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| Pedro Alvarez (baseball) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pedro Álvarez |
| Position | First baseman / Third baseman |
| Bats | Right |
| Throws | Right |
| Birth date | 6 February 1987 |
| Birth place | Miami Lakes, Florida, United States |
| Debutleague | MLB |
| Debutdate | 8 September 2010 |
| Debutteam | Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Finaldate | 2 October 2016 |
| Finalteam | Baltimore Orioles |
| Teams | * Pittsburgh Pirates (–) * Baltimore Orioles () |
Pedro Alvarez (baseball) is an American former professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball as a corner infielder, primarily at first base and third base, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles. A former top prospect from Miami Lakes, Florida, he was selected by the New York Yankees in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign, later taken by the Pittsburgh Pirates with the second overall pick in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. Alvarez reached the majors in 2010 and became known for his power hitting, winning multiple Player of the Week honors and earning recognition among All-Star Game watch lists.
Alvarez was born in Miami Lakes, Florida and attended W. T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida before transferring to Westminster Christian School (Miami) where he played alongside future professionals. He emerged in high school baseball circuits alongside prospects who later signed with organizations such as the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Initially drafted by the New York Yankees in the 2006 Major League Baseball draft out of high school, he chose to attend University of Miami and play for the Miami Hurricanes baseball team, where he faced collegiate competition from athletes who later joined clubs like the Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, St. Louis Cardinals, and San Francisco Giants. During his amateur career he competed in Cape Cod Baseball League summer play and showcased power against pitchers affiliated with Major League Baseball farm systems including the Indianapolis Indians and Durham Bulls affiliates.
Alvarez signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates after being selected second overall in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft, joining a prospect pipeline that has included players promoted to teams such as the Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Toronto Blue Jays, and Kansas City Royals. He progressed through the Pirates' minor league affiliates including the Bradenton Marauders, Altoona Curve, and Indianapolis Indians, recording home run totals that put him on prospect lists published by Baseball America, ESPN, MLB.com, The Athletic, and FanGraphs. Alvarez made his MLB debut with the Pirates on September 8, 2010, and became the everyday third baseman and first baseman in seasons that overlapped with teammates such as Andrew McCutchen, Starling Marte, Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano, and Neil Walker. He had notable multi-homer games and seasonal power outputs that placed him among leaders tracked by Baseball-Reference, Sporting News, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, and Bleacher Report. In December 2015, Alvarez was traded to the Baltimore Orioles, joining a roster that featured players like Chris Davis, Manny Machado, Zach Britton, Adam Jones, and Matt Wieters, and he played his final MLB season in 2016. Post-MLB, Alvarez had minor league stints and independent league opportunities that brought him into contact with organizations such as the New York Mets minor league system, Long Island Ducks, and Mexican League clubs.
Alvarez was primarily known for his slugging ability, often assessed by analytics outlets including FanGraphs, Baseball Prospectus, Statcast, Brooks Baseball, and Baseball Savant. Scouts from franchises like the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, and Los Angeles Dodgers evaluated his bat speed, plate discipline, and power-to-potential metrics. Defensively he rotated between third base and first base with occasional appearances at designated hitter against clubs such as the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Washington Nationals, Atlanta Braves, and Miami Marlins. Analysts compared his offensive profile to historical sluggers profiled by Hall of Fame discussions and statistical reviews in outlets like The Sporting News and ESPN Stats & Information.
Alvarez grew up in a Cuban-American family in Miami Lakes, Florida and has ties to the Cuban baseball community as well as youth programs in South Florida. Off the field he has participated in charity events and community outreach alongside teammates formerly with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles, collaborating with organizations such as the Major League Baseball Players Association, Baseball Tomorrow Fund, and local charities in Pittsburgh and Baltimore. His personal connections include relationships with coaches and instructors who worked within collegiate programs like the University of Miami and summer leagues such as the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Alvarez's professional highlights include multiple Player of the Week recognitions, ranking among single-season home run leaders for the Pittsburgh Pirates during his tenure and appearing in prospect top-100 lists by Baseball America, MLB.com, ESPN, FanGraphs, and Baseball Prospectus. He set franchise-related milestones in slugging percentage and extra-base hit counts during seasons when teammates such as Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole were centerpiece figures. His career statistics are cataloged in databases like Baseball-Reference, MLB.com player profiles, FanGraphs leaderboards, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum archival records.
Category:1987 births Category:Living people Category:Major League Baseball first basemen Category:Major League Baseball third basemen Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:Baltimore Orioles players Category:Baseball players from Florida