New York Mets: Three Pete Alonso predictions for the 2020 season

New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso is coming off a dazzling rookie season. What can we predict from him in year two?

This time last year, fans of the New York Mets were passionately debating whether or not Pete Alonso should make the Opening Day roster. In fact, many were frustrated when the team elected to forgo an extra year of contract control in order to ensure the slugging first baseman was in the major leagues at the beginning of the season.

Fast forward one year, and Alonso has ascended to super-stardom! Not only was the Polar Bear able to claim a unanimous National League Rookie of the Year selection, but he also edged out Yankees phenom Aaron Judge for the major league rookie home run record, and added the 2019 Home Run Derby title to his trophy case.

As the season approaches, Alonso is firmly cemented as one of the most important players on the Mets’ roster. Where do he go from here? Here are three predictions for 2020:

Home Run Derby Champion, Again

In the grand scheme of things, this is a relatively unimportant accomplishment. While the home run derby is a fun event, Alonso would be the first to tell you that his personal goals deal with helping the team win.

However, there’s also no denying that the slugger had the time of his life in last season’s derby. His energy and excitement were contagious (even through the TV screen). In fact, many have speculated that his enthusiasm was a major catalyst toward his victory.

The field should be loaded in 2020. Sluggers like Christian Yelich, Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Eugenio Suarez, Cody Bellinger, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Josh Bell are all likely to be considered as contest participants. The “juiced ball” season in 2019 will also likely regress to the mean, leading to lower home runs totals across the sport.

At the end of the day, Alonso still has massive power. There is reason to believe that his skills as a hitter will be improved with the benefit of a full MLB season under his belt. Expect him to be the odds-on favorite to win the event.

A trip to the postseason and a souvenir hit

This is unquestionably the most important prediction for Alonso. While his first season in the majors was impressive my any measurement, it was missing one glaring accomplishment: a trip to the postseason. After a hard-fought year, the Mets tragically finished as the best National League team on the outside of the postseason.

General Manager Brodie Van Wagenen has made no secret of the fact that his team is in “win-now” mode. The Mets still have prime Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard in the rotation. They also retained 2019 trade deadline acquisition Marcus Stroman to bolster their starting staff.

Alonso will join Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto, and the team’s other hitters as they try to earn their first playoff appearance since their heartbreaking Wild Card loss to the San Francisco Giants in 2016.

Make no mistake: the NL East is loaded with contenders in the Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, and Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets’ win projections for the 2020 season are also all over the map. While some sites predict the team to finish as high as second in the National League, others have them finishing in the middle of their own division. Personally, I predict that the Mets will do just enough to edge out the competition and earn one of the two wildcard spots.

Even in a one-game opportunity, you know Alonso will be ready when he gets his first taste of postseason baseball.

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What predictions do you have for Alonso this season?