Alex Verdugo
Alexander Brady Verdugo, nicknamed "Dugie," is an American professional baseball outfielder who is currently a free agent. Born on May 15, 1996, in Tucson, Arizona, Verdugo attended Sahuaro High School and was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2014 MLB Draft.[1] Verdugo made his MLB debut with the Dodgers on September 1, 2017, appearing in 31 games that season as a rookie. He spent parts of three seasons with the Dodgers (2017–2019), posting a .254 batting average with 7 home runs and 43 RBIs in 220 games. Following the 2019 season, Verdugo was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a deal that sent Mookie Betts to Los Angeles. With the Red Sox from 2020 to 2023, he became a regular starter, primarily in left and right field, and was recognized for his defensive skills, earning American League Gold Glove finalist honors in right field in 2023 after leading AL right fielders with 9 defensive runs saved and tying for the most outfield assists.[1][2][3] Prior to the 2024 season, Verdugo was traded to the New York Yankees, where he played 158 games, batting .233 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs while providing versatility across all three outfield positions. On March 20, 2025, he signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves as a free agent, appearing in 56 games during the 2025 season and hitting .239 with 12 RBIs but no home runs before being designated for assignment and released by the team in July 2025. Over his nine MLB seasons, Verdugo has compiled a .270 career batting average, 70 home runs, and 328 RBIs in 743 games, known for his left-handed swing, strong plate discipline, and above-average defense.[4][1][5]Early life and amateur career
Family background and upbringing
Alexander Brady Verdugo was born on May 15, 1996, in Tucson, Arizona.[6] His father, Joe Verdugo, was born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, infusing the family with strong Mexican cultural influences and ties to extended relatives still residing there.[7] Verdugo's mother, Shelly Verdugo, originates from Minnesota, creating a blend of Midwestern and Mexican-American heritage in the household.[8] Verdugo grew up as the youngest of four siblings, including older brothers Joey Jr. and Chris, as well as a sister, Maria.[9] His parents provided unwavering support for athletic pursuits, prioritizing opportunities for their children to engage in sports and balancing family responsibilities with encouragement. This dynamic fostered a close-knit environment in Tucson, where cultural traditions from his father's Mexican roots played a role in shaping Verdugo's identity, despite him not being fluent in Spanish.[7][8] Verdugo's initial exposure to baseball occurred through family traditions, as his parents frequently brought him along to watch his older brothers' Little League games in Tucson. This early immersion, combined with the competitive influence of Joey Jr. and Chris—who also played baseball—ignited his passion for the sport and laid the foundation for his athletic development.[10][8]High school baseball
Verdugo attended Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Arizona, where he emerged as a standout two-way player, excelling both as an outfielder and left-handed pitcher.[1] As a pitcher, he compiled an impressive career record of 26 wins with a 2.19 ERA and 401 strikeouts over 236 innings pitched, showcasing his dominance on the mound during his high school tenure.[1] His fastball reached up to 94 mph, contributing to his reputation as one of the top two-way prospects in the 2014 draft class.[11] At the plate, Verdugo batted .486 for his career, including 16 home runs and 145 RBIs, demonstrating elite hitting ability with plus power and a strong eye for the strike zone.[1] Scouts praised his athletic build, above-average speed, and exceptional center field defense, noting his potential to contribute immediately at the professional level as a hitter.[12][13] Verdugo's recruitment drew significant attention from college programs, leading to a commitment to Arizona State University on a scholarship.[1] However, following his senior year, he opted to enter the 2014 MLB Draft, where his versatility as a two-way talent—particularly his arm strength that had many teams viewing him primarily as a pitcher—made him a high-priority prospect.[14][13] Ultimately, he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as a second-round selection, forgoing college to pursue a professional career.[1]Professional career
Draft and minor leagues
Verdugo was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second round (62nd overall) of the 2014 Major League Baseball Draft out of Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Arizona.[1] He signed a professional contract on June 9, 2014, receiving a signing bonus of $914,600, which matched the slot value for his draft position.[15] Verdugo began his minor league career that summer with the rookie-level Arizona League Dodgers, where he hit .353 with three home runs and 11 stolen bases in 42 games, before finishing the season with the Pioneer League's Ogden Raptors, batting .220 in 12 games.[16] In 2015, he advanced to full-season ball, starting with the Single-A Great Lakes Loons of the Midwest League (.329 average, five home runs in 66 games) and earning a midseason promotion to the High-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes of the California League (.293 average, four home runs in 58 games).[16] His performance that year, which included a .311 overall batting average, nine home runs, and 14 stolen bases across 124 games, led to him being named the Dodgers' Branch Rickey Minor League Player of the Year. Promoted to Double-A Tulsa Drillers of the Texas League in 2016, Verdugo batted .273 with 13 home runs and 126 games played, though he missed about two weeks due to a hamstring strain in June.[16][17] He reached Triple-A with the Oklahoma City Dodgers in 2017, posting a .314 batting average, six home runs, and nine stolen bases in 117 games, a season that positioned him as a top prospect and earned consideration for organizational minor league player of the year honors.[16][18] Verdugo repeated at Oklahoma City in 2018, hitting .329 with 10 home runs in 91 games before a late-season call-up.[16] Throughout his minor league progression, Verdugo developed as a left-handed-hitting corner outfielder, focusing on refining his plate discipline and defensive skills; his arm strength was rated as the best in the Dodgers' system by 2018, contributing to above-average marks in right field throws.[13] Minor injuries, such as the 2016 hamstring issue, represented occasional setbacks but did not significantly hinder his rapid ascent through the system.[17]Los Angeles Dodgers
Verdugo made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 1, 2017, starting in center field against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.[1] In his first game, he went hitless in three at-bats with one walk.[19] The following day, on September 2, he recorded his first career hit, a single to left field off Padres pitcher Bryan Mitchell.[20] In 15 games that September, Verdugo batted .174 with four hits, one home run, and one RBI, providing a glimpse of his potential as a young outfielder.[1] In 2018, Verdugo appeared in 37 games for the Dodgers, primarily as a reserve outfielder, hitting .260 with one home run and four RBIs.[6] His role expanded significantly in 2019, when he secured a spot on the Opening Day roster and played in 106 games, primarily in center and right field. That season, he posted a .294 batting average with 101 hits, 12 home runs, and 44 RBIs, emerging as a key contributor to the Dodgers' lineup with his contact-oriented approach and gap power.[6] Defensively, Verdugo demonstrated strong range and arm strength in the outfield, ranking second among National League left fielders in defensive runs saved with a 2.3 rating according to the SABR Defensive Index, which positioned him as a strong candidate for Gold Glove recognition despite not winning the award.[21] During the 2019 postseason, Verdugo played a supporting role for the Dodgers, who advanced to the National League Division Series but were eliminated by the Washington Nationals. In four NLDS games, he batted .316 with six hits, including one home run and three RBIs, while starting in right field and contributing solid defense.[6] His home run came in Game 1 against Nationals starter Max Scherzer, helping the Dodgers secure a 6-0 victory.[6] On February 10, 2020, the Dodgers traded Verdugo, along with Jeter Downs and Connor Wong, to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster deal that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles. The trade was part of a salary and roster retooling for the Dodgers, who sought Betts' superstar production in the outfield. Over his three seasons with the Dodgers from 2017 to 2019, Verdugo appeared in 158 games, compiling a .282 batting average with 14 home runs and 49 RBIs.[22] In the outfield, he posted a .989 fielding percentage across 97 games, with notable metrics including 12 outfield assists in 2019, highlighting his defensive reliability.[1]Boston Red Sox
Verdugo joined the Boston Red Sox via a trade from the Los Angeles Dodgers on February 10, 2020, as part of the blockbuster deal that also involved infielder Jeter Downs and catcher Connor Wong in exchange for outfielder Mookie Betts, pitcher David Price, and cash considerations.[6] In the COVID-19-shortened 2020 season, he quickly established himself as a key contributor, posting a .308 batting average with six home runs and 15 RBIs over 53 games while primarily playing left field.[6] His strong debut earned him 12th place in the American League Rookie of the Year voting, receiving one fifth-place vote for six points.[23] The 2021 season marked Verdugo's breakout year offensively, as he hit .289 with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs in 146 games, splitting time between left and right field.[6] He played a pivotal role in Boston's postseason run, batting .273 in the ALDS against the New York Yankees with a solo home run in Game 3, and delivering a crucial two-run double in Game 4 of the ALCS to tie the score against the Houston Astros.[24] These contributions helped the Red Sox advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2018.[6] In 2022, Verdugo maintained consistency despite an early-season fractured toe that hampered his start, finishing with a .280 average, 11 home runs, and 74 RBIs across 152 games while showcasing defensive versatility in all three outfield positions.[25] He experienced a midseason slump in July, where the team lost eight of 11 games, but rebounded to provide steady production in the lineup.[26] The 2023 campaign saw him battle minor injuries, including a groin strain in May and a hamstring issue in September, yet he still hit .264 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs in 142 games, continuing his role as a reliable outfield defender capable of covering left, right, and center field.[27] A late-summer slump contributed to trade rumors, but he ended the year on a solid note with a two-run double in the season finale.[28] Over his four seasons with the Red Sox, Verdugo appeared in 493 games, compiling a .281 batting average with 43 home runs and 206 RBIs, solidifying his reputation as a dependable everyday player.[29] His tenure concluded on December 5, 2023, when Boston traded him to the New York Yankees in a four-player deal that brought pitchers Richard Fitts and Greg Weissert, along with minor leaguer Nicholas Judice, to the Red Sox.[6]| Year | Games | Batting Average | Home Runs | RBIs | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 53 | .308 | 6 | 15 | 12th in AL ROY voting[23] |
| 2021 | 146 | .289 | 13 | 63 | Key postseason hits, including ALCS game-tying double[24] |
| 2022 | 152 | .280 | 11 | 74 | Fractured toe early; outfield versatility[25] |
| 2023 | 142 | .264 | 13 | 54 | Groin and hamstring injuries; late slump[27][28] |