Andy Martino, SNY.tv | Twitter |
Jon Updike, the scout responsible for making Pete Alonso a Met, has left the organization, SNY has learned.
Updike was the area scouting supervisor in North and Central Florida. He signed both Alonso and Mathew Allan, a high-ceiling pitcher who the Mets drafted in the third round this year.
The Mets named Updike their scout of the year in 2018 -- and that was before his signature pick won Rookie of the Year and set a home run record.
Updike confirmed his departure, which he said it was voluntary and amicable. He decided to accept a position as President of Digital Scouting and Player Development Solutions at BaseballCloud, a company focused on bringing cutting-edge technology into the college game.
"It was an opportunity for me and my family that I couldn't pass up," Updike said.
His new job puts him at the forefront of technology that is changing the sport at every level: High-speed cameras like Rapsodo and YakkerTech, Trackman data and biomechanical exploration that will help both hitters and pitchers.
Teams like the Yankees and Mets are moving aggressively into use of all these innovations. Updike is now at the center of all of it.
"I am trying to make it much easier for players and coaches to digest it," Updike said. "We're trying to empower baseball people with this knowledge."