Mets’ emerging catching prospect could make d’Arnaud expendable

The 23-year-old who perhaps is the Mets’ catcher of the future does not pride himself most on his bat, his legs, his glove or his arm.

Instead, what he focuses on above all else is the other end of the pitcher-catcher battery. It’s not enough to mash baseballs or to throw out runners at a prolific rate when half the job is to make sure the pitcher can do his.

If Yadier Molina believes that, then so does Tomas Nido.

Nido, an eighth-round pick out of high school in Florida in 2012, steadily is moving his way through the Mets system with tangible stats that reflect he is a legitimate prospect. But where he tries to separate himself is the bond he builds with his pitching staff at Double-A Binghamton. It’s a focus that felt justified upon meeting the most respected catcher in baseball.

“The first time I ever met Yadi, the first thing he asked me was what kind of relationship I had with my pitchers,” Nido said over the phone about the Cardinals catcher, whom he lists as an idol and friend. “From a guy I’ve never met, he asked about the relationships. And that kind of opened my eyes, and I realized even him, who’s had that much success, is not worried about hitting primarily. It’s about handling your pitching staff, knowing everyone on the pitching staff. That’s always stuck with me.”

Nido splashed onto the Mets’ radar last season, when he slashed .320/.357/.459 with seven home runs in 90 games for Single-A St. Lucie. He has climbed up the prospect rankings, currently rated the team’s ninth-best by MLB.com.

The 6-foot, 205-pound catcher has not seen as much success since moving up in weight class to Double-A, where he started off slowly — “It was the first time I ever played in cold weather like this” — batting .196 his first month of this season.

Since then, however, the right-hander had batted .274 with four homers in 157 at-bats entering Sunday, leading to his joining Amed Rosario as the Mets representatives at the All-Star Futures Game in Miami on July 9 — when he can show off a cannon the Mets love.

“I think my strength is catching, I have a really good arm,” said Nido, who had thrown out 41 percent of would-be base stealers this season. “I like to throw a lot of guys out on the bases. I really take pride in that.”