A.J. Alexy: ‘I’m ready to play some baseball’

Like baseball fans across the country, A.J. Alexy rejoiced Thursday when it was announced that Major League Baseball’s lockout had ended.

“I’m super-excited,” said the 23-year-old right-hander. “I’m ready to play some baseball.”

The Twin Valley grad was awaiting word from the Texas Rangers about when he can report to spring training. He can’t wait to get back to Surprise, Ariz., where the Rangers train.

“It’s great news that baseball’s back today,” he said from Dallas, where’s he spent the offseason preparing for what could be a special season for him.

Alexy burst onto the major leagues in historic fashion late last summer. The pitching-starved Rangers threw him into the rotation at the end of August and he did something no one in modern baseball ever had: He started and won his first two games, going five or more innings in each, allowing only one hit in each and no runs.

It was a stunning debut and put him in position to battle for a starting spot in the Rangers’ rotation out of spring training.

“That’s the ultimate goal,” said Alexy, who never gets too far ahead of himself. “That’s what I’m shooting for.

“I’m definitely going to go into spring training with a chip on my shoulder and do the best that I can and pitch how I know how to pitch.”

Alexy is considered a candidate for one of the final two spots in the Texas rotation. He’s expected to compete with Glenn Otto, Spencer Howard, Kolby Allard and John King.

Of course, the Rangers could also sign a veteran free agent. Texas native Clayton Kershaw’s name has been thrown around throughout the offseason. That could affect Alexy’s situation.

“There’s a lot of young guys on our team, so it’s definitely going to be competitive during spring training,” Alexy said. “I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

Alexy made five late-season appearances for the Rangers, with four starts. It didn’t go quite as well after those first two starts but he did win a third game and finished with a 4.70 ERA over 23 innings, allowing only 23 hits, with 17 strikeouts. He also walked 17.

For a guy who wasn’t a highly rated prospect and had never pitched above A-ball prior to last season, getting to the majors and having success was a big deal. Alexy opened a lot of eyes.

“It’s a definite confidence boost,” he said. “(I know) I have the stuff that can play in the big leagues, and I know I can be here for a while. It’s just putting in the work and staying here.”

For a guy who didn’t attract pro scouts until his senior season at Twin Valley, wasn’t drafted until the 11th round, then faced hurdles in the minor leagues, it’s been a remarkable journey for Alexy. He was shut down for most of the 2019 season by a lat strain on his pitching side and spent the spring and summer of 2020 at home in Honeybrook working out on his own after COVID shut down the minor leagues; he wasn’t invited to the Rangers’ alternate training camp.

He made the most of an invite to the Instructional League in September 2020. He reworked his throwing motion, going to a shorter arm path. That improved his control, always an issue, and helped increase velocity. He showed enough to the Rangers’ brass that he was added to their 40-man roster following the 2020 season.

He moved rapidly in 2021 and went 3-1 with a 1.66 ERA over 16 minor league appearances, split between Class AA Frisco and Class AAA Round Rock. He struck out 76 over 65 innings. When the last-place club ran out of pitching in August Alexy got the call.

He did not disappoint, throwing five shutout innings and allowing just one hit in his debut Aug. 30 against the Colorado Rockies at Globe Life Field in Arlington.

A week later he started at Anaheim and was even better, going six innings and retiring the final 13 batters he faced. Again he allowed just one hit.

Alexy did his best to keep his feet on the ground and not think about his circumstances while he was pitching in the majors. After the season he had a chance to reflect. He reviewed video of his outings and enjoyed them all over again.

“I’m facing guys that I’ve watched on TV since I was a little kid, so it was definitely awesome to watch how I pitched and what happened in certain situations,” he said. “It’s definitely been cool to look back at those last five, for sure.”

The most surreal moment, he said, came when facing Anthony Rizzo at Yankee Stadium.

“Once Rizzo got into the box, it definitely hit me,” he said. “These are some pretty big-name guys and I’ve gotta throw it in the strike zone against him. It’s definitely been really cool to see all these guys who’ve been around for such a long time and all the success they’ve had; it’s cool to play against them.”

Now that the lockout is over he can’t wait to get back at it.

“I’m just excited to be back out on the field here in the next couple days and see some fans in the stadium,” he said. “I love when people pack the house; it’s awesome.”