Newest Royals infielder CJ Alexander is no stranger to the big leagues despite only being up with Kansas City since Monday.
His family ties are all over baseball, the most recent being his younger brother, Blaze Alexander, debuting this year for the D-backs on Opening Day. CJ and Blaze’s father, Chuck Alexander, was drafted by the Cleveland organization in the 15th round of the 1988 Draft, and spent four years in the Minors as a left-handed relief pitcher.
Chuck’s cousin, Dan Plesac, was a first-round Draft pick by the Brewers in 1983, and was a three-time All-Star reliever whose 18-year career took him through Milwaukee, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Arizona and Philadelphia. Dan’s brother, Joe, was a second-round pick in 1983 by the Padres, and pitched for six years in the Minors.
Dan and Joe’s nephew, Zach Plesac, was drafted by the Guardians in 2019 and is with the Angels now.
So baseball was a constant point of conversation and activity whenever the family got together. Tons of emotion filled CJ when he got to the stadium Monday, from anxiousness to excitement, and no one knew the feeling more than his younger brother, who watched on TV in Arizona while the rest of the Alexander family made its way to The K. “I did tell him, ‘Don’t think too much about your first at-bat,’” Blaze said. “I mean, that’s all I thought about the whole entire day. And you got three, four more right after that. So don’t get caught up in the first at-bat, just go out there and be loose and have fun.”
I had no idea he was related to all those guys. Still learning things with these little facegen blurbs
