Jake Alu

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Jake Alu

| image = Harrisburg Senators at Erie SeaWolves - 20220605 - 09.jpg

| caption = Alu with the Harrisburg Senators in 2022

| team =

| number =

| position = Infielder

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|4|6}}

| birth_place = Hamilton, New Jersey, U.S.

| bats = Left

| throws = Right

| debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = May 9

| debutyear = 2023

| debutteam = Washington Nationals

| finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = October 1

| finalyear = 2023

| finalteam = Washington Nationals

| statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .226

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 2

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 16

| teams = * Washington Nationals ({{mlby|2023}})

}}

Jacob Philip Alu{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/player/jake-alu-666906?stats=career-r-hitting-minors&year=2020 |title= Jake Alu Stats |publisher=MLB}} (born April 6, 1997) is an American former professional baseball Infielder. He played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals in 2023.

Amateur career

Alu was born and raised in the Hamilton Square section of Hamilton Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.{{cite web|url=https://communitynews.org/2019/07/01/hamilton-native-jake-alu-drafted-by-washington-nationals/ |title=Hamilton native Jake Alu drafted by Washington Nationals |publisher=Community News}} Alu attended Princeton Day School in Princeton, New Jersey.{{cite web|url=https://bceagles.com/sports/baseball/roster/jake-alu/10948 |title=Jake Alu's Profile |publisher=Boston College Eagles}}{{cite news|url=https://communitynews.org/2020/08/30/local-minor-leaguers-chase-dream-despite-setbacks/ |title=Local minor leaguers chase dream despite setbacks |newspaper=Community News|last1=Fisher |first1=Rich }} During his senior year in 2015, Alu registered .523 batting average with three home runs and 18 runs batted in (RBIs) for the baseball team. He recorded recording his 100th hit on April 28, 2015.

Alu enrolled at Boston College as a business major in the Carroll School of Management and played college baseball for the Boston College Eagles. In 2016, as a freshman, Alu appeared in 10 games with .500 batting average, entering as a pinch runner eight times and a pinch hitter twice.{{cite web|url=https://d1baseball.com/player/Qr7iemlx/jake-alu/ |title=Jake Alu's pitching and batting statistics|publisher=D1Baseball}} As a sophomore in 2017, he played in 48 games, making 45 starts – 29 in left field, 10 at second base, five as the designated hitter and one shortstop. That year, Alu registered .331 with 23 RBIs. In 2017, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Bourne Braves of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|author= |url=https://pointstreak.com/baseball/player.html?playerid=1146129&seasonid=30631 |title= Jake Alu - Profile|publisher=pointstreak.com |date= |access-date=June 16, 2021}} As a Junior in 2018, Alu registered .216 batting average with two home runs and 19 RBIs.

In 2019, Alu was named as a third team All-Atlantic Coast Conference performer at Boston College after he batted .343 with 40 RBIs.{{cite web|url=https://www.bcheights.com/2019/05/20/boston-college-baseball-all-acc/ |title=Eagles Land Program Record Five Players On All-ACC Teams |date=May 20, 2019 |publisher=Boston College Heights}} The same year, Alu also played in Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament.{{cite news|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2837542-acc-baseball-tournament-2019-bc-upsets-no-1-louisville-more-wednesday-results |title=ACC Baseball Tournament 2019: BC Upsets No. 1 Louisville, More Wednesday Results |newspaper=Bleacher Report |publisher= BleacherReport |last1=Zucker |first1=Joseph }} He graduated in 2019 with a degree in business management.{{cite web|url=https://www.pds.org/school-news/news-post/~post/pds-alum-jake-alu-15-selected-by-the-washington-nationals-in-the-mlb-draft-20190614 |title=PDS Alum Jake Alu '15 Selected by the Washington Nationals in MLB Draft |publisher=Princeton Day School}}

Professional career

The Washington Nationals selected Alu in the 24th round, with the 723rd overall selection, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.trentonian.com/sports/boston-college-s-jake-alu-a-former-princeton-day-standout/article_1b576ca2-87d9-11e9-8f6d-47c84d0899dd.html |title=Boston College's Jake Alu, a former Princeton Day standout, selected by Nationals in 23rd round |publisher=The Trentonian}} He signed and was assigned to the Low-A Auburn Doubledays of the New York–Penn League.{{cite web|url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?sid=t484&player_id=666906 |title=Jake Alu|publisher=MiLB}} In 45 games for Auburn, Alu slashed .257/.290/.340 with one home run and 25 RBI.{{cite web|url=http://www.towntopics.com/wordpress/2019/07/03/after-enjoying-superb-senior-season-for-bc-baseball-pds-alum-alu-picked-in-mlb-draft-now-in-minors/ |title=After Enjoying Superb Senior Season for BC Baseball, PDS Alum Alu Picked in MLB Draft, Now in Minors |publisher= Town Topics}} Alu did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=2020 Minor League Baseball season cancelled|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-minor-league-baseball-season-canceled|access-date=2023-02-27|website=mlb.com|language=en}}

Alu returned to action in 2021, playing in 96 games split between the High-A Wilmington Blue Rocks and Double-A Harrisburg Senators. On the year, he hit a cumulative .281/.332/.444 with 10 home runs, 42 RBI, and 13 stolen bases.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=alu---000jak |title= Jake Alu|publisher=Baseball Reference}}{{Cite web|title=Washington Nationals' 40-Man: Jake Alu keeps hitting on his way up…|url=https://www.federalbaseball.com/platform/amp/2022/11/28/23479022/washington-nationals-40-man-jake-alu-keeps-hitting-on-way-up|access-date=2023-05-07|website=federalbaseball.com|date=November 28, 2022 |language=en}} He spent the 2022 season playing for Harrisburg and the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. In 132 total games, Alu batted .299/.365/.506 with career-highs in home runs (20), RBI (81), and stolen bases (15).{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/106788/jake-alu/ |title= Jake Alu |date= August 31, 2021 |publisher=Baseball America }}

On November 15, 2022, the Nationals selected Alu to the 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web|title=Nationals' Jake Alu: Added to 40-man roster|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-jake-alu-added-to-40-man-roster/|access-date=2023-05-07|website=cbssports.com|date=November 15, 2022 |language=en}} Alu was optioned to the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings to begin the 2023 season.{{Cite web|title=Nationals' Jake Alu: Optioned to Triple-A|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/nationals-jake-alu-optioned-to-triple-a/amp/|access-date=2023-03-10|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} In 20 games for Rochester, he hit .240/.318/.333 with one home run, 9 RBI, and 3 stolen bases.

On May 7, 2023, the Nationals promoted Alu to the major leagues for the first time.{{cite web | url=https://www.wusa9.com/video/sports/locked-on/lo-dc/nationals-show/the-wild-wild-west-vs-the-washington-nationals-your-nats-stock-report-jake-alu-gets-the-call-locked-on-nationals/65-a071ee4b-69c7-4199-addc-1b4dfa9da6b8 | title=The Wild Wild West Vs the Washington Nationals & Your Nats Stock Report, Jake Alu Gets the Call | Locked on Nationals | date=8 May 2023 }} In 51 games during his rookie campaign, he batted .226/.282/.289 with 2 home runs, 16 RBI, and 5 stolen bases.

Alu was optioned to Triple–A Rochester to begin the 2024 season.{{Cite web|title=Nats start to shape roster with first round of spring training cuts|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2024/03/11/nationals-spring-training-roster-moves/|access-date=March 15, 2024|website=washingtonpost.com|language=en}} On April 23, 2024, he was designated for assignment by the Nationals.{{Cite web|title=Nationals Select Jacob Barnes, Designate Jake Alu|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/nationals-select-jacob-barnes-designate-jake-alu.html|access-date=April 22, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|language=en}} He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Rochester on April 28.{{Cite web|title=Nationals Outright Jake Alu|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/nationals-outright-jake-alu.html|access-date=April 28, 2024|website=mlbtraderumors.com|date=28 April 2024 |language=en}} In 69 appearance split between Rochester and the rookie-level Florida Complex League Nationals, Alu batted a combined .250/.318/.353 with three home runs, 30 RBI, and nine stolen bases. Alu retired from professional baseball on January 16, 2025.https://www.milb.com/transactions/2025-01-16

Personal life

Alu is the son of Phil and Judy Alu. He has an older sister named Danielle. His father played soccer at the College of New Jersey and Elizabethtown College.{{cite web |title=Jake Alu - Baseball |url=https://bceagles.com/sports/baseball/roster/jake-alu/10948 |website=Boston College Athletics |access-date=25 February 2025 |language=en}}