Future Watch: Anthony Alford Baseball Rookie Cards, Toronto – Anthony Alford was selected in the 3rd round of the 2012 MLB Amateur Draft. At the time, the Toronto Blue Jays were looking to add some organizational depth in the outfield so selecting the 6′-1″, 215-pounder made sense.
Since the age of 17 the Columbia, Mississippi native has been working his way up the ladder. He’s now 21 and so far he’s in A+ ball. He has extra-base power and speed. Most years he’s hit for a pretty high batting average as well. In 2015 he hit .302 with 11 doubles, six triples and three homers in 225 at-bats. He managed to slip in 15 steals as well.
One reason Alford’s ascent has been slower than some is the fact that he was a star football safety for Southern Miss. He was a two-sport star in high school and once he gave up football he traveled to Australia to play winter ball. He’s a great athlete but now he’s learning the finer points of the game.
Tracking a football and tracking a baseball into your glove takes the same kind of concentration and athleticism.
Collectors can find Anthony Alford’s first MLB licensed autographed cards in 2016 Bowman Baseball. The Chrome Prospect Autograph card is number CPA-AA.
Here is a look at him at the plate:
According to his MLB.com draft profile:
Though he chose to pursue football, Alford continued to play for the Blue Jays each summer and logged 25 games between the 2012-14 seasons. That made his performance in 2015 all the more impressive, as Alford transformed from a raw athlete into a surprisingly well-rounded and polished ballplayer in his first full season, hitting .298/.398/.421 with 27 steals and 13.8 percent walk rate in 107 games across both Class A levels. ETA 2017.
It’s fun to watch a two-sport athlete evolve. Don’t miss out on that.
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