After falling just two wins short of a World Series appearance last year, the New York Mets made a big move by bringing Juan Soto to Queens, further strengthening an already star-studded roster.
The Mets’ 2025 lineup now features big names like Soto, Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, Brandon Nimmo, Sean Manaea, Kodai Senga, Edwin Diaz, A.J. Minter, and others. However, a few players are expected to break out and make a significant impact this season.
MLB insider Jim Bowden recently named his list of players to watch in 2025, highlighting two Mets players: catcher Francisco Alvarez and newly converted starter Clay Holmes. Alvarez’s inclusion on the list might come as a surprise considering he is currently sidelined with a hamate bone injury in his hand, which required surgery and will keep him out for 6-8 weeks. Although Alvarez has immense potential, his recent injury history raises questions about his ability to break out this season. Last year, after suffering a torn UCL in his thumb, Alvarez missed seven weeks and struggled with his power, hitting only 10 home runs following a 25-homer breakout season in 2023. Despite his injuries, Alvarez is highly regarded for his elite framing skills and leadership behind the plate, and the Mets will certainly miss him while he’s on the injured list. He is expected to return in the first half of the season, but it may be challenging for him to fully regain his power at the plate so soon after undergoing two surgeries in as many years.
On the other hand, Clay Holmes has emerged as a potential breakout candidate after being transitioned back into a starting role. Holmes, a two-time All-Star closer with the New York Yankees, struggled during much of the 2024 regular season after a strong start but found success again in the postseason. Now, at 31 years old, Holmes is returning to a starting role, a position he hasn’t held since his rookie year in 2018. The Mets were not the only team interested in converting Holmes back into a starter, and he has since worked on adding a cutter and fine-tuning his changeup to improve his ability to get left-handed batters out. Holmes has shown strong promise this spring, with a 1.29 ERA over four starts (14 innings), and will be the Mets’ Opening Day starter on March 27 against the Houston Astros.