Mets' Pete Alonso Launching NFT, Will Donate Profits to Help Minor Leaguers
March 29, 2021
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is the latest sports star to join the nonfungible token trend and he will use the proceeds to support minor leaguers, per Joon Lee of ESPN.
The one-of-one NFT will be released on Tuesday:
Alonso will donate profits to his own charity, Homers for Heroes, along with More Than Baseball, which is a nonprofit that provides housing, equipment and nutrition to minor leaguers in need. The 2019 Rookie of the Year explained his reasoning to Lee:
"I was a minor leaguer. I know how hard it is on 12-hour bus trips. If you're not on the 40-man roster or you're just a regular minor leaguer without any big league team, you're making around $2.85 an hour when it comes down to brass tacks. To be able to raise funds and help out guys that need it, that are extremely talented because there's big league talent all throughout the minor leagues, I'm very thankful."
The art for the NFT was designed by Mets minor-league pitcher Tommy Wilson.
Fellow Met Taijuan Walker was the first baseball player to sell his NFT earlier this month. It follows the success seen in NBA Top Shot as well as by top players in other sports, including Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
