Pedro Alvarez (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Pedro Manuel Alvarez Jr. (born February 6, 1987) is a Dominican-American professional baseball
third baseman
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
of Major League Baseball
.
Alvarez was born in the Dominican Republic
but grew up in the Washington Heights
neighborhood in the New York City
borough of Manhattan
. Alvarez has been nicknamed El Toro, Spanish
for The Bull, because of his strength and athletic build.
, where he was an A student. He then attended Horace Mann School
in the Bronx, where he holds numerous baseball records, most notably home run
s, batting average
, on base percentage
, slugging percentage, and RBIs. Alvarez was named Athlete of the Year his senior season. Though he attended a private school, Alvarez's abilities attracted the attention of scouts throughout the New York City area
, especially after he led his club team, the Bayside Yankees
, to a national title in 2005. In recognition of his success, Louisville Slugger crowned him the Player of the Year in New York and also named him to its All-America
team.
. Though offered a substantial signing bonus, Alvarez instead chose to play college baseball
for the SEC
's Vanderbilt University
. Alvarez started slowly and had some trouble adjusting to the college game. However, after growing comfortable, he became an integral member of the Commodore lineup. Alvarez put up some of the best offensive numbers in the history of Vanderbilt, setting single-season school records in home runs (22) and second in RBIs to Warner Jones. These stats earned Alvarez National Freshman of the Year honors from several publications, including Baseball America
. Alvarez was then selected to the USA National team
, leading the team in batting average. Baseball America ranked him as the 2nd best pro prospect on the squad. In addition, Sports Illustrated
ranked him as the best pro prospect on the team and said that he was the "early favorite to be drafted first in 2008," due to his impressive performance over the summer and as a freshman.
Before the 2007 season began Alvarez was named to the watchlist for the SEC and national player of the year awards. He was also chosen as a 1st team pre-season
All-American. During the season, Alvarez had great success, hitting .397 with 17 home runs, 65 RBI, 72 runs, an on-base percentage of .467, and a slugging percentage of .706 for the 51-11 Commodores. His strong play was one of the key reasons Vanderbilt captured its first ever SEC regular-season championship. During the SEC Tournament, Alvarez powered Vanderbilt to a come-from-behind championship despite the team dropping the tournament's first game. No other team in SEC history had ever come back to win after losing its first game, and Alvarez was named Tournament MVP.
Alvarez was invited back to Team USA after his strong performance in 2006 and would prove to be a leader on the field. He led the team in homers, RBIs, batting average, hits, and slugging percentage.
. He agreed to a $6 million minor league
contract with the Pirates on August 15, minutes before the deadline but did not immediately sign it. He was placed on the restricted list after the Major League Baseball Players Association
filed a grievance against Major League Baseball
over draft picks being signed minutes after the August 15 deadline. On September 22, Alvarez agreed to renegotiated terms on a four-year major league contract at $6.4 million.
In 2009, he attended Spring Training
with the Pirates, but was assigned to the minor league's spring training on March 16, 2009. After playing several months with the Pirates High-A affiliate, Lynchburg Hillcats
, Alvarez was assigned to Double-A Altoona Curve
in late June. Alvarez performed extremely well between the two levels, leading the Pirates organization in home runs and RBIs with 27 and 95 respectively. He also batted .288 with an .917 OPS.
, as the 8th-best prospect in Baseball America's 2010 rankings. In 66 games with the Indians, he hit .277 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI and 4 stolen bases.
Alvarez was called up to the MLB on June 16, 2010 and made his Major League debut against John Danks
of the Chicago White Sox
. He went 0-for-2 with a walk, a strikeout, and a run scored.
His first Major League hit came against the Cleveland Indians
on June 19, 2010, an RBI double over the left-field wall off Indians starter David Huff
. The following several weeks of his career did not go so smoothly, however. He struck out at least once in each of his first 10 games, capped off by a 4-strikeout game in a 14-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics
on June 25, 2010. Pirates manager John Russell then gave him a day off. His first Major League home run came against the Philadelphia Phillies
on July 3, 2010, a solo shot to left field off of off Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick
. Following his benching, Alvarez responded with an eight-game hitting streak from June 28-July 6 that included 2 home runs, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI.
Alvarez recorded his first career multi-homer game on July 20, 2010 against the Milwaukee Brewers
. He hit a grand slam
in the first inning off Brewers starter Dave Bush and then followed with a solo home run in the following inning. He finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs and five RBIs, helping the Pirates to an 11-9 win. He hit two home runs again the next night against the Brewers, going 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs as part of a 15-3 Pirate victory. The home runs came against Milwaukee starter Randy Wolf
and reliever Kameron Loe
. After the game, Alvarez had raised his batting average
over 60 points, from .197 on July 9 to .259. "Obviously, those first few weeks, it’s a million miles an hour, and as time goes on you get used to it a little bit more and more." said Alvarez of his early struggles. "It's very fun to go out there and play some good baseball and come out winning. It makes it that much better when you have a good day that you can celebrate with your teammates."
On August 7, 2010 Pedro hit a walk-off 3 run home run
against the Colorado Rockies
closer Huston Street
.
Alvarez was named National League Player of the Week for September 20–26 for his performances. He finished the week 10-for-24 (.417) with 2 home runs and 13 RBIs. Alvarez continued his hot streak, going 4-for-5 with 5 RBIs on September 30 against the Florida Marlins
while raising his season batting average 8 points from .249 to .257. Alvarez finished the season by winning the NL Rookie of the Month Award for September, hitting .311 and leading all Major League rookies with 26 RBIs in his final 27 games.
in 36 games. On May 21, 2011 Alvarez was placed on the 15-day disabled list. After being reinstated from the DL on July 9, 2011 he was optioned to the AAA Indianapolis Indians
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Alvarez was born in the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
but grew up in the Washington Heights
Washington Heights, Manhattan
Washington Heights is a New York City neighborhood in the northern reaches of the borough of Manhattan. It is named for Fort Washington, a fortification constructed at the highest point on Manhattan island by Continental Army troops during the American Revolutionary War, to defend the area from the...
neighborhood in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough of Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
. Alvarez has been nicknamed El Toro, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
for The Bull, because of his strength and athletic build.
High school career
Alvarez first attended the Mott Hall School for gifted and talented students in HarlemHarlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
, where he was an A student. He then attended Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School
Horace Mann School is an independent college preparatory school in New York City, New York, United States founded in 1887 known for its rigorous course of studies. Horace Mann is a member of the Ivy Preparatory School League, educating students from all across the New York tri-state area from...
in the Bronx, where he holds numerous baseball records, most notably home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
, slugging percentage, and RBIs. Alvarez was named Athlete of the Year his senior season. Though he attended a private school, Alvarez's abilities attracted the attention of scouts throughout the New York City area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, especially after he led his club team, the Bayside Yankees
Bayside Yankees
The Bayside Yankees is a traveling baseball team based out of the New York City area that comprises five teams consisting of players ranging in age from 12 to 18 years old. With a tradition rich of winning championships and producing top baseball talents, Bayside has built the reputation as one of...
, to a national title in 2005. In recognition of his success, Louisville Slugger crowned him the Player of the Year in New York and also named him to its All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
team.
Vanderbilt career
After graduating from high school, Alvarez was drafted in the 14th round of the 2005 major league draft by the Boston Red SoxBoston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
. Though offered a substantial signing bonus, Alvarez instead chose to play college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
for the SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
's Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
. Alvarez started slowly and had some trouble adjusting to the college game. However, after growing comfortable, he became an integral member of the Commodore lineup. Alvarez put up some of the best offensive numbers in the history of Vanderbilt, setting single-season school records in home runs (22) and second in RBIs to Warner Jones. These stats earned Alvarez National Freshman of the Year honors from several publications, including Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
. Alvarez was then selected to the USA National team
USA Baseball
USA Baseball was founded in , and is the governing body for amateur baseball in the United States of America. It is a member of the United States Olympic Committee and organizes the United States national baseball team...
, leading the team in batting average. Baseball America ranked him as the 2nd best pro prospect on the squad. In addition, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
ranked him as the best pro prospect on the team and said that he was the "early favorite to be drafted first in 2008," due to his impressive performance over the summer and as a freshman.
Before the 2007 season began Alvarez was named to the watchlist for the SEC and national player of the year awards. He was also chosen as a 1st team pre-season
Season (sports)
In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an...
All-American. During the season, Alvarez had great success, hitting .397 with 17 home runs, 65 RBI, 72 runs, an on-base percentage of .467, and a slugging percentage of .706 for the 51-11 Commodores. His strong play was one of the key reasons Vanderbilt captured its first ever SEC regular-season championship. During the SEC Tournament, Alvarez powered Vanderbilt to a come-from-behind championship despite the team dropping the tournament's first game. No other team in SEC history had ever come back to win after losing its first game, and Alvarez was named Tournament MVP.
Alvarez was invited back to Team USA after his strong performance in 2006 and would prove to be a leader on the field. He led the team in homers, RBIs, batting average, hits, and slugging percentage.
Professional career
Alvarez was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first round (second overall) in the 2008 Major League Baseball Draft2008 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2008 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft continued Major League Baseball's annual amateur draft of high school and college baseball players, and was held on June 5 and 6, 2008.-First round selections:* Did not sign...
. He agreed to a $6 million minor league
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
contract with the Pirates on August 15, minutes before the deadline but did not immediately sign it. He was placed on the restricted list after the Major League Baseball Players Association
Major League Baseball Players Association
The Major League Baseball Players Association is the union of professional major-league baseball players.-History of MLBPA:The MLBPA was not the first attempt to unionize baseball players...
filed a grievance against Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
over draft picks being signed minutes after the August 15 deadline. On September 22, Alvarez agreed to renegotiated terms on a four-year major league contract at $6.4 million.
In 2009, he attended Spring Training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Pirates, but was assigned to the minor league's spring training on March 16, 2009. After playing several months with the Pirates High-A affiliate, Lynchburg Hillcats
Lynchburg Hillcats
The Lynchburg Hillcats are a minor league baseball team in Lynchburg, Virginia. They are a Class High-A team in the Carolina League, and currently are a farm team of the Atlanta Braves. They had been a farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates since 1995, with the Cincinnati Reds fulfilling the final...
, Alvarez was assigned to Double-A Altoona Curve
Altoona Curve
The Altoona Curve are a minor league baseball team based in Altoona, Pennsylvania, named after nearby Horseshoe Curve . The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club...
in late June. Alvarez performed extremely well between the two levels, leading the Pirates organization in home runs and RBIs with 27 and 95 respectively. He also batted .288 with an .917 OPS.
2010
Alvarez started the 2010 season with the Pirates Triple-A affiliate, the Indianapolis IndiansIndianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
, as the 8th-best prospect in Baseball America's 2010 rankings. In 66 games with the Indians, he hit .277 with 13 home runs, 53 RBI and 4 stolen bases.
Alvarez was called up to the MLB on June 16, 2010 and made his Major League debut against John Danks
John Danks
John William Danks is a left-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball currently playing with the Chicago White Sox....
of the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. He went 0-for-2 with a walk, a strikeout, and a run scored.
His first Major League hit came against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
on June 19, 2010, an RBI double over the left-field wall off Indians starter David Huff
David Huff (baseball)
David Gregory Huff is a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Cleveland Indians.Huff attended Edison High School , University of California, Irvine and University of California, Los Angeles before being drafted by the Cleveland Indians.-Minor leagues:Since 2006, Huff has played in minor league...
. The following several weeks of his career did not go so smoothly, however. He struck out at least once in each of his first 10 games, capped off by a 4-strikeout game in a 14-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
on June 25, 2010. Pirates manager John Russell then gave him a day off. His first Major League home run came against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
on July 3, 2010, a solo shot to left field off of off Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick
Kyle Kendrick
Kyle Rodney Kendrick is a relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball.-High school:...
. Following his benching, Alvarez responded with an eight-game hitting streak from June 28-July 6 that included 2 home runs, 3 runs scored and 4 RBI.
Alvarez recorded his first career multi-homer game on July 20, 2010 against the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. He hit a grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
in the first inning off Brewers starter Dave Bush and then followed with a solo home run in the following inning. He finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs and five RBIs, helping the Pirates to an 11-9 win. He hit two home runs again the next night against the Brewers, going 3-for-5 with 3 RBIs as part of a 15-3 Pirate victory. The home runs came against Milwaukee starter Randy Wolf
Randy Wolf
Randall Christopher Wolf is a left-handed pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers of Major League Baseball. Randy's older brother Jim is a Major League umpire. Unlike his brother Jim and Houston Astros relief pitcher Ross Wolf, Randy is a boss...
and reliever Kameron Loe
Kameron Loe
Kameron David Loe is a professional baseball pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.He previously pitched in Major League Baseball for the Texas Rangers. At 6' 9" tall, Loe is one of the tallest players in the game, and also has a 7 foot boa constrictor named Angel which he keeps in the clubhouse...
. After the game, Alvarez had raised his batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
over 60 points, from .197 on July 9 to .259. "Obviously, those first few weeks, it’s a million miles an hour, and as time goes on you get used to it a little bit more and more." said Alvarez of his early struggles. "It's very fun to go out there and play some good baseball and come out winning. It makes it that much better when you have a good day that you can celebrate with your teammates."
On August 7, 2010 Pedro hit a walk-off 3 run home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
closer Huston Street
Huston Street
Huston Lowell Street is an American baseball relief pitcher for the Colorado Rockies. His father is former University of Texas quarterback James Street, and his brother Juston Street is currently a pitcher for the minor league Vancouver Canadians....
.
Alvarez was named National League Player of the Week for September 20–26 for his performances. He finished the week 10-for-24 (.417) with 2 home runs and 13 RBIs. Alvarez continued his hot streak, going 4-for-5 with 5 RBIs on September 30 against the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
while raising his season batting average 8 points from .249 to .257. Alvarez finished the season by winning the NL Rookie of the Month Award for September, hitting .311 and leading all Major League rookies with 26 RBIs in his final 27 games.
2011
Alvarez did not immediately continue his late 2010 performance, compiling a .208 batting average and a .587 OPSOn-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
in 36 games. On May 21, 2011 Alvarez was placed on the 15-day disabled list. After being reinstated from the DL on July 9, 2011 he was optioned to the AAA Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
.
Awards and honors
- 2010 National League Rookie of the Month for the month of September
- 2010 National League Player of the Week for the week of September 20–26.
- 2009 All-Star Futures GameAll-Star Futures GameThe All-Star Futures Game is an annual baseball exhibition game between a team of top minor league prospects from the United States and a team of prospects from other parts of the World...
Starter - 2007 Golden Spikes AwardGolden Spikes AwardThe Golden Spikes Award is awarded annually to the best amateur baseball player. It is awarded by USA Baseball and sponsored by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Though the award can be presented to any amateur player, it has always been given to a college baseball player.-Past...
Finalist - 2007 Baseball AmericaBaseball AmericaBaseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
First Team All American - 2007 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association First Team All American
- 2007 American Baseball Coaches Association Second Team All American
- 2006 Baseball America National Freshman of the Year
- 2006 Baseball America First Team All American