History of Pete Alonso in Timeline

Pete Alonso, nicknamed the "Polar Bear," is a professional baseball first baseman currently playing for the New York Mets in Major League Baseball (MLB). Known for his power hitting, Alonso quickly became a fan favorite after debuting in 2019. He broke the MLB rookie home run record that year, showcasing his offensive prowess early in his career. Alonso has participated in and won the Home Run Derby multiple times, further solidifying his reputation as one of baseball's premier power hitters. He is a key player for the Mets, contributing significantly to their offensive lineup and team performance.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1900: MLB Record Since 1900

Pete Alonso became the first player in MLB history since 1900 with 11 extra-base hits in his first 10 career games.

1938: Franchise Single-Season Home Run Record Set

In 2019, Pete Alonso became the first rookie to set his franchise's single-season home run record since Johnny Rizzo did it for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1938.

1942: Grandfather's Military Service

In 1942, Pete Alonso's grandfather's education at Jamaica High School was cut short due to his military service in World War II.

1945: Grandfather's Military Service Ends

In 1945, Pete Alonso's grandfather's military service in World War II ended.

1951: Grandfather's Marriage

In 1951, Pete Alonso's grandfather married Anna (née Pirraglia, of Italian descent).

1963: Family resettles to Lancaster, Ohio

In 1963, Pete Alonso's grandfather resettled the family to Lancaster, Ohio.

1975: Mets Player Appeared in Every Game of the Season

In 2024, Pete Alonso became the second player in Mets history to appear in every game in a single-season, joining Félix Millán (1975).

1976: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record Before May 1

In April of 2019, Pete Alonso's nine home runs tied Dave Kingman (1976) for the most by a Mets player before May 1.

1976: Most Home Runs Before All-Star Break

On July 7, 2019 Alonso became the second player in Mets history to hit the most home runs (30) before the All-Star break, after Dave Kingman did it in 1976.

1983: Mets rookie home run record broken

In 2019, Pete Alonso broke the Mets rookie home run record, previously set by Darryl Strawberry in 1983.

December 7, 1994: Peter Morgan Alonso Born

On December 7, 1994, Peter Morgan Alonso, later nicknamed "Polar Bear", was born. He would become a professional baseball first baseman for the New York Mets.

Others born on this day/year

1999: Previous Mets RBI Record

In 2022, Pete Alonso broke the Mets single-season RBI record, surpassing the previous record that was held by Mike Piazza in 1999.

2006: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record Before May 1

In April of 2019, Pete Alonso's nine home runs tied Carlos Delgado (2006) for the most by a Mets player before May 1.

2008: Previous Mets RBI Record

In 2022, Pete Alonso broke the Mets single-season RBI record, surpassing the previous record that was held by David Wright in 2008.

2013: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record Before May 1

In April of 2019, Pete Alonso's nine home runs tied John Buck (2013) for the most by a Mets player before May 1.

2014: Played for the Madison Mallards

In 2014, Pete Alonso played collegiate summer baseball with the Madison Mallards of the Northwoods League.

2015: Alonso meets Haley Walsh

In the summer of 2015, Pete Alonso met Haley Walsh while he was playing in the Cape Cod collegiate summer league. They maintained a long-distance relationship while he attended the University of Florida and she attended Michigan State University.

2015: Played for the Bourne Braves

In the summer of 2015, Pete Alonso played for the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

2016: Professional Debut with Brooklyn Cyclones

In 2016, Pete Alonso signed with the Mets and made his professional debut with the Brooklyn Cyclones, posting a .322 batting average with 5 home runs and 21 RBIs in 30 games.

2016: Drafted by the New York Mets

In 2016, Pete Alonso was selected by the New York Mets in the MLB draft after playing college baseball for the Florida Gators.

2016: Junior Year at University of Florida

In 2016, during his junior year, Pete Alonso hit .374/.469/.659 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs in 58 games while playing baseball for the Florida Gators.

2016: Tied Mets Player Home Run Record Before May 1

In April of 2019, Pete Alonso's nine home runs tied Neil Walker (2016) for the most by a Mets player before May 1.

2017: Promotion to Binghamton Rumble Ponies

In 2017, Pete Alonso started the season with the St. Lucie Mets and was later promoted to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies after batting .286 with 16 home runs and 58 RBIs in 82 games.

November 2018: Alonso and Walsh get engaged

In November 2018, Pete Alonso and Haley Walsh got engaged.

2018: All-Star Futures Game and Joe Bauman Home Run Award

In 2018, Pete Alonso represented the Mets in the All-Star Futures Game, played in 132 games between Binghamton and Las Vegas, and won the Joe Bauman Home Run Award. He also hit a walk-off home run in the last baseball game at Cashman Field.

2019: All-Star Selection and Rookie Home Run Record

In 2019, Pete Alonso broke the National League record for most home runs by a rookie before the All-Star break, passing Cody Bellinger. He also broke the Mets rookie home run record, previously set by Darryl Strawberry in 1983, and was selected as a reserve to the 2019 All-Star Game.

2019: Record Breaking Home Run Season and Rookie of the Year Award

In 2019, Pete Alonso hit his 53rd home run, breaking Aaron Judge's rookie record and leading all of MLB for the season. He was awarded the National League Rookie of the Year and named to the All-MLB Team.

2019: MLB Debut and Rookie of the Year

In 2019, Pete Alonso made his MLB debut on Opening Day and subsequently won the National League Rookie of the Year award, setting a major league record for rookies with 53 home runs.

2019: MLB Debut and First Home Run

In 2019, Pete Alonso made the Mets Opening Day roster and recorded his first major league hit on March 28. On April 1, he hit his first major league home run against the Miami Marlins.

2019: Alonso receives "Polar Bear" nickname

In 2019, during spring training, Pete Alonso was given the nickname "Polar Bear" by Mets third baseman Todd Frazier due to his large size.

2019: Earning from Derby Twice

Newsday Mets beat writer Tim Healey noted Alonso has earned $2 million from winning the Derby twice while making $1.47 million from 2019–2021 in base salary while playing for the Mets.

2019: Won MLB Home Run Derby

On July 8, 2019, Pete Alonso won the MLB Home Run Derby, defeating Vladimir Guerrero Jr., becoming only the second rookie to win the Derby outright.

September 3, 2020: First Career Walk-Off Home Run

On September 3, 2020, Pete Alonso hit his first career walk-off home run in a 9–7 victory against the New York Yankees.

2020: The Alonso Foundation is formed

In 2020, Pete Alonso and his wife formed The Alonso Foundation, a charitable organization that supports youth, veteran, and animal causes.

November 12, 2021: Alonso marries Haley Walsh

On November 12, 2021, Pete Alonso married Haley Walsh at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in downtown Tampa.

2021: Won the MLB Home Run Derby

In 2021, Pete Alonso won the MLB Home Run Derby for the second time.

2021: Possible Sophomore Slump

In 2021, Pete Alonso's sophomore slump coupled with a second consecutive breakout season from Dominic Smith led some talent evaluators to favor the latter as the team's starting first baseman.

2021: Second Straight Home Run Derby Win

On July 12, 2021, Pete Alonso won his second straight Home Run Derby, defeating Trey Mancini in the final round, becoming the third player ever to win back-to-back Derbies.

2021: 100th Career Home Run

On September 7, 2021, Pete Alonso hit his 100th career home run, becoming the second-fastest player to reach the milestone behind Ryan Howard.

March 13, 2022: Alonso involved in car accident

On March 13, 2022, Pete Alonso was involved in a car accident in Tampa, Florida, where his vehicle flipped over after being struck by a driver who ran a red light. No one was injured.

March 22, 2022: Signed Contract with the Mets

On March 22, 2022, Pete Alonso signed a $7.4 million contract with the Mets, avoiding salary arbitration.

August 17, 2022: Alonso joins United States national baseball team

On August 17, 2022, Pete Alonso announced he would join the United States national baseball team in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

2022: 40th Home Run of the Season

In 2022, Pete Alonso hit his 40th home run of the season, becoming the first Mets player to accomplish the feat twice, and tied Aaron Judge for the most RBI in the major leagues.

2022: Led the league in runs batted in

In 2022, Pete Alonso led the league in runs batted in.

2022: Named to MLB All-Star Game, Mets Single-Season RBI Record

In 2022, Pete Alonso was named to the MLB All-Star Game and set a new Mets' single-season RBI record with 125.

January 13, 2023: Signed Contract with the Mets

On January 13, 2023, Pete Alonso and the Mets agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million contract during the arbitration period.

2023: Alonso plays in the World Baseball Classic

In 2023, Pete Alonso played for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. He went 2-for-14 across five games, starting a rally against Venezuela in the quarterfinals and hitting an RBI single against Cuba in the semifinals.

2023: Tied for 4th place on the Mets all-time home run list

On September 27, 2023, Pete Alonso hit his 46th home run of the season in an 11–2 win over the Miami Marlins. His 192nd career homer made him tie Howard Johnson for 4th place on the Mets all-time home run list.

January 11, 2024: Agreed to Contract with the Mets

On January 11, 2024, the Mets and Pete Alonso agreed on a one-year, $20.5 million contract to avoid salary arbitration.

2024: Free Agency

After the 2024 season, Pete Alonso's contract with the Mets expired and became a free agent for the first time in his career.

2024: Appeared in Every Game of the Season

In 2024, Pete Alonso played in all 162 games for the Mets, making him the second player in Mets history to appear in every game in a single-season.

2024: Inducted into Hall of Fame

In 2024, Pete Alonso was inducted into the Madison Mallards Hall of Fame.

2024: MLB Postseason

In the 2024 MLB postseason, Pete Alonso played in 13 games for the Mets.

2024: Named to MLB All-Star Game

On July 7, 2024, Pete Alonso was named to the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, passing Keith Hernandez for the most appearances by a Mets first baseman.

2024: Game 3 National League Wild Card Series

On October 3, in Game 3 the 2024 National League Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Pete Alonso hit a go-ahead, three-run home run, 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.