Alex Speas makes MLB debut with Rangers
FRISCO, Texas (July 19, 2023) – Former RoughRiders pitcher Alex Speas made his MLB debut on Wednesday, July 19th with the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas against the Tampa Bay Rays. In his debut, Speas struck out the first three batters he faced, including a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play against
FRISCO, Texas (July 19, 2023) – Former RoughRiders pitcher Alex Speas made his MLB debut on Wednesday, July 19th with the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas against the Tampa Bay Rays.
In his debut, Speas struck out the first three batters he faced, including a strike-him-out, throw-him-out double play against Wander Franco for his first batter. He threw 1.2 innings, retiring all four batters he faced, and earned a hold in the Rangers' 5-1 win to sweep the Rays.
The Powder Springs, Georgia native was a second-round selection by the Rangers in the 2016 MLB draft. After sustaining injuries and pitching in just 42 games between 2016 and 2020, he joined the RoughRiders in 2021, but struggled with an 11.74 ERA.
After retiring from the game during the 2022 season and coaching baseball, he returned in 2023 and went 3-0 with a 0.64 ERA in 28.1 innings with Frisco, striking out 47 and walking 13 over his 23 appearances. He was then promoted to Triple-A Round Rock, where he owned a 2.35 ERA in five games.
Speas becomes the 194th former Riders player to make his Major League debut and the fifth member of the Road to the Show presented by Herman Marshall Whiskey in 2023, joining pitchers Mason Englert, Cody Bradford, Grant Anderson and Owen White.
For tickets and more information about the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the 2022 Texas League champions. In 2023, the team is celebrating its 20th anniversary and has consistently finished in the top five among all Double-A franchises in attendance yearly. In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, Bullpen Bar, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 185 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball including current Rangers Josh Jung, Cole Ragans and Bubba Thompson. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].