Alonso Praises Orioles' Young Pitching Prospect

The Mets slugger was impressed by Nestor German's stuff during live batting practice.

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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Pete Alonso, the Mets slugger who was recently traded to the Orioles, had high praise for Baltimore's young pitching prospect Nestor German after facing him in live batting practice. Alonso said German's stuff was 'real' and that his splitter was 'profound' in keeping Alonso 'honest' with his other pitches. Alonso also commented on the overall quality of pitching in MLB, saying 'everyone's nasty nowadays' due to advancements in pitching labs and technology.

Why it matters

The Orioles are looking to bolster their pitching staff this offseason after making several big moves to improve their offense. Alonso's positive assessment of German could help the young righty earn a spot on the Opening Day roster and provide a boost to Baltimore's pitching.

The details

During live batting practice on February 19, Nestor German, the Orioles' No. 11 prospect, struck out Pete Alonso. Afterwards, Alonso praised German's stuff, saying he had a 'three-, four-pitch mix' including 'two different breaking balls' and a 'splitter' that was 'profound' in keeping Alonso 'honest.' Alonso also commented more broadly on the quality of pitching in MLB, saying 'everyone's nasty nowadays' due to advancements in pitching labs and technology.

  • On February 19, Nestor German faced Pete Alonso in live batting practice.

The players

Pete Alonso

A slugger who was recently traded from the Mets to the Orioles.

Nestor German

The Orioles' No. 11 prospect, a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher.

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What they’re saying

“His stuff was real, you know? He had like a three-, four-pitch mix. He had two different breaking balls. The splitter's obviously what really was profound for me. The splitter was good. It just kept me honest with pretty much all of his other pitches. He looked really, really good... Yeah, he's one of the tougher ones I've had this spring.”

— Pete Alonso (MASN)

“Everyone's nasty nowadays. Everyone's got elite stuff. They just grow on trees now because you've got the pitching labs and stuff like that. All the slow-motion cameras and people just finding new and different grips and discovering new pitches and shapes all the time.”

— Pete Alonso (MASN)

What’s next

If Nestor German continues to impress in spring training, he could earn a spot on the Orioles' Opening Day roster and provide a boost to their pitching staff.

The takeaway

Pete Alonso's positive assessment of Orioles prospect Nestor German's stuff suggests the young right-hander could be a key part of Baltimore's pitching plans this season, as the team looks to complement its improved offense with quality arms on the mound.