Photo By Logan Barer/MMO

It’s no secret that Peter Alonso had a tremendous season between Double-A and Triple-A in 2018. He probably should have received a call-up, but that’s discussion for another day.

Regardless, Alonso is making it hard for the Mets to justify keeping him in the minors for much longer going forward.

After hitting to a triple slash of .285/.395/.579 and clubbing 36 long balls in the minors this year, Alonso has picked up right where he’s left off in the Arizona Fall League.

In his first seven contests with the Scottsdale Scorpions, the first baseman has hit two homers and has registered a 1.176 OPS.

“I’m going to go to the Fall League and continue to progress on my game,” Alonso said last month at Citi Field. “Have a good winter, get faster and stronger, and show up for camp ready to go.”

Alonso is ranked as the No. 58 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline, and is the consensus No. 2 Mets’ offensive prospect right behind Andres Gimenez. However, Alonso is older than Gimenez and is MLB ready.

Alonso felt that competing in the AFL would be beneficial to furthering his development.

“It’s part of my development to go to the Arizona Fall League because I feel I need to prove myself out there,” Alonso said last month. “You have some of the best prospects in the game I’m going to be competing against every day and I want to show I can do that. Next year I’m going to have a good spring training and see what happens.”

There have been talks, especially towards the end of the season, that Jay Bruce could begin the season as the Mets’ starting first baseman.

Bruce, who is signed for two more years, is an outfielder by trade and his contract looks more albatross as each day passes.

At this point, first base might be better for Bruce, but it really hampers the Mets and creates a logjam at a position where the team has two young, capable first base options — Alonso and Dominic Smith.

With Yoenis Cespedes likely to miss most of the season, there’s no reason Jay Bruce shouldn’t be playing primarily outfield.

Keeping Alonso in the minors for Bruce is silly, and is throwing his talent to the side. It’s cutting your nose to spite your face.

Hopefully, Alonso comes into spring and completely rakes, forcing the organizations hand to give him the first base job he has proven he deserves.