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MMN Top 100 Prospects: #12 Alonso Displays Power In Debut

By MMN News Desk

January 18, 2017 2 Comments

(Jacob Resnick/MetsMinors.Net)

(Jacob Resnick/MetsMinors.Net)

#12 1B Peter Alonso

Ht: 6’3″ Wt: 225 Level: Class-A Short Season Brooklyn Cyclones

B/T: R/R Age: 22 (December 7, 1994) Age Dif: -0.1

Acquired: Drafted in Round 2 (#64) in 2016 from University of Florida

2016 MiLB Statistics: 30 G, 109 AB, 20 R, 35 H, 12 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 21 RBI, 11 BB, 22 K, .321/.382/.587

The 2016 Amateur Draft saw the New York Mets break recent trends when they used their first ten draft picks on collegiate players. Among those picks was collegiate first baseman Peter Alonso out of the University of Florida, taken in the second round with the 64th overall pick of the draft.

Alonso’s collegiate career could be labeled as incomplete. While producing several dominant offensive stretches, they were all to frequently disrupted by injuries ranging from a twice fractured right foot, to a broken nose, to a fractured left hand. Despite Alonso’s injury issues, the Mets fell in love with the raw power he displayed during both his junior season (12 home runs, 14 doubles) and during a 2016 College Baseball World Series run that saw Alonso dominate the upper level talent of the tournament (16 for 32 with five home runs, four doubles, 12 runs scored, and 13 RBI).

Upon signing with the Mets in June of 2016, Alonso was assigned to the Brooklyn Cyclones in the New York-Penn League. There were some who questioned whether Alonso’s power would translate to the wood bats of professional baseball, but those worries were quickly put to rest, as Alonso started his professional career with a seven game hit streak that produced his first professional home run and four total extra base hits.

At the conclusion of Alonso’s season, he had become the most feared bat in the Cyclones lineup, putting up 18 extra base hits in only thirty games of action (.587 SLG%, which would have lead the league with enough PA’s). Unfortunately for Alonso, the injury bug that hampered his college career managed to find it’s way to Brooklyn, as Alonso’s season was cut short after breaking his right pinkie while attempting to avoid a tag at second base.

Alonso is a classical first baseman in both stature (6’3″ 225 lbs.) and approach. While not lauded for his defense, he impressed while in Brooklyn, showing soft hands and good lateral movement for a man his size, combined with an extremely strong and accurate arm (he also played third base in college). While nobody is predicting gold glove defense from Alonso, he may very well develop into a plus defensive player by the time he reaches the MLB level.

Offensively, Alonso’s most attractive offensive attribute is of course his natural power, which he generates from a very powerful lower half. His swing provides natural lift that projects him to be a predominantly fly ball hitter, which should bode well for his power numbers. As for plate coverage, any ball over the plate, be it by design or a mistake, Alonso will crush, and he almost never misses.

Alonso’s home runs are a spectacle, they are not wall scrapers, think Ike Davis vs the Shea Bridge, or Mo Vaughn off the Budweiser Scoreboard type shots. Alonso does have a tendency for his hips to fly open, and at times this leaves him susceptible to the outside pitch, a minor flaw he will have to work on. His 2016 campaign saw him put up a slash line against left handed pitchers that would make even David Wright jealous (.409/.490/.841 for a whooping 1.331 OPS), but a pedestrian (.262/ .306/.415 ) slash line vs right handers.

As for Alosno’s mental approach, he likes to keep the game simple, and doesn’t over think things at the plate. When asked about his approach at the plate, Alonso stated “it’s very simple, see the ball, hit the ball”, so he seems more of a reactionary type hitter with solid early pitch recognition to this point, and nobody can argue with the results.

Outlook for 2017:

It’s unknown exactly where Alonso is headed to open the 2017 season. While having shown he is a polished bat and can probably handle the Advanced-A ball pitching in Port St. Lucie, his injury shortened 2016 may very well have him headed for a cameo appearance with Low-A Columbia Fireflies.

Alonso will need to show that he can be a more productive player vs right handed pitching this year, while some how figuring out a way to make it through a full season healthy…and if he does, he should move extremely quickly through the Mets system. Alonso is not a Dominic Smith kind of bat, there is no waiting for the power to develop, because it’s already here. Expect Alonso to open up some eyes among minor league evaluators this year, and don’t be surprised to find him on several top 100 prospect list by the conclusion of the 2017 season.

2017 MMN TOP 100 PROSPECTS

1. Amed Rosario, SS

2. Dominic Smith, 1B

3. Robert Gsellman, RHP

4. Thomas Szapucki, LHP

5. Desmond Lindsay, OF

6. Justin Dunn, RHP

7. Gavin Cecchini, INF

8. Brandon Nimmo, OF

9. Andres Gimenez, SS

10. Tomas Nido, C

11. Wuilmer Becerra, OF

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