Alec Marsh

Alec Tylar Michael Marsh (born May 14, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Amateur career
Marsh was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended Ronald Wilson Reagan College Preparatory High School.

Marsh played college baseball for the Arizona State Sun Devils for three seasons. As a freshman, he appeared in 11 games with one start and had an 8.14 ERA. In 2018, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League. Marsh became a starter during his sophomore season and went 3–3 with a 3.89 ERA. He was named first team All-Pac-12 Conference after going 9–4 over 17 starts with a 3.46 ERA on the mound and 99 strikeouts in $101 1⁄3$ innings pitched.

Professional career
Marsh was selected in the Competitive Balance section of second round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft by the Kansas City Royals. He signed with the team he was assigned to the Idaho Falls Chukars of the Pioneer League, where he started 13 games and posted a 4.05 ERA in $33 1⁄3$ innings pitched. After the 2020 minor league season was canceled, Marsh played in the temporary independent Constellation Energy League for the Eastern Reyes del Tigre. Marsh was named to the Royals' 2021 Spring Training roster as a non-roster invitee. He was assigned to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, but pitched only $25 1⁄3$ innings due to injury. In 2022 in the minor leagues he was 2–16 with a 6.88 ERA in 27 starts, and led the minor leagues in losses. On November 15, 2022, the Royals selected Marsh to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.

Marsh was assigned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas to begin the 2023 season. In 14 starts split between Northwest Arkansas and the Triple–A Omaha Storm Chasers, Marsh registered a cumulative 5–3 record and 4.62 ERA with 75 strikeouts in $62 1⁄3$ innings pitched. On June 30, 2023, Marsh was promoted to the major leagues for the first time. In 17 games (8 starts) during his rookie campaign, he logged a 3–9 record and 5.69 ERA with 85 strikeouts across $74 1⁄3$ innings pitched.

On March 21, 2024, manager Matt Quatraro announced that Marsh would be the Royals' fifth starter to begin the season. His first start of the 2024 season came on April 2 against the Baltimore Orioles. Marsh picked up the win and pitched seven innings, allowed one run, struck out five, and allowed only three baserunners on two hits and one walk in the 4-1 Royals win. He had a strong start to the season, going 3-0 and posting a 2.70 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP with 17 strikeouts and one home run allowed in April across five starts and 26.2 innings. While playing the Toronto Blue Jays on April 24, Marsh took a line drive to the forearm off the bat of Addison Barger. He fielded the ball and threw Barger out at first, but had to leave the game, completing only 4.1 innings in what was a scoreless start. The Royals placed Marsh on the injured list (IL), and Marsh did not pitch again until May 10 against the Los Angeles Angels.

Marsh was not as effective in May, going 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP with 26 strikeouts and four home runs allowed across four starts and 23.1 innings pitched.