Is Peter Alonso the Future for the New York Mets?

Peter Alonso is continuing to hit in the Minor Leagues for the New York Mets, is he the club’s future first baseman? Will we see Alonso manning first for the Amazins’ in September?

New York Mets first-base prospect, Peter Alonso, continued his breakout season over the past week. The Mets’ second-ranked prospect (according to MLB.com) became the first player in professional baseball to reach 100 RBIs as he drove in two runs on Thursday night. Alonso initially struggled after his call-up to Triple-A Las Vegas but has been on fire as of late.

In his last ten games, Alonso has hit five home runs, driven in 15 runs, and has a batting average of .400. This torrid pace has helped him raise his slash line to, .260/.362/.569 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs with Las Vegas. On the season, the slugger has clubbed 29 home runs, driven in 105 RBIs and is hitting .289/.405/.571 in his time split between Double/Triple-A. Even with this production, there still seem to be questions surrounding Alonso’s possible call-up and future.

Mets’ assistant General Manager, John Ricco (Newsday), has recently said that Alonso will stay in Triple-A for the remainder of their season, which ends on September 3. He also states that they have not discussed the possibility of a September call-up as they want Alonso to continue to improve defensively, where he currently struggles.

Reported in Newsday, Manager Mickey Callaway had this to say about the team’s prospect.

“He’s an interesting kid,” Callaway said. “He’s a hard worker, we found that out in spring training. He’s willing to do everything he can to improve every day. He’s getting to where we want him to get [defensively]. Obviously still has some things to learn because he’s a young player, but he’s definitely improving.”

Alonso has definitely shown his hard-working demeanor since he first joined the Mets’ organization in 2016. While he has hit at every level, Alonso has also been able to cut down his errors from 19 in 2017 to only nine in 2018. The first baseman gives Mets’ Minor League Infield Coordinator, Tim Teufel, credit in helping him improve. While his defense will continue to be a work in progress, 2018 has been a big step in the development of Peter Alonso, but is he the future for the New York Mets?

Judging by his numbers and talent alone, it is reasonable to assume that the Mets have found their first baseman of the future. The issues begin when you see the number of players vying for playing time at first base… Right now, the Mets have Wilmer Flores eating up most of the playing time, with Jay Bruce expected to see some time there when he returns from injury. The team also has Dominic Smith on the roster, who is only a year removed from being referred to as the “Mets’ future first baseman”.

Injured slugger, Yoenis Cespedes, has also made comments about a possible move to first base in order to avoid future injuries. To put the cherry on top of this sundae of possibilities, injured Captain, David Wright, could transition to first base as his shoulder injuries could hamper his abilities to return as an effective third baseman.

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Yes, too many options are better than not enough, but the Mets seem to be pigeonholed by one-dimensional players clogging Alonso’s path to the Major League club. While David Wright will not be able to play every day once he returns, (if he is able to make it back to Queens), a healthy Yoenis Cespedes will need to anchor the Mets’ lineup every night. While this will not be an issue until 2019, it is reasonable to assume that management could back Cespedes’ transition to first base if the move will keep him in the lineup, the club has too much money invested in their slugger to continue risking injuries by having him play the outfield.

The club also cannot look past the talent of Dominic Smith. The lefty has been at the center of criticism regarding his weight and attitude since he made his debut in 2017. Many fans have seemed to have given up on Smith, but Mets management has not seemed to quit on their former top prospect. Even though he has struggled, we have to remember that Smith does not even have a full year of Major League at-bats under his belt. Improvement could be coming.

Going forward, the Mets’ new General Manager will have to be creative with his roster configuration. There will be a lot of questions to be answered. Dominic Smith has shown that he can hold his own in the outfield, but do you want him manning left/right field on an everyday basis? If David Wright is able to return, will he be able to play third base effectively, or would he need to be moved to first base? Once Yoenis Cespedes returns, will his legs allow him to play the outfield effectively?

But first, I expect Peter Alonso to make an appearance in Queens in September. While he may not be an “offensive savior” for the New York Mets organization, he will definitely play well enough to further complicate their current first base situation. As showcased during the Futures Game, Alonso’s sweet swing is powerful and he will get his opportunity to earn himself a spot in the team’s future plans. It is hard to predict where the Mets’ future will go, but with their current injuries and underperformance, the role as “first baseman of the future” for the New York Mets should be Peter Alonso’s for the taking.