FSL notes: Alford starting his ascent

The University of Mississippi was 4-0 and a widely anticipated Southeastern Conference showdown with Alabama loomed the first weekend of last October. Anthony Alford, though, felt it was time to make a decision.

The two-sport high school sensation had tried to balance football and baseball for three years with mixed results. Alford, married the previous summer, had to consider his long-term future.

"I still think I could have played in the NFL," the Dunedin center fielder said nine months later. "But I knew I had a chance for a lot longer career in baseball. I couldn't keep wasting time."

Alford called Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos and told him he was ready to concentrate on the diamond full time. The 20-year-old left Mississippi for a quick stop at Toronto's instructional league in Florida and then headed to the Australian Baseball League. By the time Alford arrived in Spring Training, he'd played more games than he had in the previous three seasons, and the catch-up process was well under way.

"I don't know if I'm a better player now, but I'm certainly a more experienced player," he said.

Alford, Toronto's No. 18 prospect, graduated from the Class A Midwest League to the Class A Advanced Florida State League at midseason and has quickly become a productive force at the top of the Dunedin lineup.

He took a 16-game hitting into Dunedin's game at St. Lucie on July 15 and had reached base safely in all 17 games with the team. Alford's batting average was .347, and he already had 10 extra-base hits and six stolen bases. His OPS was .949 thanks to a .402 on-base percentage and .547 slugging mark.

It appears Alford definitely made the right decision, but it was still difficult for him to leave the university when he did.

"I knew we had something special going, and it was hard to leave players I'd got really close to," he said. "It would have been good to be able to stay a little longer, but I'd made my decision and needed to start playing baseball right away."

Alford, who played in the U.S. Army All-American Game in football and the Under Armour All-American Game in baseball, was a two-time high school football player of the year in Mississippi and committed as a dual-threat quarterback to Southern Mississippi.

Although he was considered unlikely to sign, Toronto took a chance in the third round of the 2012 Draft, and Alford received a bonus of $750,000 to play a little baseball while he wasn't tied up with football. Three years later, he had played just 25 games in the Minors and transferred from Southern Mississippi to the University of Mississippi, where he was now a safety and punt returner.

Last fall, baseball finally won out full time.

Alford, who turns 21 on July 20, played 37 games in Australia before getting an invitation to Major League Spring Training. By the end of the football season, Alford was a long way from Mississippi, but the three months Down Under helped prepare him for what was to come.

"The competition was good, and I was able to get used to the daily routine of baseball," he said.

Alford got into eight Grapefruit League games with the Blue Jays, stealing a couple of bases and then started his full-time Minor League journey.

He was 8-for-25 with a home run in five games for Lansing last year and didn't miss a beat with the team this season, batting .293 with a .418 on-base percentage and 12 stolen bases in 50 games as the Lugnuts won a first-half division title. Alford played in the Midwest League All-Star Game, then took the step up to the Florida State League.

The Blue Jays thought Alford would progress quickly if he devoted all his time to baseball. That has certainly been correct.

"I'm sure I made the right choice," he said.

In brief

Standing out: Daytona left-hander Amir Garrett was credited with the victory for Team USA in the All-Star Futures Game, but it was the Florida State League's other representative who really stood out on the mound July 12 at Cincinnati. Dunedin left-hander Jairo Labourt pitched a perfect inning for the World, striking out two. Toronto's No. 10 prospect didn't turn 21 until just before the season and has had growing pains with Dunedin, losing his last four decisions to fall to 2-7 with a 4.71 ERA. Garrett, Cincinnati's No. 4 prospect, allowed three hits and an earned run in his inning but got the decision in Team USA's 10-1 victory. He is 4-6 with a 2.79 ERA for Daytona.

On a roll: Dunedin right-hander Jeff Hoffman, ranked No. 70 among MLB.com's Top 100 Prospects, continues to show few ill-effects from the Tommy John elbow surgery he had before being taken by Toronto with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2014 Draft. He struck out six and walked none over a season-high 6 2/3 innings against Jupiter on July 12 and had allowed just four earned runs over 22 2/3 innings in his last four starts. The only run the Blue Jays' No. 3 prospect gave up against Jupiter came on a leadoff homer in the seventh inning, and he struck out the next two batters. Hoffman, 22, is 3-3 with a 3.21 ERA in 11 starts since being activated in May.

In control: Brevard County right-hander Jorge Ortega bounced back from his only rough outing of the season July 3 at Dunedin by winning his next two starts. The native of Venezuela went eight innings at Charlotte on July 13 in his most reason win, improving his record to 8-5 and lowering his ERA to 2.16. Ortega, 22, struck out five and walked none against the Stone Crabs while lowering his FSL-leading WHIP to 0.95. He has issued just seven walks in 100 innings and also leads the league with four complete games.