They’re throwing the kid to the wolves!
New York Mets first-round draft pick David Peterson will make his professional debut for the Brooklyn Cyclones tonight against the Tri-City ValleyCats — and manager Edgauro Alfonzo is already ready with the hook!
The Cyclones skipper, who has led to team through the rockiest season its history, says the lefty out of the University of Oregon is just going to dip his toe in the water.
“He’s probably going to go one inning,” manager Edgardo “Fonzie” Alfonzo said of the 6-foot-6, 240-pound plater. “He’ll get his feet wet and we’ll go from there to see what happens.”
Peterson was assigned to the Cyclones after signing his rookie contract with the Mets on July 7 and has been working in a training program with the team since arriving in Brooklyn. The Cyclones held a press conference to introduce Peterson on July 15, where he said he was looking forward to his first taste of the pros.
“The biggest thing is getting a feel for professional baseball and getting used to how everything goes and really preparing myself to be as good as I can for next year’s spring training,” Peterson said.
The Colorado native, who throws a mid-90s fastball and a slider in the 80s, knows he has a lot to learn, so he is also looking forward to Fonzie’s tutelage as manager.
“Whatever I can pick his brain about and learn about professional baseball I think would be huge for me and my development,” Peterson said.
