Pete Alonso -- Prospect Evaluation

Peter Morgan Alonso is a right-handed power hitter born December 7, 1994, in Tampa, Florida, who made his MLB debut on March 28, 2019. The University of Florida product was drafted 64th overall in the 2016 draft by the New York Mets and signed for $909,200. At 6'3" and 245 pounds, Alonso possesses plus raw power developed through strength rather than bat speed, earning consistent recognition as the Mets' best power hitter. His scouting profile notes he hit an impressive 18 home runs in the Northwoods League but showed limited power in subsequent Cape Cod League competition. Injuries have been a recurring concern, including a broken foot (2015), broken nose (2015), and broken left hand (May 2016), along with more recent wrist and hand injuries documented in his transaction history.

Alonso's prospect rankings reflected strong organizational regard, reaching #2 on the New York Mets prospect list in 2019 after ranking #4 in 2018 and #13 in 2017. He also earned #48 overall prospect status from Baseball America in 2019. At the minor league level, he was ranked #14 in the Pacific Coast League and #12 in the Arizona Fall League in 2018. Limited offensive tools outside of power and poor base-running ability suggest he will be restricted to first base defensively. Recent career transactions show multiple stints on the 10-day injured list and activity with both the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets, including free agency moves and All-Star Game participation.

The New York Mets selected University of Florida first baseman Peter Alonso with the 64th pick in the draft. Alonso is a right-handed batter standing 6'2" and weighing 225 pounds, born December 7, 1994. He was the Mets' third selection of the night, following right-hander Justin Dunn (19th overall) and lefty Anthony Kay (31st overall).

Alonso possesses plus raw power that stands out in a draft class lacking overall college pop. Multiple scouting sources highlight his raw power derived from strength and bat extension rather than pure bat speed, with the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He hit the first-ever home run to center field at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha during the 2015 College World Series. However, his long swing suggests he will not hit for a high average, though scouts note sufficient patience to generate walks to compensate.

Alonso has been hampered by injuries during his college tenure. He missed 30 games in 2015 with a broken foot and subsequently broke his nose that same year. In May 2016, a broken left hand sidelined him again. Despite these setbacks, he was the Gators' most consistent power bat and led the team in batting average and home runs when injured in 2016. He was a poor performer in the Cape Cod League following his strong summer in the Northwoods League, raising questions about consistency.

Defensively, Alonso is a quality first baseman with a solid arm. Scouts note he is a poor runner and will likely be limited to first base, though his arm strength theoretically could allow third base play. Baseball America ranked Alonso 139th pre-draft, suggesting he was expected to potentially drop beyond the first 100 picks.

Pete Alonso, the Mets' No. 2 prospect selected in the 2016 second round from the University of Florida, is widely recognized as an elite power hitter. During the 2018 season across Binghamton and Las Vegas, he posted a .285/.395/.579 slash line with 36 home runs, 119 RBIs, and a .421 wOBA. He became the first Mets prospect to lead all minor leagues in home runs and the first player in the organization to hit 36+ homers since Carlos Delgado in 2008. Both Baseball America and Fangraphs assess him with 70-grade power on the 20/80 scouting scale, meaning scouts project 30+ home run ability. His exit velocity metrics have broken StatCast records.

Despite his prodigious power potential, significant questions remain about Alonso's overall hitting ability. Baseball America questions his ability to perform against higher-level pitching, particularly against breaking balls. Analysis identifies specific swing vulnerabilities, including susceptibility to fastballs up-and-in and weak contact on pitches low-and-away. In Triple-A, Alonso struck out in 25.9% of plate appearances across 301 at-bats, a rate replicated in the Arizona Fall League at 25%. These strikeout rates and swing flaws suggest the path to consistent major league success remains uncertain despite exceptional raw power.

Pete Alonso, a rookie for the New York Mets, is establishing himself as one of baseball's premier power hitters. Growing up in Tampa, Florida, Alonso played multiple sports including football and lacrosse, but identified baseball as his primary passion from an early age. His approach to hitting is characterized by exceptional dedication—he describes it as his favorite hobby despite its professional demands.

Alonso's batting mechanics are distinctive. He adopts a low-hand position with the bat resting on his back shoulder, employing a checked swing to build muscle memory before initiating his swing. This setup differs from his college stance at the University of Florida, where his hands were positioned higher and closer to his body. During his junior year, Alonso cycled through four different batting stances as he adjusted to the mental pressures of college baseball's compressed schedule.

Alonso's path to the majors included early struggles that proved formative. After a solid 36-game debut in Brooklyn in 2016, he went 10-for-70 (.143 average) early in 2017 at Class-A St. Lucie. Manager Chad Kreuter helped him simplify his mechanics and maintain consistent positioning. This experience reinforced the importance of stability in professional baseball, where playing daily allowed him to develop consistency rather than constantly adjusting approaches.

Mets manager Mickey Callaway highlighted Alonso's competitiveness and engagement, recounting an instance where Alonso, despite being hit by a pitch, requested lineup inclusion for the following game and subsequently hit a home run. Callaway noted that Alonso brings significant energy and focus to every at-bat, demonstrating his commitment to winning daily.

Pete Alonso is a righthanded first baseman drafted 64th overall by the New York Mets in 2016. The 6'3", 245-pound prospect from the University of Florida is built on raw strength rather than bat speed and represents one of the organization's top power-hitting prospects. He hit the first-ever home run to center field at TD Ameritrade Park Omaha during the 2015 College World Series, demonstrating his plus raw power. Alonso was a consistent performer for the Gators despite multiple injuries over two seasons, including a broken foot, broken nose, and broken hand.

Alonso climbed the Mets' prospect rankings from #13 in 2017 to #4 in 2018 to #2 in 2019, and was rated as Baseball America's #48 overall prospect in 2019. He was consistently recognized as the Mets' best power hitter in 2018-2019. His scouting profile notes he is a poor runner who will be limited to first base, but his righthanded power is his carrying tool as a prospect. He made his MLB debut on March 28, 2019, after establishing himself across multiple minor league levels including the Arizona Fall League, Pacific Coast League, and Eastern League.

The Baseball Draft Report reviewed the New York Mets' 2016 draft class, which included ten notable prospects in the top 500. Justin Dunn, selected 35th overall, was highlighted as a promising right-handed pitcher whose electric fastball and wipeout slider made him an early-round prospect despite some concerns about his changeup and consistency. Dunn's arm speed ranged from 90-94 mph consistently, touching 96 mph, paired with a low-80s slider. The analysis notes Dunn's size as a potential concern for some teams, though it was easily overlooked due to his dominant fastball-slider combination. His intelligence, athleticism, and work ethic were cited as reasons to believe he would eventually develop a reliable third pitch. Pete Alonso was also selected in the 2016 draft at 53rd overall. The Mets' pitcher-heavy draft was viewed as particularly competitive given the organization's recent success developing young pitching talent like Syndergaard, deGrom, Harvey, Wheeler, Matz, and Gsellman.

The New York Mets used their third selection in the 2016 MLB Draft to select Peter Alonso, a right-handed first baseman from Tampa, Florida. The draft profile was published by Steve Sypa on Amazin' Avenue on June 15, 2016. The article appears to be part of a series evaluating Mets draft prospects, though the full analysis and detailed scouting information is not included in the provided content.