Alex Speas #40

Alex JoVaughn Speas...X: @alexjspeas...Instagram: @speas16...has one daughter: Haven...is a 2016 graduate of McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Ga.....named an Under Armour All-American as a senior and rated by Baseball America the No. 41 overall prospect and 11th-best high school pitching prospect...committed to Auburn University before signing with Texas.

2024

Was in Spring Training with Chicago-AL, on their 40-man roster after being claimed off waivers from Texas on Oct. 3, 2023...Designated for release or assignment by White Sox, was re-signed and began season with Triple-A Charlotte...Appeared in two games for Charlotte and was DFA'd on April 5 when the Sox made a trade with Philadelphia for Jose Rodriguez...contract purchased by Oakland on April 6...Appeared in 13 games for Triple-A Las Vegas and was DFA'd by A's on May 8; claimed off waivers by Houston on May 10...Made only Major League appearance of season, pitching for Houston on May 31 vs. Minnesota, allowing one run on two hits in two innings pitched, including a home run by Carlos Santana...Optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land and appeared in six games for the Space Cowboys from June 5-20. A DFA'd for fourth time on season, this time by Houston on July 27 and claimed off waivers by Boston on July 30; spent remainder of season with Triple-A Worcester...Placed on 7-day Injured List on Aug. 4 with back inflammation; reinstated on Aug. 22...Pitched in six games for Mazatlan in the Mexican Pacific Winter League, following the season...Declared free agency on Nov. 4 and signed by Minnesota to Minor League contract with invite to Twins Spring Training on Nov. 20.

2023

Split the season between Class AA Frisco and Class AAA Round Rock in the Texas organization, going 5-2 with a 2.86 ERA (18 ER/56.2 IP), 85 strikeouts (13.5 per 9.0 IP) and just two home runs allowed in 49 appearances (one start)...Also made three relief appearances with the Rangers...Began the season with Frisco, where he went 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA (2 ER/28.1 IP), 47 strikeouts (14.9 per 9.0 IP) and a .133 (13-98) opponents average in 23 relief outings...Did not allow an earned run in 22 of his 23 games with the RoughRiders, including a streak of eight games (9.1 IP) to begin the season...After giving up four runs (two earned) in 1.0 IP on 5/11 vs. Wichita, went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (18.0 IP), 32 strikeouts and just six hits allowed over his next 14 outings from 5/17-6/25...Was promoted to Round Rock on 6/28, where he averaged 7.9 walks (25 BB/28.1 IP) and 12.1 strikeouts (38 SO) per 9.0 IP over 26 appearances (one start)...His contract was selected by the Rangers on 7/19...Made his MLB debut that night vs. Tampa Bay, working 1.2 scoreless IP with three strikeouts in relief...Struck out Wander Franco in the seventh inning for the first of his career...Was optioned to Round Rock on 7/25 the remainder of the season...Was designated for assignment on 9/30.

2020

Opened spring training in minor league camp and returned home to Fort Mill, S.C., when camp was shut down in March…commuted to Charlotte, N.C., during the shutdown to train with multiple big leaguers including pitcher Emilio Pagan, infielder Chad Pinder and outfielder Brian Goodwin…was named to the club’s Summer Camp roster in July and made four appearances during intrasquad games at Globe Life Field (3.1 IP, 2 R-1 ER, 5 BB, 4 SO)…spent the entire regular season at the club’s Alternate Training Site in Arlington.

2019

Returned from injury to make 2 rehab appearances for the Rookie-level AZL Rangers...tabbed as club’s 30thbest prospect and organization’s “Best Slider” entering the season (Baseball America).

2018

Chosen as the 26th-best prospect in the Texas system prior to the season by Baseball America…limited to just 28.2 IP before season-ending ‘Tommy John’ ligament transplant surgery on 6/25…prior to the injury, averaged a career-best 15.4 SO/9 and held opposing batters to a .155 average (16-103).

2017

Ranked by Baseball America as the Rangers’ 8th-best prospect and the 12th-best prospect in the Northwest League…split campaign between the Spokane (Short-A) rotation and bullpen in 1st full season… was 0-6, 10.89 (23 ER/19.0 IP) as a starter and 1-0, 0.00 (0 ER/14.2 IP) as a reliever…began the season in the Spokane rotation and took the loss in 6 of 7 outings with opponents batting .304/.414/.570/.984…moved to the bullpen on 7/30 and allowed 5 R-0 ER over 14.2 IP while holding opposing batters to a .098/.242/.137/.379 slash line…whiffed 29 of 63 (46.0%) batters faced as a reliever.