Alexandre rises from small town Saskatchewan to big city stage at T12

Swift Current 57s and Team Saskatchewan INF Brody Alexandre (Swift Current, Sask.) has five RBIs in two games at this year’s Tournament 12. Photo: Tyler King

September 20, 2019

By Lukas Weese

Canadian Baseball Network

Brody Alexandre fondly remembers his rural roots. Growing up in Swift Current, Sask., a population of 16,604 people, the sleepy city is famous for potash, hockey and curling.

“We don’t have much in my hometown when it comes to baseball,” said Alexandre after Team Orange and Team Maroon tied at four apiece. “There are no batting cages in Swift Current to practice your hitting during the winter. The only time to prepare for summer baseball is to rent a gym.”

Alexandre would often lace up the skates and play shinny with his friends on hockey ponds. He was eager to participate in as many sports as he could. But a sport that lacks commercialization and popularity in Saskatchewan would be the one that the Swift Current native would begin to embrace and pursue. Baseball, a sport that saw a significant rise in participatory levels in Ontario and Quebec, was not the popular sport of choice in Saskatchewan when Alexandre was growing up.

The small town Saskatchewanian has now ascended to the big stage at Rogers Centre, home of Canada’s lone franchise the Toronto Blue Jays. A ballpark that boasts a capacity of 49,282, Alexandre gets to showcase his skills and talent, as a participant in the Tournament 12 Showcase.

This is his second consecutive year competing in the tournament. The first time, Alexandre admits, were filled with nerves as he adjusted to the big league stadium coming from a small town.

“Last year, I was one of the younger guys so I was nervous playing on a big stage,” said Alexandre. “Growing up where I came from, I wasn’t used to playing in massive ballparks like this.”

Now, Alexandre is brimming with confidence at the T12 Showcase. Over the course of the first two days, the youngster has two hits and five RBIs in two games played. Hitting a .375 batting average over that stretch, Alexandre demonstrates a solid swing that can get timely hits.

A student of the game, Alexandre has been inquiring on ways to improve his hitting from Toronto Blue Jays alumni coach and former outfielder for the team from 1981-1989, Jesse Barfield.

The former All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Winner was very impressed working with Alexandre thus far.

“It’s a compact swing,” said Barfield. “He uses his legs well, which often takes time for Canadian baseball players to develop.”

The affinity for rising up and performing above expectations has always been in Alexandre’s DNA. A few years ago, playing against the Regina Red Sox in the Saskatchewan Premier Baseball League, Alexandre hit three home runs in one game. A feat that he had never done before in his young career.

“After that game, I recognized that I was very good at baseball and if I put the work in, I could get even better,” said Alexandre.

Alexandre recognizes that there are areas where he needs to improve, particularly in speed and defence. As one scout said, “once he enhances his quickness, he will be a solid infielder because he can hit the ball well.” Alexandre will look to use the knowledge gained from speaking to the coaches so that he can hone his skills on getting players out on a more consistent basis.

In a banner year for the 16-year-old where he recorded his first hit in the Western Canadian Baseball League for the Swift Current 57’s, Alexandre has committed to playing for the Langley Blaze - a youth baseball team with notable alumni such as Tyler O’Neill (current outfielder for the St. Louis Cardinals) and Brett Lawrie (former Toronto Blue Jay from 2011-2014).

Alexandre hopes to use his story to inspire other Saskatchewan residents to get involved in the game of baseball.

“When I first started playing, not many people were talking about baseball. It was always hockey,” said Alexandre. “As I got older, a lot of us started to excel in baseball from Saskatchewan. Younger kids from the province are now wanting to be just like us.”

Far removed from his early days playing baseball on the Saskatchewan plains, Alexandre is ready to tackle bigger challenges in grander stadiums.

A hockey and curling province may have just found their rising summer athlete.