By Laura Amato
Daniel Alfonzo has spent his entire life playing baseball.
The Bayside standout grew up watching his father, Edgardo, play professionally and, now, the younger Alfonzo is ready to bring his game to the next level.
“I’ve been around baseball my whole life. It just comes second natural to me, so I don’t really put pressure on myself, but I do try to get better every single day,” Alfonzo said while competing at the Mayor’s Cup at St. John’s Thursday night.
Alfonzo has been nothing short of dominant throughout his career with the Commodores, but he got a bit of a confidence boost last week when he was selected by the New York Mets in the 38th-round of the MLB Draft.
It wasn’t a totally unexpected phone call, as Alfonzo has strong ties with his hometown squad. After all, he wore No. 13 at Bayside because it’s the same number his father, who will manage the Brooklyn Cyclones this summer, wore during his time with the Mets.
Still, Alfonzo isn’t ready to suit up quite yet. He’s set to head to Adelphi next season and he’s ready to use his draft moment as a building block for his future in the game.
“Everything going on, especially the draft, it’s been really good,” Alfonzo said. “When I see my name up there, I take it as motivation. I told my coaches at Adelphi that I see my name there as motivation and giving me time to improve on the field and off the field.”
Alfonzo’s senior season wasn’t quite picture-perfect at Bayside – the squad came up short in the playoffs after moving up to AAA this spring – but the middle infielder still managed to post an impressive stat line. He hit .471 during the regular season with 10 extra-base hits and 13 RBI, while striking out just eight times in 51 at-bats.
“I’m going to look back and I don’t have any regrets,” Alfonzo said. “I left everything on the field. That’s all I could ask for.”
The performance was more than enough to impress the Mets and while Alfonzo won’t follow in his father’s footsteps quite yet, the team’s front office had nothing but compliments regarding the Commodores star.
“He’s a really, really talented kid. He plays third base, can hit, can do a little bit of everything,” Mets Vice President of Amateur Scouting Tommy Tanous told MLB.com. “He’s a great kid. Obviously, the bloodlines are there. And he’s a heck of a baseball player.”
Alfonzo never once thought about leaving Bayside. He helped build a successful program with the Commodores and, after leading the team to its first PSAL championship in 2016, Alfonzo couldn’t have asked for a better place to play his high school ball.
“It’s been an honor representing Bayside,” Alfonzo said. “All the struggles we’ve been through, all the success we’ve been through. We’ve put in work every single day, 24-7, and it’s paid off. We won a championship last year. That was a great moment, not just for me, but the whole Bayside community.”
Alfonzo is excited for whatever the future holds – whether it’s at Adelphi or another phone call from a Major League team. He is certain, however, no matter what happens, there will be baseball involved.
“The Cyclones season is going to start, so I’m going to down there with my dad and work out a little with the team,” Alfonzo said. “I’m just trying to improve before the season gets started at Adelphi and that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
