Anthony Alford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anthony Alford |
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Alford with the Columbus Clippers in 2022
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| Free agent | |||
| Outfielder | |||
| Born: July 20, 1994 Columbia, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: May 19, 2017, for the Toronto Blue Jays | |||
| KBO: June 14, 2022, for the KT Wiz | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) |
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| Batting average | .209 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 20 | ||
| KBO statistics (through 2023 season) |
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| Batting average | .288 | ||
| Home runs | 29 | ||
| Runs batted in | 120 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Anthony Joseph Alford (born July 20, 1994) is an American professional baseball outfielder. He is currently a free agent, meaning he is not signed with any team. Anthony has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Toronto Blue Jays and Pittsburgh Pirates. He also played in the KBO League for the KT Wiz in South Korea.
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High School and College Sports
Anthony Alford went to Petal High School in Mississippi. He was a star athlete, playing both football and baseball. As a senior, he was the quarterback for the football team. He threw for over 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also ran for over 1,700 yards and 24 touchdowns. He even played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a special game for top high school players. In baseball, he was also excellent, hitting .483 and stealing 14 bases without getting caught.
Alford then went to the University of Southern Mississippi to play college football. He was the starting quarterback for five games in 2012. He could both pass and run the ball well. After one year, he moved to the University of Mississippi to play football there.
Professional Baseball Career
Anthony Alford was seen as a very talented baseball player for the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. However, he wanted to keep playing football in college. Because of this, many teams were unsure if he would sign a baseball contract. The Toronto Blue Jays still drafted him in the third round. They offered him a $750,000 bonus. This deal allowed him to play college football and then play baseball in the summer.
Starting with the Blue Jays
Alford began his professional baseball career in 2012 with the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays. He played a few games, hitting one home run and stealing four bases. After the baseball season, he went back to college for football. He played a few more baseball games in 2013 and 2014. In 2014, he played for the Bluefield Blue Jays and then the Single-A Lansing Lugnuts. He decided to focus only on baseball in September 2014. He then played in the Australian Baseball League for the Canberra Cavalry.
In 2015, Alford started with the Lansing Lugnuts. He was named a midseason All-Star because he was getting on base a lot. He was then moved up to the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays. That year, he played 107 games, hitting .298 with four home runs and 27 stolen bases.
In 2016, Alford was invited to the Blue Jays' main spring training camp. He started the season with the Dunedin Blue Jays. He had a tough year at first, but improved his hitting later on. He finished the season with nine home runs and 18 stolen bases. After the season, the Blue Jays sent him to the Arizona Fall League. He played well there and was named an All-Star. The Blue Jays added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, which allows other teams to pick players.
In 2017, Alford continued to impress in spring training. He started the season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. He was considered one of the Blue Jays' top young players. He hit .325 with three home runs and nine stolen bases in 33 games.
Playing in Major League Baseball
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On May 19, 2017, Anthony Alford was called up to the major leagues by the Blue Jays. He made his debut playing in left field. A few days later, he got his first major league hit, a double. However, he soon got a wrist injury and had to take time off. After recovering, he played in the minor leagues again. In 2017, he hit .299 with five home runs and 19 stolen bases in the minor leagues.
In 2018, Alford was again ranked as a top prospect for the Blue Jays. He was called up to the Blue Jays a few times that year. On September 23, 2019, he hit his first major league home run. This home run helped the Blue Jays win a long game against the Baltimore Orioles. In August 2020, the Blue Jays decided to let him go.
Time with the Pittsburgh Pirates
On August 27, 2020, the Pittsburgh Pirates picked up Anthony Alford. He hit a home run in his very first game with the Pirates. However, on September 5, 2020, he broke his right elbow. This happened when he crashed into the outfield wall trying to catch a ball. The injury ended his season.
In 2021, Alford was sent to the Pirates' minor league team. He was called back up to the Pirates in August 2021. In April 2022, the Pirates again decided to let him go. He then became a free agent.
Cleveland Guardians
On May 3, 2022, Alford signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians.
Playing in South Korea: KT Wiz
On May 25, 2022, Anthony Alford signed a one-year contract with the KT Wiz team in the KBO League in South Korea. He played 80 games for them, hitting .286 with 14 home runs and 50 runs batted in.
He re-signed with the KT Wiz for the 2023 season. In 133 games, he hit .289 with 15 home runs, 70 runs batted in, and 17 stolen bases. After the 2023 season, Alford became a free agent.
Cincinnati Reds
On February 12, 2024, Alford signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. He played 12 games for their Double-A team, the Chattanooga Lookouts. He was released by the Reds in May 2024.
Piratas de Campeche
On May 17, 2024, Alford signed with the Piratas de Campeche in the Mexican League. He played 39 games for them, hitting eight home runs and driving in 25 runs. He was released by the Piratas in January 2025.
