BA GRADE
55
Risk: Medium
HIT: 60.
POW: 50.
SPD: 60.
FLD: 60.
ARM: 40.
Born: July 20, 1994. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 215. Drafted: HS—Petal, Miss., 2012 (3rd round). Signed by: Brian Johnston.
Alford was named Mississippi’s Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball as a high school senior and signed a contract that allowed him to play college football, first at Southern Mississippi as a quarterback and then at Mississippi as a defensive back. He accumulated just 94 at bats over the first three seasons of his professional career before giving up football in the fall of 2014. Alford’s stock jumped in 2015 with a breakthrough year, but in 2016 a knee injury and then a concussion slowed his progress. In 2017, he started in Double-A New Hampshire, made his big league debut on May 19 but broke his left wrist five days later, then returned to Double-A for the second half.
Alford is a premium athlete who glides around center field with plus speed. He has good anticipation off the bat, getting quick breaks with clean routes to give him above-average range, though with a below-average arm. Alford has a table setters offensive profile with his on-base skills and speed. His elevated strikeout rate in 2016 was an aberration, with Alford showing a patient approach, good bat-to-ball skills and the ability to use the opposite field in 2017. Alford has never cracked double-digit homers in a season, though more power could come once he learns which pitches he can turn on to drive and elevate to his pull side.
Alford finished 2017 in Triple-A and should return there to open 2018, though he should be back in Toronto soon. His ability to get on base and play plus defense at a premium position give him the potential to be an above-average regular.
Year |
Club (League) |
Class |
AVG |
G |
AB |
R |
H |
2015 |
Lansing (MWL) |
LoA |
.293 |
50 |
188 |
49 |
55 |
|
Dunedin (FSL) |
HiA |
.302 |
57 |
225 |
42 |
68 |
2016 |
Dunedin (FSL) |
HiA |
.236 |
92 |
339 |
53 |
80 |
2017 |
Toronto (AL) |
MAJ |
.125 |
4 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
|
Dunedin (FSL) |
HiA |
.143 |
6 |
21 |
1 |
3 |
|
New Hampshire (EL) |
AA |
.310 |
68 |
245 |
41 |
76 |
|
Buffalo (IL) |
AAA |
.333 |
3 |
12 |
1 |
4 |
Major League Totals |
.125 |
4 |
8 |
0 |
1 |
||
Minor League Totals |
.274 |
301 |
1124 |
200 |
308 |
||
Year |
Club (League) |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
BB |
2015 |
Lansing (MWL) |
14 |
1 |
1 |
16 |
39 |
|
Dunedin (FSL) |
11 |
6 |
3 |
19 |
28 |
2016 |
Dunedin (FSL) |
17 |
2 |
9 |
44 |
53 |
2017 |
Toronto (AL) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Dunedin (FSL) |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
New Hampshire (EL) |
14 |
0 |
5 |
24 |
35 |
|
Buffalo (IL) |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Major League Totals |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Minor League Totals |
60 |
10 |
21 |
113 |
169 |
|
Year |
Club (League) |
SO |
SB |
CS |
OBP |
SLG |
2015 |
Lansing (MWL) |
60 |
12 |
1 |
.418 |
.394 |
|
Dunedin (FSL) |
49 |
15 |
6 |
.380 |
.444 |
2016 |
Dunedin (FSL) |
117 |
18 |
6 |
.344 |
.378 |
2017 |
Toronto (AL) |
3 |
0 |
0 |
.125 |
.250 |
|
Dunedin (FSL) |
8 |
1 |
0 |
.182 |
.143 |
|
New Hampshire (EL) |
45 |
18 |
3 |
.406 |
.429 |
|
Buffalo (IL) |
2 |
0 |
0 |
.385 |
.417 |
Major League Totals |
3 |
0 |
0 |
.125 |
.250 |
|
Minor League Totals |
312 |
75 |
16 |
.375 |
.401 |
|