With 7 hits in 18 at-bats, Diamondbacks prospect Blaze Alexander is off to an impressive start this spring.
Drafted in the 11th round of the 2018 draft from IMG Academy, Alexander has steadily risen through the ranks in the minors, culminating in his first full season in Triple-A last year.
Playing with the Reno Aces, the 24-year-old shortstop boasted a .292 batting average and .865 OPS. However, it was his performance down the stretch in September, going 18/56 at the plate (.321), that laid the groundwork for a potential breakout 2024 season.
And indeed, the signs are promising, particularly in spring training.
Currently ranking 3rd overall in hits among National League batters, Alexander has proven to be a tough opponent for pitchers. Prior to his 0-3 game in the Diamondbacks’ loss to the Brewers on Sunday, Alexander boasted an impressive batting average of .467.
While Blaze occupied the 15th spot on MLB Pipeline’s top-100 prospect list last year, he notably did not feature on the list heading into this season.
Mike Hazen addressed the potential for Alexander’s call-up to the majors in the near future, alongside fellow Diamondbacks shortstop prospect Jordan Lawlar, stating, “If something happens in camp, if there’s an opportunity on the roster, or even beyond that if they both start [the season] at Triple-A.”
Though Alexander may be slightly behind Lawlar in terms of timeline, his recent plate success suggests his promotion may be sooner rather than later.
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