Alex Sanchez (pitcher)


Alex Anthony Sanchez is an American former pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played professionally for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Early life

Sanchez was born in Concord, California and attended Antioch High School. In high school, he was named A-East Bay and All-Northern California for two years. USA Today named Sanchez one of the top 25 pro prospects, and he was drafted by the Chicago Cubs out of high school. Sanchez elected to attend the University of California, Los Angeles instead.

College career

At UCLA, he set a single season all-time record for having 16 wins in one season in 1986. He was named co-Player of the Year in the Pac 10, and first team All-America by Baseball America in 1986. After the 1986 season, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Harwich Mariners of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Professional career

Sanchez was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round of the 1987 Major League Baseball Draft. He was named Pitcher of the Year for the International League in 1989 while playing for the Syracuse Chiefs. He played for the Blue Jays for the 1989 Major League Baseball season. On September 24, 1990, Sanchez was traded to the Cleveland Indians. He was traded back to the Blue Jays on November 6, 1990.
Sanchez signed with the Kansas City Royals in 1992 and played with their minor league affiliates until 1993. In 1994 and 1995, he played with the minor league affiliates of the San Diego Padres, Seattle Mariners and the Oakland Athletics.

Awards and honors

He was inducted into the Antioch Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

Personal

Sanchez was high school teammates with Chicago Cubs pitcher Jeff Pico and PGA Tour golfer Larry Silveira.