Blaze Alexander
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Blaze Alexander
|image = Blaze Alexander (50732749582) (cropped).jpg
|caption = Alexander with the Kane County Cougars in 2019
|team = Arizona Diamondbacks
|number = 9
|position = Shortstop
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1999|6|11}}
|birth_place = Cape Coral, Florida, U.S.
|bats = Right
|throws = Right
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = March 28
|debutyear = 2024
|debutteam = Arizona Diamondbacks
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = 2024 season
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .247
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 3
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 21
|teams =
- Arizona Diamondbacks ({{mlby|2024}}–present)
}}
Blaze Chanee Alexander (born June 11, 1999) is an American professional baseball shortstop for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.
Career
Alexander attended Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Florida, and transferred to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, for his senior year.{{cite web | last=Lowe | first=Kegan | title=More Than A Big Arm | website=Baseball America | date=2017-10-22 | url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/blaze-alexander-shows-more-than-a-big-arm-in-jupiter/ | access-date=2025-02-16}} He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 11th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | last=Regan | first=Adam | title=Arizona Diamondbacks take Blaze Alexander in 11th round | website=The News-Press | date=2018-06-06 | url=https://www.news-press.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/06/06/arizona-diamondbacks-take-blaze-alexander-11-th-round/677254002/ | access-date=2025-02-16}} Alexander spent his first professional season with the Arizona League Diamondbacks and Missoula Osprey.{{cite web | last=Bater | first=Martin | title=Blaze Alexander begins journey to big leagues | website=MLB.com | date=2019-01-21 | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/blaze-alexander-begins-journey-to-big-leagues-c302935846 | access-date=2025-02-16}} He played 2019 with the Kane County Cougars.{{Cite web |last=Johnson |first=Paul |date=May 30, 2019 |title=Heating up: Cougars' Blaze Alexander overcomes heart ailment to rise up Arizona's prospect chart |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/aurora-beacon-news/sports/ct-abn-spt-baseball-kane-county-cougars-st-053119-story.html |access-date=2025-02-16 |website=Chicago Tribune}}
Alexander did not play in 2020 due to the Minor League Baseball season being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned in 2021 to play for the Hillsboro Hops and started 2022 with the Amarillo Sod Poodles. On November 15, 2022, the Diamondbacks added Alexander to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.{{cite web | title=Press release: D-backs add Alexander, Barrosa, Fletcher and Martinez to 40-man roster | website=MLB.com | date=2022-11-16 | url=https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-d-backs-add-alexander-barrosa-fletcher-and-martinez-to-40-man-rost | access-date=2025-02-16}}
Alexander was optioned to the Triple-A Reno Aces to begin the 2023 season.{{cite web | title=Diamondbacks' Blaze Alexander: Optioned to Triple-A level | website=CBSSports.com | date=2023-03-10 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-blaze-alexander-optioned-to-triple-a-level/amp/ | access-date=2025-02-16}} In 73 games for Reno, he batted .292/.408/.458 with eight home runs and 52 RBI.
Alexander made Arizona's 2024 Opening Day roster.{{cite web | title=Diamondbacks' Blaze Alexander: Makes Opening Day roster | website=CBSSports.com | date=2024-03-28 | url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/diamondbacks-blaze-alexander-makes-opening-day-roster/amp/ | access-date=2025-02-16}}
Personal life
Blaze is the cousin of former MLB pitcher Dan Plesac and the cousin of pitcher Zach Plesac.{{Cite web |last=Oliver |first=Jake |date=2024-03-12 |title=Blaze Alexander on His Growth This Spring Training and How His Past Contributed |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/diamondbacks/prospects/blaze-alexander-on-his-growth-this-spring-training-and-how-his-past-contributed |access-date=2024-06-23 |website=Sports Illustrated Arizona Diamondbacks News, Analysis and More |language=en}} His brother, CJ, also plays baseball professionally, currently for the Athletics.{{cite web | last=Soffian | first=Seth | title=Blaze Alexander, CJ Alexander on fire for MLB's Arizona, Atlanta | website=The News-Press | date=2018-08-07 | url=https://www.news-press.com/story/sports/2018/08/07/red-hot-rookies-cape-corals-blaze-c-j-alexander-fire-arizona-atlanta/923075002/ | access-date=2024-10-11}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Baseballstats|mlb=677942|espn=41345|br=a/alexabl01|fangraphs=23789|brm=alexan001bla|retro=A/Palexb001}}
{{Arizona Diamondbacks roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Blaze}}
Category:Amarillo Sod Poodles players
Category:21st-century American sportsmen
Category:Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks players
Category:Arizona Diamondbacks players
Category:Arizona League Diamondbacks players
Category:Baseball players from Lee County, Florida
Category:Hillsboro Hops players
Category:Kane County Cougars players
Category:Major League Baseball shortstops
Category:Missoula Osprey players