The New York Yankees are adding some depth to their infield, picking up a former Top 20 prospect who had a strong professional debut before bouncing around the minors.
The Yankees announced that they picked up infielder CJ Alexander off waivers. He had been waived by the Athletics, and the Yankees announced he will be optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Alexander will now have the chance to compete for playing time at a key position for the Yankees.
CJ Alexander Turned Heads With Strong Debut
Alexander broke into professional baseball as a 20th-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2018, with MLB.com noting that he “got the Braves excited with an incredible pro debut that saw him hit his way up to the Class A Advanced Florida State League.” He suffered an elbow injury in 2019 and missed an extended stretch.
As SI.com’s John Markowski noted, Alexander bounced around the league a bit, playing only a short time in the majors.
“He was dealt to the Kansas City Royals in July 2022, and he made his major league debut during the 2024 season. The 28-year-old batted .125/.125/.125 over eight trips to the plate for the team,” Markowski wrote.
Alexander was designated for assignment in August and picked up by the Athletics, where he slashed .194/.326/.278 in 43 plate appearances during spring training this year. Alexander continued to shine in Triple-A, posting an .857 OPS.
The Athletics needed a roster spot for pitcher Michael Kelly after his suspension for violating the league’s gambling rules came to an end, and decided to designate Alexander for assignment.
The 28-year-old is still trying to reach the promise he showed in his professional debut, having played in the majors just 10 total games over the last two seasons.
Yankees Need Infield Help
Alexander could help fill some immediate needs for the Yankees. USA Today insider Bob Nightengale reported in May that the team was looking to address some offensive needs before the trade deadline, including two that Alexander can help with — third base help and a left-handed batter.
“The Yankees are aggressively searching for a right-handed bat, preferably a third baseman, while also looking for another starter,” Nightengale wrote.
Alexander has been a utility infielder, playing time at first and third base, and the 6-foot-5 prospect is a left-handed hitter.
The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner noted that the Yankees made some moves to help their infield over the offseason, but still need more help to truly become a World Series contender.
“The Yankees needed an upgrade over the winter to their infield, but they did not add a viable option to improve their bench,” Kirschner wrote. “[DJ] LeMahieu has battled injuries to his lower body over the past few seasons, which has zapped his power. [Oswald] Peraza has yet to prove he can hit major-league pitching. [Pablo] Reyes was a nice spring training story, but the Yankees were fooled by meaningless February and March stats. There’s not much reason for Reyes to be one of the Yankees’ 26 players.”
It remains to be seen what role Alexander could play with the Yankees, as he will start in Triple-A, but he could provide some depth should the team get hit by injuries.
