Xavier Edwards

Xavier Edwards
Miami Marlins – No. 63
Second baseman
Born: (1999-08-09) August 9, 1999 (age 25)
Mineola, New York, U.S.
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
MLB debut
May 2, 2023, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through September 8, 2024)
Batting average.316
Home runs1
Runs batted in22
Teams

Xavier James Edwards (born August 9, 1999) is an American professional baseball infielder for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.

Amateur career

Edwards graduated from North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, Florida. As a senior, he batted .406 with 16 runs batted in, 24 stolen bases, and a .532 on-base percentage.[1] He committed to play college baseball at Vanderbilt University.[2]

Professional career

San Diego Padres

The San Diego Padres selected Edwards with the 38th overall pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, and he signed for $2.6 million.[3][4][5] He made his professional debut with the AZL Padres and was promoted to the Tri-City Dust Devils on August 8. In 45 total games with the two teams, Edwards slashed .346/.453/.409, with 16 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.[6]

In 2019, he began with the Fort Wayne TinCaps, earning Midwest League All-Star honors.[7][8] After slashing .336/.392/.414, with one home run, 30 RBIs, and 20 stolen bases in 77 games, he was promoted to the Lake Elsinore Storm on July 9.[9] In 46 games with Lake Elsinore, he hit .301/.349/.367 with 14 stolen bases.[10]

After the season, on October 10, 2019, he was selected for the United States national baseball team in the 2019 WBSC Premier 12.[11] In the tournament, he appeared in four games, hitting two singles and striking out three times in six at bats.[12]

Tampa Bay Rays

On December 6, 2019, Edwards, Hunter Renfroe, and a player to be named later (PTBNL) were traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth.[13] The PTBNL, Esteban Quiroz, was named in March 2020.[14] Rays pitcher Blake Snell infamously referred to Edwards as a "slapdick prospect" upon learning about the trade, later apologizing and explaining that his reaction was about losing his friend Pham to the Padres.[15]

Edwards did not play in 2020, due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] In 2021, he played for the Montgomery Biscuits, slashing .302/.377/.368, with 27 RBI and 19 stolen bases over 79 games.[17]

Miami Marlins

On November 15, 2022, Edwards was traded to the Miami Marlins along with J. T. Chargois in exchange for Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez.[18] The Marlins subsequently added him to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[19] Edwards was optioned to the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to begin the 2023 season.[20] He played in 20 games for Jacksonville, batting .306/.427/.361 with no home runs, 4 RBI, and 7 stolen bases.

On May 2, 2023, Edwards was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[21] On May 30, Edwards was again optioned to Jacksonville.[22] On September 1, he was brought back to the Marlins.[23] In 30 games for Miami in total, Edwards batted .295/.329/.333 with no home runs, three RBI, and five stolen bases. He hit a single in his only postseason at bat, scoring the Marlins' lone run in a series-ending loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on October 4, 2023.[24]

Edwards began the 2024 season on the 10-day injured list with a bacterial infection in his left foot.[25] He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on May 7.[26][27] On May 27, Edwards was activated and optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville.[28] He was recalled to Miami on June 7 and played in three games before being optioned back to Jacksonville on June 10. He was recalled to Miami on July 2.[29]

On July 28, 2024, Edwards hit his first career triple and home run in addition to hitting for the cycle in a 6–2 loss against the Milwaukee Brewers, becoming the second player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, after Luis Arráez on April 11, 2023, against the Phillies.[30][31]

See also

References

  1. ^ "North Broward Prep SS Xavier Edwards chosen by Padres in MLB draft". Sun Sentinel. July 17, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  2. ^ Kegan Lowe (September 23, 2017). "Xavier Edwards Excels on Day 1 of Wilson Premier Classic". Baseballamerica.com. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  3. ^ AJ Cassavell (May 24, 2018). "Padres pick Weathers, Edwards, Little on Day 1". MLB.com. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  4. ^ John Horvath (June 4, 2018). "Padres select prep SS Xavier Edwards with 38th overall selection". FOX Sports. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  5. ^ "Padres sign Xavier Edwards, Pick No. 38, for $2.6 million". The San Diego Union-Tribune. June 14, 2018. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  6. ^ "Xavier Edwards Stats, Highlights, Bio - MiLB.com Stats - The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved September 11, 2018.
  7. ^ "Talent-rich infield set to supply excitement | TinCaps". The Journal Gazette. April 4, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  8. ^ "Three TinCaps selected as All-Stars | East Village Times". Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  9. ^ "Edwards promoted to Lake Elsinore | TinCaps". The Journal Gazette. July 9, 2019. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  10. ^ "Xavier Edwards Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  11. ^ "USA Baseball Names Premier12 Roster". USA Baseball. October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  12. ^ "World Baseball Softball Confederation". World Baseball Softball Confederation. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  13. ^ "Padres Acquire OF Tommy Pham and INF/RHP Jake Cronenworth From Tampa Bay Rays". MLB.com. December 6, 2019. Retrieved December 6, 2019.
  14. ^ Marc Topkin (March 26, 2020). "Rays get Esteban Quiroz to complete deal with Padres". Tampabay.com. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Tolentino, Josh. "'Slap—- prospect?!' Blake Snell opens up about his viral comments on Twitch following Tommy Pham trade". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
  16. ^ "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  17. ^ "Prospect season in review: Rays' Edwards". MiLB.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  18. ^ "Marlins trade with Tampa Bay, add pitchers to 40-man roster". Associated Press. November 15, 2022. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  19. ^ "Marlins trade with Tampa Bay, add pitchers to 40-man roster". cbsnews.com. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  20. ^ "Marlins' Xavier Edwards: Among Tuesday's cuts". cbssports.com. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  21. ^ "Marlins' Xavier Edwards: Recalled from Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved May 2, 2023.
  22. ^ "Xavier Edwards". MLB.com.
  23. ^ "Xavier Edwards Stats, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  24. ^ "2023 National League Wild Card Series (NLWC) Game 2, Miami Marlins vs Philadelphia Phillies: October 4, 2023". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  25. ^ "Marlins' Xavier Edwards: Moves to injured list". cbssports.com. Retrieved May 9, 2024.
  26. ^ "Marlins send Anderson and Edwards to rehab with Jacksonville". MILB.com. May 18, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  27. ^ "Yamamoto goes 8 innings and Muncy hits early slam as Dodgers beat Marlins 8-2 for 6th straight win". ESPN.com. Associated Press. May 7, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  28. ^ "Marlins Designate Eli Villalobos For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  29. ^ "Xavier Edwards Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved July 30, 2024.
  30. ^ De Nicola, Christina (July 28, 2024). "Xavier Edwards hit for cycle". MLB.com. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
  31. ^ "Xavier Edwards second Marlins player ever to hit for cycle". ESPN.com. Associated Press. July 28, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
Achievements
Preceded by Hitting for the cycle
July 28, 2024 		Succeeded by