By Jerry Del Priore
Former Brooklyn Cyclone Peter Alonso is off to a hot start with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the New York Mets’ Double-A Eastern League (EL) affiliate.
Through 14 games, Alonso, 23, is hitting a sizzling .340 with three home runs, 10 RBI, five doubles with a .414/.620/1.034 split in 50 at-bats.
The Tampa, Florida, native, who the Mets plucked in the second round of the 2016 MLB draft, began his professional career with the short-season Brooklyn Cyclones of the New York-Penn League (NYPL). The six-foot-three, 245-pounder batted .321 with five dingers, 21 RBI, 12 two-baggers, and a .382/.587/.969 spilt in 109 at-bats in 30 tilts before a broken hand curtailed his season.
For his career thus far, Alonso is slugging .301 with 26 round trippers, 94 runs batted in, and a 369/.547/.916 spilt in 512 at-bats in 137 contests.
Alonso, New York’s number seven rated prospect—per AmazinAvenue.com—is pressing to be the Mets’ future at first base, even with Dominic Smith ahead of him at Triple-A Las Vegas, though Smith is hitting .246 with two homers and six RBI in 57 at-bats in 16 games.
Smith has fell out of favor with New York’s front office brass, according to multiple media reports. If Alonso continues to rake in the minors, we could see him get a September call up this year. From there, a solid performance could supplant Smith at first base for the 2019 campaign.
Brooklyn Sports World/NY NJ Sports World 