Pedro Alvarez never shies away from competition.
Although he is 37 years old and more than five years into his professional career, the former Vanderbilt baseball star is still training seriously for Home Run Derby X, an event taking place at First Horizon Park in Nashville on August 31. Alvarez was selected for the event several months ago and has now returned to regular batting practice.
According to the event’s website, it’s a competition between four teams, each comprised of an “MLB legend, a professional player and a local qualifier.” The Nashville event will feature Alvarez, Andruw Jones, Nick Swisher, Manny Ramirez and former Oklahoma softball star Jocelyn Alo, among others.
Alvarez believes he was selected because of his close connection to Vanderbilt and the Nashville Sounds. With the Commodores, Alvarez was a two-time All-American and his 49 home runs are the most in Vanderbilt history. He was selected No. 2 overall in the 2008 MLB Draft.
After spending nine years in the major leagues with the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates, Alvarez graduated from Vanderbilt University and then worked in the front office of the Milwaukee Brewers until earlier this year, a job that included working with the Sounds.
ESTES Vanderbilt football feels very different in 2024, and that’s a good thing
What Pedro Alvarez has been up to since leaving Vanderbilt
Like many former players, Alvarez initially didn’t know what to do after his career. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, Alvarez said, “school seemed like the next right thing.”
Alvarez completed a combination of in-person and online courses and graduated with a degree in Medicine, Health and Society in December 2021. While he was completing his final exams, he began the interview process with the Brewers.
He worked for two years with the Brewers as a special assistant for baseball operations and player development, where his job was to serve as a resource for players and coaches, mentor and work in a role he described as an adjunct coach with minor league affiliates, including the Sounds.
“It’s been a smooth transition because I’m working in an environment that’s familiar to me. Obviously there are a lot of new things and experiences and a completely different perspective and approach to baseball, but it’s still been very, very cool to be able to share the field with them,” Alvarez said. “And that’s probably the aspect that I’ve enjoyed the most: still being able to share the field with these guys and having the opportunity to do that.”
Alvarez, a New York City native, lived in Nashville since his days as a player with the Commodores until he moved to New Jersey two years ago. Now he’s taking on a new role: health director at his former high school, Horace Mann School. In that role, he creates conditioning and development programs for athletes and educates students on the importance of an active lifestyle.
Alvarez is one of many former Vanderbilt baseball players who have moved into baseball coaching or management, and he credits the Commodores and coach Tim Corbin for helping him learn the time management skills that have made life easier after his playing career.
“We get teased all the time, like, oh, Vanderbilt, Vandy Boys, this, this, that, because we always have each other’s backs, but again, that’s a testament to the culture that Coach Corbin was able to create there and the camaraderie that we share.”
Pedro Alvarez returns to Nashville in Home Run Derby X
Rest assured, Alvarez has not lost his competitive spirit from his days as a player.
“I’ve been trying to hit as much as I can over the last week and do my best to hit every day. I’m just trying to stay in as good shape as I can. … I’m doing some longer rounds so I don’t get out of breath.”
Alvarez has been hitting here and there, he said, but hasn’t taken any serious batting practice since 2019. In Home Run Derby X, each batter has 2½ minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. Teams get extra points for catching fly balls in the outfield or hitting balls through a target.
“I know it’s going to be fun,” Alvarez told The Tennessean. “It’s a little bit of a homecoming for me since I’ve spent so much time (in Nashville), so I’m really looking forward to that aspect. As far as the competition itself, you always have a little bit of nerves with any kind of competition, especially with … some of my childhood idols, and so I’m going to try not to get too carried away with that.”
Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Reach her at [email protected] or via X, formerly Twitter. @aria_gerson.
