Mets’ first base prospect Peter Alonso launched a home run into the stratosphere in Sunday’s MLB Futures Game.
In fact he had a 113 mph exit velocity and 46 degree launch angle on his 415 foot bomb, numbers Statcast has never even seen since the tracking technology began in 2015.
“Oh my God, that felt, it felt like lightning bolt hit the tip of my bat,” Alonso said. “That was awesome.”
The 23-year-old has been a revelation the past two seasons for the Mets, but even more so this year. After starting the year off at Double-A Binghamton, the Florida native was promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas a few weeks ago and has continued to mash.
Cumulatively on the year, he has appeared in 88 games and has a triple slash of .280/.410/.539 to complement 21 homers and 75 RBI.
That power translated to Sunday at Nationals Park, where the Mets play their rivals frequently throughout the season.
“I mean, just playing here, the Mets come here a lot, it’s a really fun and really cool park,” Alonso said. “I am just so happy I got to experience this and experience a NL East team (ballpark). It’s cool, an amazing environment.
“Hopefully I can do it with the big club when we play here.”
Whether the Mets promote him or not this year remains to be seen, but regardless, Alonso is just trying to stay focus and keep playing good baseball.
“Mets Twitter, as you know, is a big thing, but I just think that for me I try to block everything out, because none of that has any sort of effect on me,” Alonso said. “I do want to be in the big leagues. Everyone here, everyone in the minors wants to be in the big leagues. It’s what we’re all working for. It’s a dream. It’s a goal.”
He certainly has proved that he can play at a high level this season and Sunday confirmed that. For Alonso, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise.
“Nope, no doubt,” Alonso said. “Ever since I was a youngin’, I could hit a baseball a long ways.”
Gimenez Eyes Next Promotion
Along with Alonso, Mets’ prospect Andres Gimenez played for the World team in yesterday’s Futures Game. While he went 0-for-2 during the game, Gimenez has had a terrific year.
The 19-year-old has appeared in 82 games for Single-A St. Lucie, but could perhaps find his way to Binghamton at some point this season.
With the minor league Mets this year, he has hit .278/.344/.427 with six homers, 29 RBI, 26 stolen bases and 18 doubles.
While his goal remains to be promoted, it’s also to continue learning English by the end of the year.
“Yeah, yeah, I was practicing all this year. That’s a goal for me, learn English by the end of the year. I want to keep going,” Gimenez said in English prior to Sunday’s game. “I practice with the American guys every day. I live with three American guys, so everyday I have to practice.”
He has done some fine tuning to his game this year, which include hitting more line drives and taking advantage of his speed, which is reflective in his number of doubles and swiped bags.
“That was a goal for me and is a goal for me this season to steal bases. In the offseason, I worked on that to steal bases this year,” Gimenez said.
On his doubles: “Focused every day, I just try to get the ball higher through the gaps and run hard every time, so I can get the extra bases.”
Like Alonso, he isn’t worried too much about his next promotion and is just taking it day by day.
“I just want play good, take this moment,” he said. “When that moment comes, I will accept that.”
