Potential Off-Season Trades: Pete Alonso

One player who may be on the trading block as an impending free agent after 2024 is Pete Alonso. Alonso posted 46 home runs last year with a .318 on-base percentage, a .504 slugging percentage, and a .822 OPS. Alonso’s power presence is tangible within any lineup in baseball, having at least 37 home runs in every season he has played in except for the shortened 2020 season due to COVID. Nonetheless, Alonso is due to make a lot of money at a position that is not typically prioritized in free agent spending, which leaves his long-term future with the Mets in limbo. The question is–are the Mets willing to move on from Alonso?

Chicago Cubs

The Offer: Cade Horton for Pete Alonso.

While Horton’s value is immense as a pitching prospect (top 40 overall prospect in every evaluating site), and is the top pitching prospect in the Cubs system, the Cubs are choosing to provide one top-tier prospect rather than offering multiple in a trade for one of the better power hitters in the league. The Cubs do not need to worry about infield defense, as Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner are two of the best defensive infielders in the league. The Cubs need to amplify their offensive production, especially with the impending departure of Cody Bellinger. If the Cubs have a desire to make Alonso a long-term piece at first base, this move would make sense for them.

The Mets, meanwhile, get a much-needed boost to their rotational depth in their rebuild of the roster. Horton has a diversifiable four-pitch with a fastball that plays up to par in the high 90s and a plus secondary pitch in his slider, plus two other pitchers that can still assist in Horton’s ability to generate swings and misses at a high rate. Horton’s main issue is that he has not pitched frequently relative to his time and college and the minors since he got Tommy John Surgery in 2021, but would be a tempting addition to the Mets farm system for their pitching ranks.

Boston Red Sox

The Offer: Miguel Bleis, Blaze Jordan, and Kristian Campbell for Pete Alonso.

The Red Sox, who have an interesting off-season ahead of them, will be interested in adding to their lineup and starting rotation. Alonso’s power would translate immensely well to Fenway (as seen on his spray chart) and rotate between DH and first base with Triston Casas. While the Red Sox’s primary concern is starting pitching, Alonso would alleviate any remaining concerns for their lineup, and Fenway Park is one of the stadiums where there is less of a concern over a possible decline in his power with how friendly that park is for right-handed hitters.

The Mets, meanwhile, get Bleis, who has a 50 FV and is a top-100 prospect in the MLB. He was injured for most of the season last year and is currently a long way from the MLB, but has tantalizing traits that could make him an exciting projection for scouts and evaluators. Bleis has evident raw power at a very young age that has led to exciting projections if he can continue to grow his approach and become a contributor as a hitter through his contact and plate discipline, which early returns have been promising. He also profiles to have above-average arm strength and speed when he is fully formed in his physical development, which should ease concerns about his ability to play the outfield in the future.

Jordan, meanwhile, is another prospect whose strongest trait is his palpable power, which has been on display since high school. He has the ability to hit for power to all fields. While his frame and movement abilities limit him to first base, his consistent ability to hit the ball hard with good bat speed makes for an intriguing prospect.

Lastly, Campbell, the Red Sox recent fourth round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft, is coming off an impressive final season at Georgia Tech and a strong debut in minor league baseball. While there are questions about where is long term home is defensively, there is little doubt pertaining to Campbell’s ability to hit. He demonstrated strong bat to ball skills at Georgia Tech, and his early time in the Red Sox minor league system has only built on that with more decisive quality of contact with higher exit velocities.

Seattle Mariners

The Offer: Emerson Hancock and Jonatan Clase for Pete Alonso

The Mariners desperately need a contributing power bat to their lineup. George Kirby and Logan Gilbert with multiple years of control are both too much to sacrifice for Alonso with one year left, so the Mets are left with the choice of their choice of Bryce Miller, Emerson Hancock, and Bryan Woo.

I believe the Mets preference would be Hancock of the three pitchers listed. Hancock has a four-seam fastball, two-seam fastball, slider, and changeup that all grade or project out to be plus pitches in his pitch arsenal that can help him get outs at the Major League level. His slider has grown as his best secondary pitch that can move and fool hitters, though his changeup has led to a deceptive ability as a third pitch in correlation to his fastball arm slot. His control has also been useful throughout and has been beneficial in his command of the zone and ability to throw or generate strikes with each of his pitches. Hancock would be an exciting option in a rebuilding Mets rotation in the future.

Clase, meanwhile, is a switch-hitting outfielder with robust speed. He can steal bases with frequency, and his speed enables him to project as a plus defensive outfielder in center field despite his weaker arm strength. Clase has also shown the ability to develop a sense of a power stroke, which was not previously a part of his profile early in his professional development, along with an improving level of bat speed over the last year or two. His improving profile makes for an intriguing prospect for the Mets that seems to continue adding to his versatile repertoire.