Hard Work Pays Off For Pete Alonso by Colin Norkevicius

Pete Alonso is a prospect who is breaking out into a star in the MLB. Looking at the Bourne Braves roster before the 2015 season, it included the great first baseman duo of Brendan McKay and Alonso. Mckay, deservingly, was one of if not, the best two-way players in the country. Alonso, on the other hand, came off his sophomore season at the University of Florida where he teamed up with former Braves players Richie Martin (‘14) and Harrison Bader (‘14). He knew that if he wanted to get more consistent playing time in the future, he would have to put in the extra work to have a productive summer with the Bourne Braves. Alonso did not arrive on the Cape at the start of the season because the University of Florida made it to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. Once Alonso arrived in Bourne, his presence on the team was felt immediately. The Braves started the season with a record of 0-6-1 and had no natural first baseman on the team. Once Alonso made his first appearance for the Braves on June 27th, the Braves ended the season on a 15-13-1 run to finish the season with a 22-20-2 record. With Alonso’s outstanding effort and attitude, the Braves went into the playoffs as the number three seed in the western division. In the first round, the team swept the Wareham Gateman, however, stumbled against the Hyannis Habor Hawks in the Western Division Championship. Alonso is a great person on and off the field as he is a player on the field. Alonso stayed with Collen and Dave Iava, who thought of Pete as, “a first level goofball but a great kid with a big heart.” About
three-quarters of the way through his sensational junior season, Alonso’s season almost ended just before the blink of his eyes. The day of the frightening incident was May 5, 2015. He was getting ready for a game he has been waiting for since he saw their schedule come out. They were scheduled to play The University of South Florida.
Alonso grew up in Tampa where South Florida is located so he was going to be able some of his best friends. Alonso was warming for the game with former Brave Harrison Bader. The first swing Alonso took hit the ground and shot back up to hit him in the nose. It turned out that Alonso had broken his nose. It didn’t stop from Alonso from trying to play in the game that night. Alonso had to deal with the broken nose for the rest of the season. He had to wear a facemask while he hit and played first base. That summer Alonso got drafted by the New York Mets in the second round of the 2016 amateur draft. Three years later, Alonso proved everyone wrong by making the Mets opening day roster out of spring training. Alonso didn’t waste any time either. He went on to win the National League rookie of the month for April. He tied the franchise record for the most home runs before May 1st with nine. He also collected twenty – six RBIs in the month of April which is the third most in MLB history by a rookie. Pete Alonso is on
his way to having a great rookie for Mets that will try to get them back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016.