Scott Alexander Bio
Scott Alain Alexander (born July 10, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Over the course of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, Alexander has pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, Oakland Athletics, and Colorado Rockies. A left-handed reliever known for his ground-ball tendencies, he has spent more than a decade navigating MLB bullpens while contributing as a dependable middle and late-inning option.
After playing college baseball for Pepperdine University and Sonoma State University, Alexander was selected by the Kansas City Royals in the sixth round of the 2010 MLB draft. He reached the majors with the Royals in 2015 and has since built a journeyman resume across both the American League and National League, working primarily as a reliever and occasionally as an opener.
Early Life and Background
Alexander was raised in a baseball family alongside three brothers, all of whom played the sport. His older brother, Stu, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 29th round of the 2003 Major League Baseball draft and worked his way through the Marlins’ minor league system until 2009. His younger brother, Jason, has also pursued a professional pitching career and has pitched for the Houston Astros. The family background helped shape Alexander’s early development and reinforced his connection to the game from childhood.
Alexander played Little League Baseball and attended Cardinal Newman High School in Santa Rosa, California. As a senior, he was named the North Bay League player of the year after setting school records for strikeouts in a season and a career, and he led the program to the league championship in 2007. His high school performance drew the attention of Major League scouts, and he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 37th round of the 2007 MLB draft, but he chose not to sign and instead pursued a college path.
Path to Baseball
Alexander began his college career at Pepperdine University, where he played for the Pepperdine Waves. As a freshman in 2008, he was selected to the All-West Coast Conference freshman team after going 7–4 with a 4.95 earned run average (ERA) and 106 strikeouts. He followed that with a 4–5 record and 4.11 ERA as a sophomore, splitting his time between starting and relieving. Between his Pepperdine seasons, he played collegiate summer baseball for the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods League, and after the 2009 season he joined the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod Baseball League.
Although he called his time at Pepperdine a great experience, Alexander transferred to Sonoma State University for his junior year to be closer to home and to his ailing grandmother. With the Seawolves, he went 3–6 with a 4.50 ERA in 13 starts while striking out 70 batters, and he was named the fourth-best NCAA Division II prospect by PGCrosschecker.com. Following the 2010 season, the Kansas City Royals selected him in the sixth round of the MLB draft, setting the stage for his professional career.
Scott Alexander Career
Early Career (2010–2014)
Alexander signed with the Royals on June 11, 2010, for a $130,000 signing bonus and made his professional debut that year with the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer Baseball League, where he went 1–6 with a 5.73 ERA in 12 games. He missed the entire 2011 season after undergoing left shoulder surgery but returned in 2012 to pitch for the Kane County Cougars of the Midwest League, posting a 2.55 ERA across 10 games. In 2013, he moved between three levels of the Royals farm system and went 5–1 with a 3.00 ERA out of the bullpen, finishing the year without allowing a home run and ranking second in the minor leagues with 75 innings pitched without a homer.
During the 2014 season, Alexander pitched for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and the Omaha Storm Chasers, going a combined 2–4 with a 4.52 ERA in 67 2/3 innings. After the season, he pitched for the Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League and returned to Omaha for 2015, where he went 2–3 with a 2.56 ERA in 63 1/3 innings over 41 games. The Royals recognized his development by naming him their Triple-A Pitcher of the Year.
Kansas City Royals Breakthrough (2015–2017)
Alexander received his first major league call-up on September 1, 2015, and made his MLB debut the following day against the Detroit Tigers. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning, retiring two batters on groundouts before striking out Nick Castellanos to end the game. He appeared in six innings over four games for the Royals that September, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out three batters.
In 2016, Alexander split time between Omaha and the Royals, posting a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings in the minors and a 3.32 ERA in 19 innings in the majors. He spent most of 2017 in the Kansas City bullpen, going 5–4 with a 2.48 ERA across 69 innings and 58 games. He earned his first MLB win on July 2 against the Minnesota Twins and recorded his first save on August 22 against the Colorado Rockies, cementing his role as a reliable late-inning option.
Los Angeles Dodgers Era (2018–2021)
On January 4, 2018, Alexander was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team deal that also sent Jake Peters to Los Angeles, Luis Avilán and Joakim Soria to the Chicago White Sox, and Trevor Oaks and Erick Mejia to the Royals. The Dodgers used him as an opener on June 1 in place of an injured Clayton Kershaw, and in his first season in Los Angeles he went 2–1 with three saves, a 3.68 ERA, and 66 innings across 73 appearances, the eighth-most in the National League. He appeared in four postseason games for the Dodgers, including three in the World Series, allowing two runs in 2 1/3 innings.
Injuries began to interrupt his workload beginning in 2019, when he made only 28 appearances and went on the injured list in June with left forearm inflammation that was later identified as a nerve issue. He underwent season-ending surgery in September, yet the Dodgers still signed him to a one-year, $875,000 contract to avoid arbitration. Alexander pitched in 13 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season before being optioned off the active roster, and he appeared in 13 more games in 2021 before a left shoulder inflammation issue led the Dodgers to place him on the 60-day injured list, outright him to the minors, and remove him from the 40-man roster. He rejected the outright assignment and elected free agency in November 2021.
San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics (2022–2024)
On May 4, 2022, Alexander signed a minor league deal with the San Francisco Giants, and he went 3–0 with a 0.66 ERA in 13 2/3 innings across three minor league affiliates. The Giants selected his contract on August 26, and he posted a 1.04 ERA with two saves in 17 appearances before signing a one-year, $1.15 million deal in November. In 2023, he won a career-high six consecutive decisions between April 11 and July 18 despite spending nearly a month on the injured list with a strained left hamstring that also ended his season in September. He finished 2023 at 7–3 with a 4.66 ERA in 48 1/3 innings, with all of his losses coming as a starter.
On February 14, 2024, Alexander signed a one-year, $2.25 million contract with the Oakland Athletics. A left-rib contusion suffered during spring training sent him to the 15-day injured list to begin the year, but he recovered to appear in 45 games for Oakland, going 1–3 with a 2.56 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 38 2/3 innings.
Colorado Rockies and Return to San Francisco (2025)
On February 19, 2025, Alexander signed a one-year, $2 million contract with the Colorado Rockies. He struggled in 19 appearances, going 1–1 with a 6.06 ERA and six strikeouts across 16 1/3 innings before the Rockies designated him for assignment on May 23 and released him on May 26.
On June 10, 2025, Alexander signed a minor league contract with the San Francisco Giants and pitched for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, where he posted a 13.50 ERA with three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings over seven appearances. The Giants selected his contract on July 5, and he made two appearances with a 6.75 ERA before being sent outright to the minors on July 18. Alexander rejected the assignment and elected free agency, returning to the open market as a veteran left-handed relief option.
Driving Style and Strengths
Alexander has built his career on inducing ground balls rather than relying on overpowering strikeout totals, using his low-arm-angle delivery to keep the ball on the floor of the strike zone. He has shown the flexibility to work as a traditional reliever, an opener, and even a spot starter, allowing managers to deploy him in varied situations. His ability to limit damage over short stints has kept him in demand across multiple organizations.
Notable Events and Milestones
Alexander’s MLB debut on September 2, 2015, ended with a strikeout of Nick Castellanos to seal a Royals victory, marking an early signature moment. His six consecutive winning decisions in 2023 represented a career high, and he reached the World Series with the Dodgers in 2018, appearing in three games against the Boston Red Sox.
Scott Alexander Career Wins
Across his MLB career, Scott Alexander has recorded regular-season decisions in every season since his 2017 breakthrough with the Royals, when he went 5–4. He picked up his first MLB victory on July 2, 2017, against the Minnesota Twins, and his career-best winning stretch came in 2023, when he won six straight decisions for the San Francisco Giants.
Major League Highlights
Alexander has tallied regular-season wins with the Royals, Dodgers, Giants, and Athletics, with his most productive single-season win total coming in 2023. He also recorded three saves during his first Dodgers season in 2018 and added two more saves with the Giants in 2022.
Other Performances
In the minors, Alexander was a Texas League contributor for the Northwest Arkansas Naturals and posted a 2.55 ERA with the Kane County Cougars in 2012. He also added experience in the Dominican Winter League with the Gigantes del Cibao.
Scott Alexander Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Alexander grew up alongside three brothers, all of whom played baseball. His older brother Stu was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the 29th round of the 2003 MLB draft and pitched in the Marlins’ minor league system through 2009. His younger brother Jason has pitched for the Houston Astros, continuing the family’s professional baseball tradition.
Personal Life
During the 2016 season, Alexander was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, a condition he has continued to manage while maintaining his MLB career. The diagnosis has not prevented him from logging consistent major league appearances across multiple organizations.
2025 Season Performance
Alexander’s 2025 campaign began with a one-year, $2 million deal signed with the Colorado Rockies on February 19. He appeared in 19 games out of the Colorado bullpen, going 1–1 with a 6.06 ERA and six strikeouts across 16 1/3 innings before the club designated him for assignment on May 23 and released him three days later.
After being released, Alexander caught on with the San Francisco Giants on a minor league deal on June 10. He struggled at Triple-A Sacramento with a 13.50 ERA, prompting the Giants to select his contract on July 5. He made two appearances with a 6.75 ERA before the Giants sent him outright to the minors on July 18, an assignment he rejected in favor of free agency.
Entering the latter half of 2025, Alexander remains a free agent looking to latch on with a club in need of left-handed relief depth. His recent experience as a ground-ball specialist, opener, and situational matchup arm continues to make him a viable short-term option for contending rosters.