Anthony Alford

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #25 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Alford was a top three prospect in Toronto's farm system for three straight years after the 2015-17 seasons. But the last two years, Alford has struggled at the upper levels because of a mixture of complications with his swing and nagging injuries. Alford, who spent most of 2012-14 focused on football as the quarterback at Southern Miss and later a defensive back for Ole Miss, has flashed tantalizing athleticism and hit well in Double-A New Hampshire in 2017, but he has yet to take the next leap.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Alford has above-average bat speed but he gets into an awkward launch position with a high back elbow and doesn't keep his barrel through the hitting zone very long. That leads to timing issues, with Alford often late or caught in between on his swings. Alford has worked to make adjustments, but he missed a month in the middle of the 2019 season with an oblique injury, and being on the cusp of the big leagues and in Toronto as a September callup, those changes were difficult to make when the results are what matter. He's strong, but his game power is below-average. Alford is a plus runner who can play solid-average defense in center field with a 40 arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Now 25, Alford has to show he can produce quickly, whether that comes with Toronto or another organization
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #11 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: In a year in which several Blue Jays prospects improved their stock, Alford was one of the most disappointing players in the system. He followed a promising 2017 campaign by scuffling at the next level, and his on-base percentage dropped 78 points from Double-A to Triple-A in 2018.
  
  Scouting Report: At his best, Alford has shown the components to get on base at a high clip, but that didn't come together for him in 2018. He struggled with his timing throughout the year and never seemed to be in sync with his swing. As a result, his strikeout rate jumped from 16 percent in Double-A to 27 percent in Triple-A. Alford doesn't project to hit more than 10-15 home runs in the big leagues, so putting the ball in play more and improving his plan at the plate will be essential for him. Alford is a good athlete and a plus runner, though his arm is below-average. He's a solid-average defender in center field, though the Blue Jays have moved him around all three outfield positions and will likely continue to do so.
  
  The Future: Alford has the body control and awareness to make adjustments, but his stock tumbled in 2018. The 2019 season will be critical if he's going to rebound and develop into an everyday player.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #3 prospect in 2018
  Alford was named Mississippi's Mr. Football and Mr. Baseball as a high school senior and signed a contract that allowed him to play college football, first at Southern Mississippi as a quarterback and then at Mississippi as a defensive back. He accumulated just 94 at bats over the first three seasons of his professional career before giving up football in the fall of 2014. Alford's stock jumped in 2015 with a breakthrough year, but in 2016 a knee injury and then a concussion slowed his progress. In 2017, he started in Double-A New Hampshire, made his big league debut on May 19 but broke his left wrist five days later, then returned to Double-A for the second half. Alford is a premium athlete who glides around center field with plus speed. He has good anticipation off the bat, getting quick breaks with clean routes to give him above-average range, though with a below-average arm. Alford has a table setters offensive profile with his on-base skills and speed. His elevated strikeout rate in 2016 was an aberration, with Alford showing a patient approach, good bat-to-ball skills and the ability to use the opposite field in 2017. Alford has never cracked double-digit homers in a season, though more power could come once he learns which pitches he can turn on to drive and elevate to his pull side. Alford finished 2017 in Triple-A and should return there to open 2018, though he should be back in Toronto soon. His ability to get on base and play plus defense at a premium position give him the potential to be an above-average regular.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #2 prospect in 2017
  A two-sport prep star in Mississippi, Alford signed for $750,000 on a contract that allowed him to play college football, first at Southern Mississippi as a quarterback, then at Mississippi as a defensive back. He had 94 pro at-bats in three seasons before giving up football and breaking out in 2015, but injuries slowed him in 2016. He wrenched his right knee on Opening Day, then suffered a concussion in an outfield collision in mid-June. Alford struggled immediately after both injuries. Back to full strength in July and August, he showed the same tools and similar production he had in 2015, with a power-speed combination buoyed by good plate discipline. He lost a step with his knee injury (he was forced to wear a bulky brace), making him merely a plus runner instead of a true burner, and scouts want to see if he gets it back this offseason. He still has athleticism, strength in his swing and improving power as he's tamed his swing a bit, giving him better bat control. Alford could still add polish in center field but has plenty of range that helps make up for a below-average arm. The Blue Jays were pleased with Alford's big finish and maturity handling his injuries. He is ready for Double-A in 2017 and could push for a regular role in 2018.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #1 prospect in 2016
  A star for Petal (Miss.) High on a team that won the state title in his junior season, Alford ranked No. 36 on BA's first-ever Top 500 draft prospects list in 2012, edging Alabama prep Jameis Winston as the top two-sport player available in that year's draft. He'd committed to Southern Mississippi to play baseball and football, and the Golden Eagles had hired his high school football coach onto their staff. Area scouts reckoned Alford would go to school, and most clubs backed off. The Blue Jays had extra picks that year, however, and had Alford stuffed up their draft board at No. 10 overall. They waited until the third round to select Alford, understanding he was a risky sign and taking him in the third round, 112th overall. He signed for $750,000 but spent most of 2012-2014 focused on football, spending one season as Southern Miss' quarterback, where he rushed for six touchdowns and threw for two more. (He also was arrested as a freshman on a since-reduced assault charge.) A year later, he transferred to Ole Miss and played defensive back in 2014 before quitting the team in early October. He announced he would pursue baseball full-time and spent last winter getting needed at-bats in the Australian Baseball League. While he struggled there, Alford broke out with a strong 2015 season that finished in high Class A. Alford combines physicality and surprising feel for hitting to profile as a potential impact center fielder. Compact and strong, Alford is an elite athlete with burst and plus-plus speed that plays both on the bases, where he's just scratched the surface as a basestealer, and in center field. What stunned Blue Jays officials and scouts this year were Alford's instincts, which show up in center as he has excellent range that helps make up for his below-average throwing arm. He also has hitting instincts and an advanced approach for a player of his experience level. It's more than just taking walks; Alford works counts, has some idea of a two-strike approach and spoils pitcher's pitches well. He has strength and bat speed to drive the ball to all fields, with the quality of his at-bats remaining consistent throughout the season. He reached base in 45 of 50 games with low Class A Lansing, then 51 of 57 with high Class A Dunedin. Alford's swing starts with a high back elbow that short-circuits his power, but club officials are enthusiastic he can make that mechanical adjustment, improve his swing path and get to his plus raw power. His quarterback background helps make Alford a natural locker-room leader, and he has the work ethic managers love. Once considered a boom-or-bust prospect, Alford has evolved from a football player trying to play baseball to a polished offensive player with potential star tools. How much power Alford can tap into will determine whether he can be a dynamic middle-of-the-order force, or merely a potentially disruptive leadoff hitter who would fit the center-field profile well. He's headed to Double-A for 2016, and with Kevin Pillar and Dalton Pompey ahead of him, the Jays will not rush him.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #18 prospect in 2015
  Alford was one of the top athletes in the 2012 draft and was also a dual-threat high school quarterback, recognized as Mississippi's best high school football player as both a junior and senior, and best baseball player as a senior. The Blue Jays took him in the third round and signed him for an over-slot bonus of $750,000, allowing him to play football at Southern Mississippi in the fall and baseball in the summer. He left Southern Miss after his freshman year following an arrest during an on-campus fight, transferring to Mississippi, but he played just four games there before deciding to focus on baseball. Alford has barely 100 professional plate appearances, but he still intrigues because of his youth and athleticism. He has a rare power/speed combo, with the potential to remain in center field and plus-plus raw power. His hitting is understandably raw, and his uphill stroke has some length from a high load. The strong and explosive Alford might outgrow center field, and his fringe-average arm would profile in left. He's a high-ceiling, low-probability lottery ticket whom the Jays will get at-bats to make up for his lost development time.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #10 prospect in 2013
  The best athlete in the 2012 draft class, Alford likely would have been a first-round pick if not for his standout two-sport prowess. He had a scholarship to play quarterback at Southern Mississippi and told teams that he intended to play both baseball and football in college, which also raised questions about his signability. Alford was the first player to win Mississippi's football player of the year award as both a junior and senior, and he led Petal High's baseball team to 6-A baseball championships as a sophomore and junior. The Blue Jays drafted him in the third round and signed him for $750,000, with the provision that they would allow him to play college football. Alford was arguably Southern Miss' best player as a freshman, starting five games and appearing in four more with a team-high 993 yards of total offense. But he also dealt with knee and ankle injuries that kept him out of three games and limited him in several others, and the Golden Eagles suffered through the worst season in school history at 0-12. Alford was then arrested in November after an on-campus fight in which another student reportedly brandished a gun. After hiring a new coach, Southern Miss released Alford from his scholarship. Alford has more polish in baseball than most two-sport stars. He has a short, quick swing and power to all fields. He has the tools to be an excellent defender in center field because he's a plus-plus runner with solid arm strength. The Blue Jays believed Alford's athleticism made him worth the gamble, but it's a considerable one, and it's not clear how recent events could affect his football future. He could transfer to another school for football, or turn his focus completely to baseball. Though he may not be ready for a full-season assignment, Toronto may send him to low Class A in the spring to maximize his at-bats.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #36 prospect in 2012 draft
  Alford, a two-sport athlete, has committed to Southern Mississippi for both baseball and football. He's teammates in baseball with Garren Berry, son of USM baseball coach Scott Berry. And the Golden Eagles have a new football coach, Ellis Johnson, who has hired Alford's prep football coach onto his staff. In April Alford indicated he plans to go to college and play both sports. That's too bad, because many scouts considered Alford one of the class' elite athletes. Big and fast at 6 feet, 200 pounds, he was the Magnolia State's football player of the year as a quarterback and chose Southern Miss over such football powers as Louisiana State and Nebraska. He threw for more than 2,000 yards and ran for more than 1,700 as a senior, accounting for 44 touchdowns, but he's at least as intriguing on the diamond, where he's a 70 runner on the 20-80 scouting scale with power potential, too. He helped Patal High win back-to-back state 6-A championships before the team lost in the third round this spring, as Alford batted .483 with four homers.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Eastern League #9 prospect in 2017
  After a breakout 2015 season, Alford's career stalled a bit in his return to high Class A Dunedin in 2016 after he sustained a knee injury and later a concussion. Promoted to Double-A this season, he made his major league debut on May 19 but five days later broke his left wrist. When healthy, Alford showed the same athleticism that helped him earn a two-sport contract that allowed him to play college football at two stops before adopting baseball full-time in 2015. At the plate, he showed a combination of on-base skills, speed and gap power that evaluators think will mature into home run power as he grows as a hitter. Multiple EL managers compared Alford with Rondell White for his grace and athleticism in the outfield. His breaks on balls were so good, one manager said, that it looked like he got going before the ball was hit.
• 
  Ranked Arizona Fall League #10 prospect in 2016
  If ranking the AFL position players just on tools alone, Alford would most definitely be at or near the top. With a collection of four plus tools--speed, power, range and arm--and supreme athleticism as well as sound hitting instincts, Alford just needs more development time to refine his approach at the plate. The former college football player missed part of the 2016 regular season to a pair of injuries and was making up for the lost time in the AFL. The 22-year old outfielder put up impressive numbers (.253/.349/.440, three homers, eight stolen bases) before going down with an injury late in the season.
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #7 prospect in 2016
  Alford rebounded from two early injuries that could have ruined his season, including a knee injury on Opening Day that cost him a month and then a concussion in June after an outfield collision. He showed he was back in the season's final two months, however, when he hit .260 with seven homers and 34 walks in his final 51 games. The knee injury cost Alford a step and prompted him to wear a brace, but he still was a plus runner in the second half and showed plenty of range for center field. The former college football player still has a burst when he runs and plus power at the plate. "Speed, power, arm, range--they're all plus," Bradenton manager Michael Ryan said. "He's a game-changer."
• 
  Ranked Florida State League #8 prospect in 2015
  Alford had a tremendous development year. The former Southern Mississippi quarterback quadrupled his professional experience and showed explosive athleticism to go with a surprising plate approach. Strong and full of quick-twitch ability, Alford earns double-plus grades for his speed and athletic ability, and he has a rare burst that plays on the bases and defensively in center field. Alford's hitting ability remains somewhat raw, and he still can get uphill with his swing, short-circuiting his double-plus raw power. He showed patience and line-drive ability, and should show more over-the-fence ability as he gains experience. Alford's inexperience shows up the most on defense, where his routes and throwing accuracy need reps and polish.
• 
  Ranked Midwest League #2 prospect in 2015
  Because of his college football career Southern Mississippi and Mississippi, Alford had played just 25 games in three pro baseball seasons. He finally gave up on his dreams of being an NFL defensive back last offseason and focused on baseball full-time. The switch paid off quicker than anyone expected. Alford transformed from a raw to somewhat-polished hitter in a matter of months. He managed to combine excellent plate discipline with outstanding athleticism and earned a late-June promotion to high Class A Dunedin. "He's made leaps and bounds of improvement," one scout said. Though he didn't show much power in games in 2015, Alford has some present strength and above-average bat speed that should turn into average power down the road. Even if power doesn't develop, he fits a top-of-the-order profile with plus speed and the tenacity to work counts and draw walks in addition to a potentially above-average hit tool. Alford consistently stings line drives to the gaps now and has the speed to turn some apparent singles into doubles. His speed also makes him a plus defender in center field.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #60 prospect in 2018
• Ranked Baseball America's #59 prospect in 2017
• Ranked Baseball America's #25 prospect in 2016

• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Alford was a top three prospect in Toronto’s farm system for three straight years after the 2015-17 seasons. But the last two years, Alford has struggled at the upper levels because of a mixture of complications with his swing and nagging injuries. Alford, who spent most of 2012-14 focused on football as the quarterback at Southern Miss and later a defensive back for Ole Miss, has flashed tantalizing athleticism and hit well in Double-A New Hampshire in 2017, but he has yet to take the next leap.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Alford has above-average bat speed but he gets into an awkward launch position with a high back elbow and doesn’t keep his barrel through the hitting zone very long. That leads to timing issues, with Alford often late or caught in between on his swings. Alford has worked to make adjustments, but he missed a month in the middle of the 2019 season with an oblique injury, and being on the cusp of the big leagues and in Toronto as a September callup, those changes were difficult to make when the results are what matter. He’s strong, but his game power is below-average. Alford is a plus runner who can play solid-average defense in center field with a 40 arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Now 25, Alford has to show he can produce quickly, whether that comes with Toronto or another organization
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Alford was a top three prospect in Toronto's farm system for three straight years after the 2015-17 seasons. But the last two years, Alford has struggled at the upper levels because of a mixture of complications with his swing and nagging injuries. Alford, who spent most of 2012-14 focused on football as the quarterback at Southern Miss and later a defensive back for Ole Miss, has flashed tantalizing athleticism and hit well in Double-A New Hampshire in 2017, but he has yet to take the next leap.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Alford has above-average bat speed but he gets into an awkward launch position with a high back elbow and doesn't keep his barrel through the hitting zone very long. That leads to timing issues, with Alford often late or caught in between on his swings. Alford has worked to make adjustments, but he missed a month in the middle of the 2019 season with an oblique injury, and being on the cusp of the big leagues and in Toronto as a September callup, those changes were difficult to make when the results are what matter. He's strong, but his game power is below-average. Alford is a plus runner who can play solid-average defense in center field with a 40 arm.
  
  THE FUTURE: Now 25, Alford has to show he can produce quickly, whether that comes with Toronto or another organization
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  While most of the Blue Jays’ top prospects are trending in the right direction, Alford has stumbled in 2018. After striking out in 16 percent of his Double-A plate appearances last year, Alford’s whiff rate has nearly doubled this year in Triple-A as he battles to get his rhythm and timing on point. The tools are still intact and he has time to rebound, but it’s been a discouraging regression from the improvement he showed last year.
• December, 2017 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Alford's stock jumped in 2015 with a breakthrough year, but in 2016 a knee injury and then a concussion slowed his progress. In 2017, he started in Double-A New Hampshire, made his big league debut on May 19 but broke his left wrist five days later. Scouting Report: Alford is a premium athlete who glides around center field with plus speed. He has good anticipation off the bat, getting quick breaks with clean routes to give him above-average range, though with a below-average arm. Alford has a tablesetter offensive profile with his on-base skills and speed. His elevated strikeout rate in 2016 was an aberration, with Alford showing a patient approach, good bat-to-ball skills and the ability to use the opposite field in 2017. Alford has never cracked double-digit homers in a season, though more power could come once he learns which pitches he can turn on to drive and elevate to his pull side. The Future: Alford finished 2017 in Triple-A and should return there to open 2018. His ability to get on base and play plus defense give him the potential to be an above-average regular.
• December, 2016 Scouting Report
  Background: A two-sport prep star in Mississippi, Alford signed for $750,000 on a contract that allowed him to play college football, first at Southern Mississippi as a quarterback, then at Mississippi as a defensive back. He had 94 pro at-bats in three seasons before giving up football and breaking out in 2015, but injuries slowed him in 2016. He wrenched his right knee on Opening Day, then suffered a concussion in an outfield collision in mid-June. Scouting Report: Alford went 5-for-41 with 28 strikeouts in his first 12 games back from his knee injury and struggled initially after his concussion return as well. Back to full strength in July and August, he showed the same tools and similar production he had in 2015, with a power-speed combination buoyed by good plate discipline. He lost a step with his knee injury (he was forced to wear a bulky brace), making him merely a plus runner instead of a true burner, and scouts want to see if he gets it back this offseason. He still has athleticism, strength in his swing and improving power as he's tamed his swing a bit, giving him better bat control. Alford could still add polish in center field but has plenty of range that helps make up for a below-average arm. The Future: The Blue Jays were pleased with Alford's big finish and maturity handling his injuries. He is ready for Double-A in 2017 and could push for a regular role in 2018.
• August, 2016 Scouting Report
  If ranking the AFL position players just on tools alone, Alford would most definitely be at or near the top. With a collection of four plus tools--speed, power, range and arm--and supreme athleticism as well as sound hitting instincts, Alford just needs more development time to refine his approach at the plate. The former college football player missed part of the 2016 regular season to a pair of injuries and was making up for the lost time in the AFL. The 22-year old outfielder put up impressive numbers (.253/.349/.440, three homers, eight stolen bases) before going down with an injury late in the season.