| Pete Alonso | |||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Alonso with theNew York Mets in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Free agent | |||||||||||||||
| First baseman | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1994-12-07)December 7, 1994 (age 30) Tampa, Florida, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| March 28, 2019, for the New York Mets | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .253 | ||||||||||||||
| Hits | 951 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 264 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 712 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Peter Morgan Alonso (born December 7, 1994), nicknamed "Polar Bear", is an American professionalbaseballfirst baseman who is a free agent. He has previously played inMajor League Baseball (MLB) for theNew York Mets. Internationally, Alonsorepresents the United States.
Alonso playedcollege baseball for theFlorida Gators before the Mets selected him in the2016 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut onOpening Day in 2019 and won theNational League Rookie of the Year Award that year, setting a major league record for rookies with 53 home runs. Alonso is a five-timeMLB All-Star who led the league in home runs in 2019 and inruns batted in in 2022, and is the Mets' all-time franchise leader in home runs. He has also won the MLBHome Run Derby twice, in2019 and2021.
Peter Morgan Alonso was born on December 7, 1994, inTampa, Florida. Alonso attendedJesuit High School in Tampa for his first two years of high school, and transferred toHenry B. Plant High School in Tampa to finish high school.[1][2] He playedlacrosse andfootball as a freshman before deciding to focus solely on baseball.[3] For the baseball team, he was athird baseman.[4]
His grandfather, Peter Conrad Alonso, was a Spanish refugee who fledBarcelona during theSpanish Civil War toNew York City throughEllis Island. He settled inQueens and became aBrooklyn Dodgers fan. He attendedJamaica High School but his education was cut short due to his military service inWorld War II from 1942 to 1945 but continued his education atNew York University earning multiple degrees, where he met Anna (née Pirraglia, ofItalian descent[5]) whom he married in 1951. They then moved toLong Island, begetting three daughters and Peter Matthew, Pete Alonso's father, before resettling the family toLancaster, Ohio in 1963.[6][7][8] Later, his father met and married his mother, Michelle Lynn Alonso (née Morgan), an Ohio native who was a student-athlete atOhio Wesleyan University having playedcollege softball.[9]
Alonso enrolled at theUniversity of Florida, where he playedcollege baseball for theFlorida Gators as afirst baseman. He was named All-Southeastern Conference in his freshman year.[2] In 2014, he playedcollegiate summer baseball with theMadison Mallards of theNorthwoods League,[10] and he was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2024.[11][12] In the summer of 2015, he played for theBourne Braves of theCape Cod Baseball League.[13] In 2016, his junior year, he hit .374/.469/.659 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs in 58 games.[14] He competed for Florida in the2015 and2016 College World Series.[15]
TheNew York Mets selected Alonso in the second round of the2016 Major League Baseball draft with the 64th overall pick.[4][16] He signed with the Mets for a $909,200signing bonus,[17] and made his professional debut in 2016 with theBrooklyn Cyclones of theClass A Short SeasonNew York–Penn League. He posted a .322 batting average with 5 home runs and 21 RBIs in 30 games and was chosen to participate in the league'sAll-Star Game.[18] He began the 2017 season with theSt. Lucie Mets of theClass A-AdvancedFlorida State League, and after batting .286 with 16 home runs and 58 RBIs in 82 games, was promoted to theBinghamton Rumble Ponies of theClass AAEastern League in August,[19] where he batted .311 with 2 home runs and 5 RBIs in 11 games.[20]
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MLB.com ranked Alonso as New York's fourth-best prospect going into the 2018 season.[21] He began the season in Binghamton,[22] and received a midseason promotion to theLas Vegas 51s of theClass AAAPacific Coast League. He represented the Mets in the 2018All-Star Futures Game.[23] In 132 games between Binghamton and Las Vegas, heslashed .285/.395/.579 with 36 home runs and 119 RBIs.[24] He won theJoe Bauman Home Run Award.[25] That season, Alonso was the final batter inCashman Field history, as he hit awalk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning during the last baseball game played at the facility.[26]
Alonso made the MetsOpening Day roster in 2019 as the starting first baseman.[27] He was in the team's starting lineup on Opening Day on March 28, and recorded his first major league hit againstWashington Nationals pitcherJustin Miller in the 8th inning.[28] On April 1, Alonso hit his first major league home run, off ofDrew Steckenrider of theMiami Marlins leading the Mets to a 7–3 victory.[29] On April 9, he had his first career multi-home run game against theMinnesota Twins in a Mets 14–8 loss.[30]
Alonso became the first player in MLB history since 1900 with 11extra-base hits in his first 10 career games. No other player ever had more than nine.[31] In April, he batted .292 with 9 home runs, 8 doubles, one triple and 26 RBIs in his first games in the big leagues. With his performance, Alonso won theNational League Rookie of the Month Award for April.[32] His nine home runs led all MLB rookies and are tied for the most by a Mets player before May 1 withNeil Walker (2016),John Buck (2013),Carlos Delgado (2006), andDave Kingman (1976).[33]
On June 22, Alonso hit his 26th home run, breaking theNational League record for most home runs by a rookie before theAll-Star break, passingCody Bellinger. The next day, with his 27th home run, he broke the Mets rookie home run record, previously set byDarryl Strawberry in 1983.[34][35] On June 30, Alonso was selected as a reserve to the2019 MLB All-Star Game.[36] He also won the NL Rookie of the Month Award for the month of June.[37]
On July 7, Alonso became the second player in Mets history to hit the most home runs (30) before the All-Star break, afterDave Kingman (1976).[38] On July 8, Alonso won the2019 Home Run Derby, defeatingToronto Blue Jays first basemanVladimir Guerrero Jr. 23–22 in the final round, becoming only the second rookie afterAaron Judge to win the Derby outright. On the way to the final round, Alonso also beatCarlos Santana andRonald Acuña Jr., hitting 57 total home runs during the entire Derby.[39]
On August 15, Alonso hit his 39th home run, tyingCody Bellinger for the most home runs by a rookie inNational League history. Alonso finished the game with a career-high 5 hits and 6 RBIs.[40] He broke Bellinger's record on August 18 with his 40th home run in an 11–5 win against theKansas City Royals.[41] On August 27, Alonso hit his 42nd home run to become the Mets all-time single-season home run leader, surpassingCarlos Beltrán andTodd Hundley. He is the first rookie to set his franchise's single-season home run record sinceJohnny Rizzo did it for thePittsburgh Pirates in 1938.[42]
On September 27, Alonso hit his 52nd home run of the season, tyingAaron Judge for the most home runs by a rookie in MLB history.[43] He hit his 53rd the next day off ofAtlanta Braves pitcherMike Foltynewicz to break Judge's record.[44] In his rookie season, Alonso played in 161 games, batting .260/.358/.583 with 53 home runs and 120 RBI. His 53 homers led all of MLB for the2019 season. After the season on November 11, Alonso was awarded theNational League Rookie of the Year, receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes.[45][46] On December 10, he was named to the first team of the inauguralAll-MLB Team.[47]
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On September 3, 2020, Alonso hit his first careerwalk-off home run in a 9–7 victory against theNew York Yankees.[48] His sophomore season was a step back from his breakout rookie year; Danny Abriano ofYahoo Sports called it "a season to forget."[49] However, he had the highest maximumexit velocity of all major league hitters, at 118.4 miles per hour (190.5 km/h).[50] In the2020 season shortened byCOVID-19, Alonso played in 57 games and batted .231/.326/.490 with 16 home runs and 35 RBIs.[51]
Alonso's sophomore slump coupled with a second consecutive breakout season fromDominic Smith led some talent evaluators to favor the latter as the team's starting first baseman heading into the2021 season.[52]
On July 12, Alonso won his second straightHome Run Derby after defeatingBaltimore Orioles first basemanTrey Mancini 23–22 in the final round.[53] He became the third player ever to win back-to-back Derbies, as well as the fourth player to win two Derbies (afterKen Griffey Jr.,Prince Fielder, andYoenis Céspedes).Newsday Mets beat writer Tim Healey noted Alonso has earned $2 million from winning the Derby twice while making $1.47 million from 2019–2021 in base salary while playing for the Mets.[54]
On September 7, Alonso hit his 100th career home run, off ofMiami Marlins pitcherEdward Cabrera. He accomplished the feat in 347 games, becoming the second-fastest player to reach 100 career home runs behindRyan Howard, who did it in 325 games.[55] Alonso played in 152 games for the Mets in 2021, batting .262/.344/.519 with 37 home runs and 94 RBIs.
On March 22, 2022, Alonso signed a one-year, $7.4 million contract with the Mets avoiding salary arbitration.[56] He hit his first careergrand slam on April 9 against theWashington Nationals off of pitcherJoan Adon in the 5th inning, leading the Mets to a 5–0 victory.[57]
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On July 10, Alonso was named to the2022 MLB All-Star Game, the second selection of his career.[58] He participated in theHome Run Derby, making it to the semifinals, but lost toJulio Rodríguez.[59] In a September 25 game against theOakland Athletics, Alonso drove in 5 runs, setting a new Mets' single-season RBI record with 125.[60] He broke the record on a 451-foot (137 m) two-run home run in the 4th inning off of pitcherNorge Ruiz. The Mets previous RBI record was held byMike Piazza (1999) andDavid Wright (2008).[61]
On September 27 against theMiami Marlins, Alonso hit his 40th home run of the season, becoming the first Mets player to accomplish the feat twice.[62] On October 8, during Game 2 of theNL Wild Card Series, Alonso hit the first postseason home run of his career, a tiebreaking solo shot in the 5th inning off ofSan Diego Padres relieverNick Martinez, leading the Mets to a 7–3 victory.[63]
Alonso played in 160 games for the Mets in 2022, batting .271/.352/.518 with 40 home runs and 131 RBIs, breaking the franchise record and tyingAaron Judge for the most RBI in the major leagues.[64]
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On January 13, 2023, Alonso and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million contract during the arbitration period.[65] On April 7, during a game against theMiami Marlins, Alonso hit his 150th career home run, passingCarlos Beltrán for 6th place on the Mets all-time home run list. He also became the second fastest player to 150 home runs (in 538 games) sinceRyan Howard (495 games).[66]
On June 7, Alonso was placed on theinjured list when he suffered a bone bruise and left wrist sprain after being hit by a pitch.[67] He was expected to miss 3–4 weeks due to the injury, but recovered in just eleven days and was activated from the IL on June 18.[68]
On July 2, Alonso was named to the2023 MLB All-Star Game for the third selection of his career. He andKeith Hernandez were the only two Mets first basemen to be named to threeAll-Star teams.[69]
On September 3, during a game against theSeattle Mariners, Alonso homered twice and drove in 4 runs, reaching 40-plus home runs and 100 RBIs for the second consecutive season. His two-run shot made him the fifth player in Major League history with at least three 40-home run seasons in his first five seasons of their career, joiningRalph Kiner (4 seasons),Eddie Mathews,Ryan Howard, andAlbert Pujols (each with 3 seasons).[70]
On September 27, Alonso hit his 46th home run of the season in an 11–2 win over theMiami Marlins. His 192nd career homer made him tieHoward Johnson for 4th place on the Mets all-time home run list.[71][72] Alonso played in 154 games for the Mets in 2023, batting .217/.318/.504 with 46 home runs and 118 RBI.[73]
On January 11, 2024, the Mets and Alonso agreed on a one-year, $20.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration.[74] On April 4, during a game against theDetroit Tigers, Alonso recorded his 500th career RBI on a game-tying home run off of pitcherAlex Faedo, becoming the 10th and fastest player in Mets history to achieve the milestone.[75][76] He wonNL Player of the Week honors on April 15.[77] On April 27 against theSt. Louis Cardinals, Alonso hit his 200th career home run off of pitcherSonny Gray, becoming the 4th-fastest player in MLB history to hit 200 home runs and the 4th Met to hit 200 career home runs.[78][79]
On May 14, it was reported online that the Mets made an attempt to extend Alonso the previous season but they were unsuccessful, as he turned down a seven-year, $158 million contract extension from the team.[80]
On July 7, Alonso was named to the2024 MLB All-Star Game for the fourth selection of his career. He passedKeith Hernandez for the most appearances by a Mets first baseman.[81]
Alonso hit his 220th career home run on August 27 against theArizona Diamondbacks, tyingMike Piazza for 3rd-place on the Mets all-time home run list.[82] Two days later, he would hit his 221st career homer, passing Piazza.[83][84]
In 2024, Alonso played in all 162 games for the Mets, making him the second player in Mets history to appear in every game in a single-season, joiningFélix Millán (1975).[85] He finished the season batting .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs and 88 RBI.[86]
On October 3, in Game 3 the2024 National League Wild Card Series against theMilwaukee Brewers, with the Mets down 2–0 in the top of the 9th inning, Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run home run to give the Mets a 3–2 lead. They would then go on to win 4–2 and eliminate the Brewers from the playoffs.[87] With that home run, Alonso became the first major league player in history to hit a go-ahead homer while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game.[88]
In the2024 MLB postseason, Alonso played in 13 games for the Mets, batting .273/.431/.568 with 4 home runs and 10 RBI.[89]
After the 2024 season, Alonso's contract with the Mets expired and became afree agent for the first time in his career.[90] The Mets offered him aqualifying offer, which he declined.[91]
On February 12, 2025, after three months of back-and-forth negotiations with his agentScott Boras, Alonso and the Mets agreed to a two-year, $54 million contract including an opt-out after the 2025 season.[92][93]
On April 29, Alonso hit the 614th RBI of his career, a solo home run in an 8–3 victory over theArizona Diamondbacks, tyingEd Kranepool for fifth place in franchise history.[94] He passed Kranepool with a two-run homer against theSt. Louis Cardinals three days later.[95] By the end of April, he was slashing .342/.475/.649 with a 1.124 OPS, 7 home runs, and 28 RBI. With his performance, Alonso was named theNational League Player of the Month for April for the first time in his career.[96]
On June 1 against theColorado Rockies, Alonso hit a three-run home run off of pitcherCarson Palmquist in the 4th inning, passingHoward Johnson for 4th place on the Mets all-time RBI list with 632.[97] On June 8 against the Rockies atCoors Field, Alonso hit a two-run homer off of pitcherTyler Kinley in the 8th inning, passing former captainDavid Wright for 2nd place on the Mets all-time home run list with 243.[98] Between June 2 and 8, he went 12-for-30 (.400) with two doubles, 5 home runs, and 15 RBI in 7 games. Alonso was named theNL Player of the Week for that span.[99]
On July 6, Alonso was named to the2025 MLB All-Star Game, the fifth selection of his career.[100] During the sixth inning, Alonso gave theNational League a 5–0 lead after hitting a three-run home run off ofKansas City Royals pitcherKris Bubic, becoming the third Met to homer in theAll-Star Game, joiningLee Mazzilli (1979) andDavid Wright (2006).[101]
On August 2 against theSan Francisco Giants, Alonso hit a three-run home run off of pitcherKai-Wei Teng in the 1st inning, for his 250th career home run. He became the second player in franchise history to accomplish the feat along withDarryl Strawberry, who reached that mark on September 18, 1990.[102]
Facing theAtlanta Braves atCiti Field on August 12, Alonso hit his 253rd career home run to break Strawberry's record, a two-run shot off ofSpencer Strider in the 3rd inning. He also hit his 254th homer off of pitcherAustin Cox in the 6th inning, for a total of 3 RBI on the day.[103][104]
Alonso played in all 162 games for the Mets in 2025, slashing .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBI. He led the National League with a career-high 41 doubles.[86] Pete Alonso won his first ever Silver Slugger award for his efforts.[105] On September 28, after the final game of the season, Alonso stated that he would opt out of his contract and elect free agency.[106]
On November 3, 2025, Alonso opted out of his 2026 contract and became a free agent.[107]
On August 17, 2022, Alonso announced that he would also join theUnited States national baseball team in the2023 World Baseball Classic.[108] Alonso went 2-for-14 across five games, most notably starting an eighth inning rally with a base hit againstVenezuela in thequarterfinals, and later hitting an RBI single againstCuba in thesemifinals.[109][110]
Alonso first got his "Polar Bear" nickname when he was a top prospect. He made such a big impression during spring training in 2019 that Mets third basemanTodd Frazier, who was known for giving players nicknames, is the one who coined it. Frazier said to Alonso, "You look like a big, damn polar bear." "And then it just kind of stuck," Alonso said during his rookie season.[111][112]
Alonso met Haley Walsh in the summer of 2015, while he was playing in theCape Cod collegiate summer league. She is originally fromBoston. They carried on a long-distance relationship while he continued at the University of Florida and she attendedMichigan State University. They wereengaged in November 2018, and were married on November 12, 2021 atSacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown Tampa.[113][114]
In 2020, the couple formed The Alonso Foundation, a charitable organization that supports youth, veteran, and animal causes.[115]
On March 13, 2022, Alonso was involved in a car accident inTampa, Florida, which he described as a "really close experience to death." A driver ran a red light and struck Alonso's vehicle, which flipped over three times. Neither Alonso nor anyone else involved in the incident was injured.[116]
An avid outdoorsman, he enjoys hunting and fishing. He was also featured in a season 9 episode ofMeatEater in which he huntedmule deer inColorado withSteven Rinella.[117]
| Awards and achievements | ||
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| Preceded by | National League Player of the Month April 2025 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
