Each year at 213 we look through the Non-Roster Invitees to spring training and get to know them a bit. Are they in camp to get a look at big league hitting/pitching to aid their development? Are the Mets just trying to get a better look at a future rookie? Are they a veteran trying to get back to the major league level? What can we expect from them this season?
Now Ali Sanchez is not a Non-Roster Invitee. I included him in this series since we just wrapped up looking at the NRI catchers yesterday. We had an article about Nido, but none for Sanchez. And to some degree everyone is also competing with Sanchez. If regular playing time opens up at the catching position, at 23 years old, that opens a door for Ali.
This is not the first year we’ve profiled Ali Sanchez. Last year our main focus on the Sanchez write-up was his defensive skills which BA said “his defensive tools are so tantalizing” The ended it by saying that catchers develop later than other players.
And that sort-of happened for Sanchez last year. He hit .278/.337/.337 over 294 PAs (compared to his minor average line of .259/.317/.331) in Binghamton but then struggled in a small stint in Syracuse over 65 PAs (.179/.277/.250). At the end of the season the Mets sent him to Arizona where in 14 games and 49 PAs he hit .262/.347/.310.
With the emergence of Francisco Alvarez in the system, Sanchez is no longer the top catching prospect. But with the departure of Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki + Tomas Nido not running away with the chances he has had in the majors the last two seasons, there is an opening for Sanchez. He has an advantage over the other NRI’s because he’s not an NRI. But he will require consistent playing time at the major league level to be called up, which means we’ll see him if something goes wrong with the team in Queens.
I’m looking forward for Sanchez having a full season, or near full season, in Syracuse this year. He has a small window to make some noise with the Ramos contract ending after this season. Most of the attention will start to shift, and for good reason, to Francisco Alvarez but Sanchez is still here and he may be close to ready.
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