Throughout Pete Alonso’s brief three-year career, questions about his defense have lingered. Despite the slugger having three strong seasons in the field, many have wondered if the 27-year-old is best suited as a designated hitter, rather than an everyday defender.
And now that the DH is seemingly here to stay in the NL, those questions are likely to continue.
On the latest edition of Mets Hot Stove, Alonso was asked why he’s so passionate about playing first base, and he offered an answer backed up by his solid fielding stats.
“I am more than a one-dimensional player. I feel like I take pride in running the bases well, I feel like I’ve been really good so far in my big-league career defensively, but to me I feel like one day I will win a Gold Glove in my career,” Alonso said. ”I have a long way ahead of me, and I feel like as a defender I’ve played really good first base.”
Alonso’s .993 fielding percentage in 2021 was the highest of his career, and his career average of .990 is nothing to look down upon. After committing 12 errors as a rookie, Alonso made just eight in his second full season of 2021.
Interestingly enough, Alonso’s worst fielding year was the shortened 2020 campaign --the year he split time as a DH -- in which he made five errors in 39 games at first, while DHing in a career-high 17 games.
“I showed I could play at a big-league level sufficiently my rookie year, and then last year I made a bunch of big steps, leaps forward in my consistency and I feel like I played a really good first base last year,” Alonso said. “… I just want to keep using each year as a spring board and keep that momentum going into each year following.
“So, I’m in a really good place defensively. I’m confident in the work and the progress that I’ve had, but I’m just really excited because I know what I can do and I feel like if I completely reach my potential I’ll be able to win a Gold Glove.”
It seems logical that the Mets will rotate players through the DH spot in 2022, with names like Alonso, Dom Smith, and Robinson Cano, among others, all likely to get time there.
And while Smith can play a serviceable first base as well, Alonso seems poised to once again prove himself with his glove.