One of baseball's fastest-rising farm systems will be on display when the Syracuse Mets take the field for their season opener Friday.

The Mets roster features the club's two best prospects — catcher Francisco Alvarez, the No. 3 prospect in all of baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and infielder Brett Baty, No. 21 in the same MLB Pipeline rankings. Baty is the reigning Mets Minor League Player of the Year, having reached the big leagues for 11 games in 2022. Alvarez, meanwhile, played for Class AA Binghamton, Syracuse and the New York Mets last season, hitting 28 home runs.

The pair, joined by infielder and returning International League All-Star and September big-league call-up Mark Vientos, have elevated the Mets' farm system to No. 11 in the latest MLB Pipeline rankings, up from 20th a year ago.

The Mets start their season on the road, playing the Worcester Red Sox at 4:05 p.m. Friday. They'll open their 2023 home slate at 2:05 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, against the Rochester Red Wings, their regional and International League East Division rivals.

Syracuse's roster is bolstered by both rising prospects and plenty of MLB experience.

Shortstop Ronny Mauricio is moving up from Binghamton, having hit 26 home runs and driving in 89 runs for the Rumble Ponies in 2022. He was the Dominican League MVP this offseason, hitting .287 in 46 games. His on-base-plus slugging has risen in each of his last two seasons, with an OPS of .768 in 2022.

Syracuse's 2023 roster includes infielder Jose Peraza, a seven-season MLB vet who has played for four teams, and outfielder DJ Stewart, a 2015 first-round pick of the Baltimore Orioles who played parts of five seasons with the club. That experience is matched in the pitching staff, led by right-hander Tylor Megill, the opening-day starter for the 2022 big-league club. Megill picked up the win in that game and went 4-2 in just 47 1/3 innings for New York last season.

The bullpen is bolstered by longtime MLB reliever T.J. McFarland, who has pitched for 10 seasons in Baltimore, Arizona, Oakland and St. Louis.