Alex Faedo #31

Alex is a Tampa native who graduated from Alonso High School, just a 20-minute drive from Steinbrenner Field…in high school, he played under his father, Landy, a multi-time state champion skipper who remains Alonso’s head baseball coach to this day…when Kevin Cash played baseball at nearby Gaither High School in the mid-1990s, Landy was an assistant coach...Alex grew up a Rays fan and recalls skipping school to attend Opening Day at Tropicana Field with his uncle on several occasions…he attended the first postseason game at Tropicana Field in 2008 against the White Sox...His cousin, Lenny, a fellow Tampa native, was a first-round selection by the Twins in 1978 and appeared in 174 games for Minnesota over five seasons from 1980-84...He is looking to become the ninth Tampa product to suit up for the Rays, including the first since Christian Arroyo in 2018…that list also includes Kevin Cash, Matt Joyce, Fred McGriff and Dwight Gooden…Alex would also become the sixth University of Florida alum to play for the Rays, along with Dave Eiland, Cole Figueroa, John Kaufman, Herbert Perry and Mike Zunino...Despite pitching with his right hand, he is naturally left-handed, using his left hand for most everyday tasks outside of pitching…he began playing baseball as a left-handed hitter, but switched to the right side during a teeball game in daycare…one of his caretakers encouraged the move after a young left-handed hitting Alex launched several balls into a fence...He and his wife, Kelsey, were married in 2023 and have a son, Luka, and daughter, Isabella Selected by the Tigers with the No. 18 overall pick of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Florida...Led Florida to the program’s first national title in 2017, defeating Louisiana State University, 2-0…named 2017 College World Series Most Outstanding Player after tossing 14.1 scoreless innings with 22 SO across two starts...Was selected by the Tigers in the 40th round of the 2014 First Year Player Draft out of Braulio Alonso (Fla.) High School, but did not sign.

2024

Made a career-high 37 appearances (6GS) for the Tigers, going 5-3 with a 3.61 ERA (57.1IP, 23ER)… also set career bests in wins, ERA, strikeout rate (22.4%) and whiff rate (31.1%)…placed on the 15-day IL (right hip inflammation) from June 5– June 27…had a second stint beginning on Aug. 22 (right shoulder strain) and was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 30, ending his season...Went 5-2 with a 3.86 ERA (49.0IP, 21ER) across 37 relief appearances compared to 0-1 with a 2.16 ERA (8.1IP, 2ER) in six starts...Limited opponents to a .171 (8-for-70) average against his slider, including a .120 (3-for-25) mark against lefties...Held opponents to 6-for-47 (.128) with runners in scoring position, including 1-for-23 (.043) with RISP and two outs...Averaged a career-high 94 mph on his four-seam fastball, 1.3 mph faster than his rookie campaign in 2022...Made his first career Opening Day roster...Began the season with 23 consecutive relief appearances before starting in six of his final 14 outings, including five of his final six from July 28–Aug. 20...Recorded a 1.90 ERA (23.2IP, 5ER) over his final 15 road appearances (3GS) from May 1 on…min 20.0 IP, signaled the 12th-best mark in the AL over that span…over the same timeframe, pitched to a 7.71 ERA (14.0IP, 12ER) across 11 outings (3GS) at Comerica Park...When he was placed on the injured list on Aug. 22, his 13 multi-inning relief appearances were tied for fourth most in the AL behind CWS Jared Shuster (16), CLE Pedro Avila and BOS Chase Anderson (both 15).

2023

Split the 2023 season between Detroit and the Minors, making 15 appearances, including 12 starts, with the Tigers, while he started eight games between Triple A Toledo and Double A Erie... Earned his first win of the season on May 25 vs. Chicago (AL), pitching 6.0 innings and allowing two runs on three hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts...became the third pitcher in franchise history to throw 6.0 innings with three-or-fewer hits allowed, no walks and 10-or-more strikeouts, joining Denny McLain on July 21, 1965 vs. Cleveland (Game 2) and Anibal Sanchez on Aug. 3, 2014 vs. Colorado... Sidelined from June 3 (retroactive to May 31)-July 6 with right middle finger discomfort... Threw 6.0 shutout innings on July 23 vs. San Diego, allowing one hit with two walks and four strikeouts... marked his first career start with 6.0 scoreless frames... Made the first relief appearance of his Major League career on Sept. 2 at Chicago (AL), striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning...made three outings in relief during September, tossing 6.0 shutout innings with one hit allowed, two walks and seven strikeouts... Placed on the injured list on Sept. 19, retroactive to Sept. 16, with a right third finger blister and missed the rest of the season.

2022

Saw his first big league action in 2022, making 12 starts with the Tigers...Made his Major League debut in the second game of the doubleheader on May 4 vs. Pittsburgh, giving up just two runs on eight hits with a strikeout in 5.0 innings...Earned his first big league win on May 22 at Cleveland, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on six hits and two walks, while striking out a pair...Began his Major League career by throwing at least 5.0 innings and allowing no more than two runs in each of his first seven starts...according to the Elias Sports Bureau, joined Jered Weaver in 2006 and Boo Ferriss in 1945 as the only pitchers since 1893 to start their career with seven-or-more straight games with 5.0-or-more innings and two-or-fewer runs allowed...was the first Tigers pitcher to ever do so in more than four straight games to start his career...On the injured list from August 1-Oct. 6 with a right hip impingement.

2021

Missed the entire 2021 season while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.

2020

Spent the entire 2020 season at the Alternate Training Site in Toledo...underwent reconstruction surgery on his right UCL in December, 2020...Ranked as the No. 6 prospect in the Tigers organization by Baseball America...also rated as possessing the best slider in the Tigers system.

2019

Spent the entire 2019 season with Double A Erie, starting 22 games... Selected to the Eastern League midseason All-Star Team... Ranked third in the Eastern League with 134 strikeouts, while he was eighth with a .235 (104x442) opponent batting average and 1.12 WHIP... Named Eastern League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending April 28 after throwing 7.0 no-hit innings with one walk allowed and five strikeouts on April 24 vs. Bowie...combined with Drew Carlton on a no-hitter for the SeaWolves, which was the third no-hitter in franchise history and first since August 22, 2009 vs. Akron... Recorded his first double-digit strikeout game of the season on May 13 vs. Richmond, fanning 10...also struck out 10-or-more on May 29 at Reading, striking out 12, and June 12 at Reading, punching out 10... Made four starts during June, compiling a 2-1 record with a 2.29 ERA (19.2IP/5ER) and 21 strikeouts... Sidelined from August 10-September 1 with a back muscle spasm... Ranked as the sixth-best prospect in the Tigers organization and the No. 12 prospect in the Eastern League by Baseball America following the season...also rated as possessing the best slider in the Tigers system.

2017

Selected by the Tigers in the first round (18th overall) of the June 2017 MLB First-Year Player Draft, but did not pitch during the season...Ranked as the second-best prospect and rated as having the best slider in the Tigers organization by Baseball America following the season.