AL/NL catchers: 

1969 Johnny Bench: 26 

2023 Francisco Alvarez: 17 

1973 Darrell Porter: 16 

1968 Johnny Bench: 15 

(min 50% games at C)

most HR in age-21 season or younger, AL/NL catchers:

1969 Johnny Bench: 26
2023 Francisco Alvarez: 17
1973 Darrell Porter: 16
1968 Johnny Bench: 15

(min 50% games at C)

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) July 9, 2023

Provided he stays healthy, Alvarez should pass Bench later this season for the top spot in baseball history, which would be an incredible accomplishment. 

His power has helped a Mets team that has struggled this entire season, but is coming on lately. He provided the only run for the team in Sunday's 3-1 loss to the Padres and is now hitting .242 for the season.

In addition to the home runs and average, he's got 35 RBI and an .818 OPS.

New York enters play on Sunday at 42-47 overall. They are a whopping 18.5 games behind the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East but do remain competitive in the wild card race, where they enter play at 6.5 back.

The Mets will finish out a series with the Padres on Sunday in the final game before the All-Star break. Max Scherzer (8-2, 4.03 ERA) pitches for New York while Joe Musgrove (7-2, 3.56) will pitch for San Diego.

The Mets will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first series out of the break.

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