New York Yankees are interested in former Florida Gators Pete Alonso

The New York Yankees are looking for a great baseball player from the Florida Gators to replace Anthony Rizzo at first base.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman had reportedly spoken with Alonso's agent, Scott Boras. Cashman had high praise for the former Gator during Tuesday's GM meetings.

“There are a lot of high-profile players in this market,” he said. “Certainly Pete did a great job with the (New York) Mets.”

Alonso had a down year in a free agent season. However, its numbers are still respectable, and competitors still believe the benefits outweigh the potential.

In 2024, Alonso posted a record .240/.329/.459 average with 34 home runs and 88 RBIs in 162 games with the Mets. It was the first time he played every game in a season – although he says he has never played fewer than 152 games outside of the coronavirus-shortened season. The Yankees could sign a guy to play who shows up virtually every day.

Alonso also had some crucial playoff moments for the Mets that the Yankees would love to see in pinstripes — in this case, Yankee pinstripes. In 13 postseason games, Alonso slashed .273/.431/.568 with four home runs and 10 RBIs.

His highlight was the go-ahead shot in the decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. In the bottom of the ninth, with Alonso facing elimination, he hit a three-run pitch to turn the Milwaukee Brewers' 2-0 lead into a 4-2 Mets victory and series sweep.

Meanwhile, Rizzo flopped on the Yankees' biggest stage. In the World Series, he hit .125/.363/.125 with no home runs or RBIs. The Yankees lost the World Series to the Dodgers in five games – four of the games were decided by three runs or fewer.

A clutch first baseman could have made the difference — or at least made it more of a series.

Depending on how this offseason goes, Florida Gators fans may be more inclined to see what things look like in the Bronx.

Alonso played 101 games for the Gators over two and off seasons – he only played two games in the third year. He slashed .316/.407/.517 with 23 home runs and 124 RBIs. He was drafted by the Mets in the second round of the 2016 MLB Draft.

Alonso has since become one of Florida Gators baseball's greatest graduates of all time. He has hit 226 home runs and 586 RBIs in six seasons. He won the 2019 National League Rookie of the Year award, is a four-time All-Star champion, a two-time Home Run Derby champion and has received MVP votes in three different seasons.