Florida Baseball: Pete Alonso will participate in the Home Run Derby

Since being drafted by the New York Mets, former Florida baseball star Pete Alonso has been one of the only redeeming reasons actually to watch the Mets. After having an epic collapse last season, the Mets have continued to be one of the most disappointing teams in all of MLB this season.

And with Alonso having another solid season, he announced on Sunday that he will take part in the upcoming Home Run Derby.

Florida Baseball: I’m doing my part…

The New York Mets are an embarrassing 38-46 as of this writing, but it is hard to blame the former Florida Gator for their problems.

While Alonso is mired with his lowest batting average ever midway through the season at .221, his slugging percentage is at .520.

Only once has Alonso ended a season with a better slugging percentage.

Add it all together, and his OPS of .835 still gives him a net positive in WAR.

His OPS is still top 20 in NL, and his 25 home runs are only behind Matt Olson and Shohei Ohtani in all of Major League Baseball.

This will be the fourth time Alonso will be in the Derby, having won it in 2019 and 2021. It is apropos that the Derby will be taking place in Seattle because if Alonso can win it this year, he will join Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. as the only three-time winner of the event.

Combined with the MLB Draft starting on Sunday, where Wyatt Langford expects to be drafted among the top five picks, this upcoming All Star week could be a very good one for former Florida baseball members.

Of course, if Alonso does win, someone in New York will call into sports talk radio to complain that his swing is screwed up for the rest of the season.

Such is life when you play for the Mets.