PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- The Mets have rewarded Pete Alonso's standout rookie season with the largest salary ever for a second-year player.

The team agreed to terms with Alonso this week on a $652,521 salary, according to a source, the largest in Major League history for a player coming off his first season.

“For the Mets to make this happen, it’s incredible,” Alonso said. “I truly care about my teammates, my peers, the people I work with every day. And I care about the fans. I care about the city. So to be rewarded is fantastic, because for me, I give blood, sweat and tears to this organization. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to win.”

Before players accumulate three years of service time to qualify for arbitration, they have minimal leverage in salary negotiations. As a result, such players generally make something close to the Major League minimum -- this year, $563,500 -- no matter how productive they are. Many teams use proprietary, performance-based formulas to determine players’ salaries. Occasionally, players decline that offer as a form of silent protest, which can result in the club renewing their contracts at a lower salary rather than agreeing to terms.

Not Alonso, who earned more than a 17% raise after slugging a Major League rookie-record 53 home runs in his first season. The Mets did not have any renewals this year for a group of pre-arbitration players that also included Jeff McNeil and Amed Rosario.

“I just feel extremely honored to be a part of this organization,” he said. “I feel extremely blessed, because for me, this organization means the world to me. This truly feels like home.”

Although March is one of the best times of year for clubs and players to negotiate long-term contract extensions, Alonso -- who is under team control for five more seasons -- said he didn’t know if either side might approach the other to talk. He called the idea of an extension “awesome,” while recognizing that he’s not focusing on it now.

“I just feel really blessed right now having the [new contract],” Alonso said. “I feel really blessed with what I’ve been given. … If we don’t play well, if we don’t end up where we want to be because I’m worried about something else, then that’s just not productive for anybody. My mind’s focused. I’ve got blinders on. I’m just raring to go. I’m excited about 2020.”

Worst averted
Outfielder Michael Conforto said doctors classified his right oblique strain as Grade 1, the least severe form. Conforto could not offer a timetable for his return, with barely two weeks left until Opening Day, but he expressed optimism that the injury will not linger long.

“Obliques are different for everybody,” Conforto said. “It’s going to be based on my symptoms ... based on my strength and all that stuff. There’s no timeline right now. We’re going day by day. But what I will say is I’m feeling very good right now.”

Conforto, who flew to New York earlier this week for an MRI and examination by team physician Dr. David Altchek, is not currently swinging a bat. He spent time Wednesday pedaling on a stationary bike, doing core work, stretching and performing lower-body strength training exercises.

“My symptoms weren’t all that crazy,” Conforto said. “After a couple days of treatment, I felt quite a bit better. So right now, I feel pretty good.”

If Conforto is not ready to go on Opening Day, the Mets will likely shift Brandon Nimmo to right field and start Jake Marisnick more regularly in center. Left fielder J.D. Davis said the team has discussed the possibility of giving him playing time in right, but that won’t happen until more clarity surfaces on Conforto’s situation.

Dialed in
Through three perfect innings of Wednesday’s 7-3 win over the Cardinals, Jacob deGrom threw 20 of his 24 pitches for strikes. His afternoon didn’t end perfectly, because of a Matt Carpenter home run, but it was otherwise as sparkling as deGrom could have hoped. Through two Grapefruit League starts, the reigning two-time Cy Young Award winner owns a 1.29 ERA.

“I felt like I was kind of where I wanted to be today,” deGrom said.

Three more roster moves
The Mets’ latest round of cuts included a former first-round Draft pick who turned heads this spring. The team reassigned left-hander David Peterson, who regularly reached 94-95 mph with his fastball in Grapefruit League games, to Minor League camp, along with right-handers Corey Oswalt and Pedro Payano.

Peterson finished with a 1.50 ERA in three Grapefruit League outings. He should open this season at Triple-A Syracuse, and he could be a factor on the big league club by summer’s end.

Ring ceremony
Members of the 2019 New York-Penn League champion Brooklyn Cyclones received their rings prior to Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals. Among the players who joined that team for the postseason: top 2020 MLB Draft picks Brett Baty and Matthew Allan, who are both in Minor League camp.

Up next
Following an off-day Thursday, the Mets will take their first of two spring trips across the state to Florida’s Gulf Coast. Steven Matz will take the mound Friday against the Braves at the new CoolToday Park in North Port, Fla., in a 1:05 p.m. ET game. Fans can listen to the game live using Gameday Audio.