CJ Alexander

Charles Joseph Wesley Alexander (born July 17, 1996) is an American professional baseball third baseman for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2024.

Amateur career
Alexander attended Bishop Verot High School in Fort Myers, Florida. He signed a National Letter of Intent with Ball State University to play college baseball for the Ball State Cardinals. He transferred to the State College of Florida, Manatee–Sarasota before committing to transfer to the University of Central Florida.

Minor leagues
The Atlanta Braves drafted Alexander in the 20th round, with the 592nd overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. After being drafted, Alexander played for the rookie-level Florida Complex League Braves and Danville Braves, as well as the High-A Florida Fire Frogs. In 52 total games in the Braves farm system during 2018, Alexander had a batting average of .352 with 69 hits, 2 home runs, 27 runs batted in (RBI) and 4 stolen bases. After beginning 2019 with the Fire Frogs, Alexander was promoted to Atlanta's Double-A affiliate, the Mississippi Braves. After having a promising start to his professional career in 2018, Alexander regressed in 2019, with a dismal batting average of .117 to go along with only 15 hits, 2 home runs, 8 RBI, and 3 stolen bases in 43 total games (19 with the Fire Frogs, 24 with the Mississippi Braves).

Alexander did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alexander played in 87 games in 2021, all with the Mississippi Braves, and batted .197/.258/.378 with 60 hits, 10 home runs, 31 RBI and 14 stolen bases.

Kansas City Royals
On July 11, 2022, the Braves traded Alexander, Drew Waters, and Andrew Hoffmann to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for the 35th overall selection of the 2022 MLB draft. Alexander played 114 total games in 2022; 68 with the Mississippi Braves before being traded to Kansas City, and 46 games for the Royals' Double-A affiliate, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Overall, he improved, batting .264/.302/.477 with 120 hits, 25 home runs, 87 RBI and 19 stolen bases. In 2023, Alexander played 92 total games; 6 with the rookie–level Arizona Complex League Royals and 86 with the Triple–A Omaha Storm Chasers. Alexander batted .231/.304/.469 with 70 hits, 17 home runs, 49 RBI and 4 stolen bases.

Major leagues
On June 24, 2024, Alexander was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time. He made his debut that day against the Miami Marlins, going 0–for–3 with one strikeout. On July 2, in his fourth career game and eighth career at bat, Alexander recorded his first hit, a single to right field, off of Tampa Bay Rays starting pitcher Zack Littell. On July 5, Alexander and Carlos Hernández were optioned back to the Triple–A Omaha Storm Chasers to make room for the promotion of Walter Pennington and the activation of Adam Frazier from the injured list. Alexander batted .125 with one hit and three strikeouts in eight at bats in his first four MLB games (starting three at third base and pinch-hitting for the designated hitter in one) before being optioned back down to Triple-A.

Personal life
Alexander's brother, Blaze, also plays professional baseball, currently for the Arizona Diamondbacks.