CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - APRIL 17: Francisco Alvarez #4 of the New York Mets looks on against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 17, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)Getty ImagesThe New York Mets appear to be inching closer to getting one of their most important young players back.While the club looks to get itself back into a relevant spot in the competitive National League playoff race, recent attention surrounding the organization has centered on catcher Francisco Alvarez and his ongoing rehabilitation assignment at Triple-A Syracuse.Last week, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza turned some heads by indicating that the franchise catcher could be back with the team during its ongoing homestand.“The goal is everything goes well there (in a Triple-A rehab assignment), to have him for the next homestand,” Mendoza said, according to SNY.Alvarez seems to have been recovering quickly from a knee injury, though his rehab stint has seen some mixed results. In recent back-to-back games, he went hitless with four strikeouts. Still, the Mets will be hoping that Alvarez can return to his position behind the plate and help build some momentum toward a turnaround in the standings.ForbesYankees’ Aaron Judge Solution Could Mean Cutting Giancarlo StantonBy Peter ChawagaNew York Mets Acquire Young Catcher After Latest Francisco Alvarez InjuryBut even with Alvarez trending toward a return, the Mets continued looking for additional catching depth to add to the organization.MORE FOR YOUAnd that effort resulted in an under-the-radar addition last week, when an independent-league team announced that their own promising catcher had been acquired by the organization.“The New York Boulders are thrilled to announce that catcher Jack Scanlon has had his contract purchased by the New York Mets,” the team announced in a news release. “He's the first Boulder to join an MLB organization this season and fourth in the last 13 months, joining LHP PJ Labriola (Boston Red Sox), LHP Mason Olson (Toronto Blue Jays), and OF Ryan McCoy (Tampa Bay Rays)."Scanlon, 25, will now get an opportunity to continue his development within the Mets' system while providing additional organizational depth behind the plate. While Alvarez remains the club's long-term answer at catcher, he has missed significant time in recent seasons with a range of injuries, and serving as some backstop depth for the Mets could turn into a big-league opportunity for Sanclon soon.ForbesPhillies’ 3-Year Slugger Cut From Roster After Short Stint With New TeamBy Peter ChawagaNew York Mets Could Have New Catcher Backup On The RosterScanlon spent three seasons at the University of Oregon before transferring to the University of Miami and he slashed .208/.329/.375 in a combined 413 NCAA at-bats. His offensive production wasn’t much better in the Independent League last year, but in 23 games with the Boulders this season he slashed .337/.437/.651 with seven homers.If he can build on that momentum, he might become a legitimate big-league option for the Mets if and when Alvarez gets hurt again.