Pete Alonso

Peter Morgan Alonso Bio

Peter Morgan Alonso, nicknamed “Polar Bear,” is an American professional baseball first baseman currently playing for the Baltimore Orioles of Major League Baseball (MLB). Born on December 7, 1994, in Tampa, Florida, Alonso established himself as one of the most prolific power hitters in baseball during his tenure with the New York Mets from 2019 to 2025. He made his MLB debut in 2019 and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award that season, setting a major league record with 53 home runs as a rookie. Alonso is a five-time MLB All-Star who led the league in home runs in 2019 and in runs batted in (RBIs) in 2022. He is the New York Mets’ all-time franchise leader in home runs and has won the MLB Home Run Derby twice, in 2019 and 2021.

Early Life and Background

Peter Morgan Alonso was born on December 7, 1994, in Tampa, Florida, to Peter Matthew Alonso and Michelle Lynn Alonso (née Morgan). His grandfather, Peter Conrad Alonso, was a Spanish refugee who fled Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War and arrived in New York City through Ellis Island. After serving in World War II from 1942 to 1945, he continued his education at New York University and earned multiple degrees. He met his wife Anna (née Pirraglia) at NYU, and they eventually settled in Long Island before moving to Lancaster, Ohio in 1963, where they raised three daughters before Peter Matthew was born. Alonso’s mother Michelle was an Ohio native who played college softball at Ohio Wesleyan University.

Alonso attended Jesuit High School in Tampa for his first two years of high school before transferring to Henry B. Plant High School in Tampa, where he played baseball as a third baseman. During his freshman year, he also played lacrosse and football before deciding to focus solely on baseball. His dedication to the sport quickly became apparent as he developed into a top prospect.

Path to Major League Baseball

After high school, Alonso enrolled at the University of Florida, where he played college baseball for the Florida Gators as a first baseman. He made an immediate impact, earning All-Southeastern Conference honors in his freshman year. In 2014, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2024. During the summer of 2015, he played for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League, one of the premier collegiate summer leagues in the country.

In his junior year in 2016, Alonso excelled, hitting .374/.469/.659 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs in 58 games. He competed for Florida in both the 2015 and 2016 College World Series, solidifying his reputation as one of the top college power hitters in the nation. His performance caught the attention of professional scouts, setting the stage for his professional career.

Peter Morgan Alonso Career

Minor Leagues (2016–2018)

The New York Mets selected Alonso in the second round of the 2016 MLB draft with the 64th overall pick. He signed with the Mets for a $909,200 signing bonus and made his professional debut in 2016 with the Brooklyn Cyclones of the Class A Short Season New York–Penn League. In 30 games, he posted a .322 batting average with 5 home runs and 21 RBIs, earning a selection to the league’s All-Star Game.

Alonso began the 2017 season with the St. Lucie Mets of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, batting .286 with 16 home runs and 58 RBIs in 82 games before receiving a midseason promotion to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies of the Class AA Eastern League. MLB.com ranked Alonso as New York’s fourth-best prospect entering the 2018 season, and he began the year in Binghamton before earning a promotion to the Las Vegas 51s of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League. He represented the Mets in the 2018 All-Star Futures Game and won the Joe Bauman Home Run Award after hitting 36 home runs with 119 RBIs across 132 games between both teams.

New York Mets Breakthrough (2019)

Alonso made the Mets Opening Day roster in 2019 as the starting first baseman and quickly announced his arrival in MLB. He recorded his first major league hit on March 28 against the Washington Nationals and hit his first major league home run on April 1 against the Miami Marlins. Alonso became the first player in MLB history since 1900 with 11 extra-base hits in his first 10 career games. He won the National League Rookie of the Month Award for both April and June, establishing himself as the top rookie in baseball.

On July 8, Alonso won the 2019 Home Run Derby, defeating Vladimir Guerrero Jr. 23–22 in the final round and becoming only the second rookie after Aaron Judge to win the Derby outright. On September 28, he broke Judge’s rookie home run record by hitting his 53rd home run of the season. In 161 games, Alonso batted .260/.358/.583 with 53 home runs and 120 RBIs, leading all of MLB in home runs. He won the National League Rookie of the Year Award on November 11, receiving 29 of 30 first-place votes, and was named to the inaugural All-MLB First Team on December 10.

Sustained Excellence with Mets (2020–2025)

Alonso continued his impressive play throughout his Mets career. On July 12, 2021, he won his second consecutive Home Run Derby, defeating Trey Mancini 23–22 in the final round and becoming the third player ever to win back-to-back Derbies. On September 7, 2021, he hit his 100th career home run in just 347 games, becoming the second-fastest player to reach that milestone. He played 152 games that season, batting .262/.344/.519 with 37 home runs and 94 RBIs.

The 2022 season proved to be a career-defining year. Alonso was named to the All-Star Game and broke the Mets’ single-season RBI record on September 25, driving in his 125th run of the year with a 451-foot home run. He finished the season with 131 RBIs, tying Aaron Judge for the most in the major leagues and becoming the first Mets player to hit 40 home runs twice. He also hit his first career postseason home run during the NL Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres.

Alonso remained a cornerstone of the Mets lineup through 2024, earning another All-Star selection and playing all 162 games. On October 3, 2024, in Game 3 of the National League Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, he hit a go-ahead, three-run home run in the top of the ninth inning, becoming the first major league player in history to hit a go-ahead homer while trailing in the ninth inning or later of a winner-take-all postseason game.

In 2025, Alonso played all 162 games and slashed .272/.347/.524 with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs. He led the National League with a career-high 41 doubles and won his first Silver Slugger Award. On August 12, he broke the Mets’ all-time home run record, hitting his 253rd career home run to surpass Darryl Strawberry. After the season, he opted out of his contract and became a free agent.

Baltimore Orioles Era (2026–Present)

On December 11, 2025, Alonso signed a five-year, $155 million contract with the Baltimore Orioles. The move marked a new chapter for the veteran first baseman as he joined a franchise with a rich baseball tradition. He assumed jersey number #25 with the Orioles after wearing #20 with the Mets, a number retired in honor of Hall of Famer Frank Robinson. Through June 28, 2026, Alonso has played 283 career home runs and driven in 770 runs while batting .253 in his MLB career.

Driving Style and Strengths

Alonso is renowned for his exceptional power-hitting ability, particularly his ability to drive the ball with authority to all fields. His combination of bat speed, hand-eye coordination, and raw strength has made him one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball when he connects. He has demonstrated the ability to hit 40-plus home runs in multiple seasons, showcasing his durability and consistency as a middle-of-the-order bat. His approach at the plate combines patience with aggression, allowing him to work counts while also being capable of doing damage early in at-bats.

Notable Events and Milestones

Throughout his career, Alonso has achieved numerous milestones that highlight his status among baseball’s elite hitters. He became the fastest player to 100 career home runs (347 games), the fourth-fastest to 200 home runs, and the Mets’ all-time leader in home runs with 254 during his tenure in New York. His two Home Run Derby victories in 2019 and 2021 cemented his reputation as one of the premier power hitters of his generation. His dramatic go-ahead home run in the 2024 postseason against Milwaukee added another memorable chapter to his career highlights.

Peter Morgan Alonso Career Wins

Alonso has accumulated impressive statistics across his MLB career, with multiple seasons of 30-plus home runs and 100-plus RBIs. His rookie season record of 53 home runs remains a major league benchmark, and his consistent production has made him one of the most valuable players at his position.

Major League Baseball Highlights

Alonso led MLB with 53 home runs in 2019, setting the rookie record that still stands. He led the National League with 131 RBIs in 2022, breaking the Mets’ single-season franchise record. His 126 RBIs in 2025 led the National League, and his 41 doubles that same year also led the league. He has been selected to five All-Star Games (2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) and won the Silver Slugger Award in 2025. His career totals through June 28, 2026, include 283 home runs and 770 RBIs.

Other Achievements

Beyond MLB, Alonso won the MLB Home Run Derby twice (2019, 2021), becoming the third player to win back-to-back Derbies. He represented the United States in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, contributing to the team’s run to the championship. He was also named to the All-MLB First Team in 2019 and earned National League Player of the Month honors in April 2025.

Peter Morgan Alonso Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Alonso comes from a family with a rich American immigrant story. His grandfather, Peter Conrad Alonso, fled Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War and came to the United States through Ellis Island as a teenager. After serving in World War II, he pursued higher education at NYU and built a life in New York before eventually relocating to Ohio. This family history of perseverance and determination has shaped Alonso’s approach to baseball and life.

Personal Life

Alonso met his wife Haley Walsh in the summer of 2015 while playing in the Cape Cod collegiate summer league. Originally from Boston, she attended Michigan State University while maintaining a long-distance relationship with Alonso during his time at the University of Florida. They became engaged in November 2018 and were married on November 12, 2021, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown Tampa. In April 2025, they announced they were expecting their first child, and in October 2025, they welcomed their son.

The couple founded The Alonso Foundation in 2020, a charitable organization that supports youth, veteran, and animal causes. In March 2022, Alonso was involved in a serious car crash in Tampa when a driver ran a red light and struck his vehicle, which flipped over three times. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident. An avid outdoorsman, Alonso enjoys hunting and fishing and has been featured on the television show MeatEater, hunting mule deer in Colorado with Steven Rinella. He earned the nickname “Polar Bear” during spring training in 2019 when Mets third baseman Todd Frazier remarked, “You look like a big, damn polar bear,” and the moniker stuck.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season represented one of Alonso’s most complete campaigns as a professional baseball player. After returning to the Mets on a two-year, $54 million contract with an opt-out clause, he got off to a remarkable start. By the end of April, he was slashing .342/.475/.649 with a 1.124 OPS, 7 home runs, and 28 RBIs, earning National League Player of the Month honors for the first time in his career. His hot start set the tone for what would become a milestone-filled season.

Throughout the summer, Alonso continued to climb the Mets’ all-time charts. He passed Ed Kranepool for fifth place on the franchise RBI list in late April and continued his ascent, eventually surpassing Howard Johnson for fourth place on the RBI list in June. Most significantly, on August 12 against the Atlanta Braves, Alonso hit his 253rd career home run to break Darryl Strawberry’s franchise record. He added his 254th homer later that same game, cementing his status as the greatest power hitter in Mets history.

Alonso played all 162 games for the third time in his career (also 2024 and 2025), finishing with 38 home runs and 126 RBIs while leading the National League in both RBIs and doubles (41). His first Silver Slugger Award recognized his all-around offensive contributions. Following the season, Alonso exercised his opt-out clause, declined the Mets’ qualifying offer, and signed with the Baltimore Orioles on December 11, 2025, beginning a new chapter in his decorated career.