NEW YORK -- The Mets called a familiar name in the closing stages of the 2017 Draft, selecting fan-favorite Edgardo Alfonzo's son, Daniel, with their 38th-round pick.
Alfonzo first opened local eyes as a high school sophomore, leading New York City with eight home runs in 48 at-bats. The next year, he helped carry Bayside High School to its first Public Schools Athletic League title, and as a senior, Alfonzo racked up 10 extra-base hits in 51 at-bats. Playing four varsity seasons in the shadow of Citi Field, Alfonzo never batted lower than .471.
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"We've seen him quite a bit," Mets vice president of amateur scouting Tommy Tanous said, noting that Alfonzo played in the team's in-house amateur tournament, the Metropolitan Baseball Classic. "He's a really, really talented kid. He plays third base, can hit, can do a little bit of everything."
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Throughout high school, Alfonzo wore No. 13, which his father made famous during eight years in Flushing. An All-Star for the Mets in 2000 as a cog of their World Series team, the elder Alfonzo thrice finished in the top 15 in NL MVP voting. Of his 146 career home runs, 120 came with the Mets.
This isn't the first time the Mets have drafted a former player's son. In the 42nd round of the 2010 Draft, they selected former closer John Franco's son, J.J., who went on to play baseball at Brown University.
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Like J.J. Franco, the younger Alfonzo is no stranger to professional clubhouses, sometimes spending time with the Class A Brooklyn Cyclones team that his father manages.
"He's a great kid," Tanous said. "Obviously, the bloodlines are there. And he's a heck of a baseball player."