John Flanigan/MMO
Brodie Van Wagenen is sticking to his word.
On Saturday, when asked about first base prospect Pete Alonso will make the Mets’ Opening Day roster, Van Wagenen reiterated that the team will take the best 25 players north regardless of service time implications, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Alonso, 24, has had a strong spring thus far, hitting .409/.458/.818 with two long balls and five RBI. Alonso has also been grinding hard in the field to up his defense, which has been a big knock on his game during his time in the minors.
Should Alonso make the Opening Day roster, the service time clock would start ticking, meaning the Mets could lose an extra year of control over him.
“Me and Dom, we played together last year, we spent some good time this year,” Alonso said, according to Matt Ehalt of The Record/North Jersey. “I’m really happy he’s playing well this spring. I don’t want anyone to do bad. He’s a teammate of mine. I want him to do his best as he can and do the best I can.”
If the team has him start the year in the minors for a few weeks, they would still have that extra year of control.
The team could opt to start the year with 23-year-old Dominic Smith at first, who has been engaged with Alonso in a fight for the first base job.
Smith has put up solid numbers himself at the dish after coming into camp in tremendous shape and finding a solution to his sleep apnea problem.
The California native is 10-for-23 at the dish with one homer and six RBI, and could hold down the fort until Alonso is ready.
The next two weeks will be crucial, as Smith and Alonso continue to duke it out.
