Credit: Padres

Alex McCoy went undrafted in the 2024 MLB Draft. The San Diego Padres signed the young right-handed hitter after the draft, and he is really progressing. 

At the age of 24, Alex McCoy is enjoying his baseball career.

The right-handed hitter broke out last year with the Lake Elsinore Storm, producing a .907 OPS in 195 at-bats late in the season.

McCoy brings a rare combination of speed and power to the baseball diamond. At 6-foot-6 and 260 lbs., McCoy is a sight to see on the field. Most teams do not recognize his speed until he swipes a bag off them. Athleticism oozes from his body. There is an excellent upside with this young player.

The native of Maryland’s earliest memories of the game involve his family. “I remember my sister playing tee-ball. I saw her play and went to all her games and practices. We would hit off the tee when I was like two or three years old. Once I got old enough, my mom signed me up for tee-ball, too. I can remember hitting home runs in the small back fields and after school. At four years old, it all kicked-started for me,” McCoy tells EVT this week. He laughed, thinking about that time when he first fell in love with the game.

The high school years for McCoy were busy as he played baseball, football, and basketball. He even played soccer in his senior year, showing excellent athleticism. “I went to a smaller private school. We didn’t have enough numbers for the football team, so they asked me, and I played a few games when I could,” McCoy explains. His stature and natural athletic abilities allowed him to try different sports, but baseball was always his love. “I didn’t really love football all that much. I just played it because I had the size.”

You would expect McCoy to have been highly recruited out of high school, but he was not. It was a slow process for the young outfielder who struggled initially to find his way in the sport. “In high school, I really didn’t know about the recruiting process. During my junior year, I talked to a Division-II school named the University of Salem (West Virginia). That was my only offer,” McCoy tells EVT. It took some time, but he found his way into collegiate athletics at the Division-I level. “I got a walk-on offer at James Madison for football and an offer from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. I chose to go there out of high school, not knowing much about the school.”

At Easter Shore, McCoy found it challenging. The school’s athletic program was not its forte. He played two years in the program but failed to grow as a player. The coaching staff and the young outfielder did not mesh well. “It didn’t really pan out there,” McCoy explains. Not that he had any issues there. It just wasn’t the right fit for him. McCoy managed a .705 OPS in his junior season at the school, and that was not good enough. The difficulties of going to school and playing baseball were wearing on him.

In the summer league of 2023, the outfielder/first baseman broke out hugely. He put up a .976 OPS in 41 games. He also stole 40 bases and drove in 24 runs. It was coming together for the right-handed hitter who put up a .372 average that season for the Waynesboro Generals.

“That summer, I had a lot to prove to people. I stayed with my host family and Robbie Cook. He is a coach as well. Me and him would just sit and talk baseball. We would talk about how I could get better. He always told me to keep things simple. Throughout my career, I always tried to do too much,” McCoy explains in a deep booming voice. “That summer, I learned that I could run and hit for power. He told me I had all the tools and not to try and do too much. Just have fun.”

Credit: Lake Elsinore Storm

With a new sense of identity, McCoy hit the transfer portal in hopes of a breakout in his senior collegiate season. His goal was to play professional baseball, but he needed the right opportunity to enrich his game. “It was late in the summer; I talked to like two schools. I spoke to George Mason University. We played them a lot. I emailed the first base coach, and he knew who I was. He wasn’t at George Mason anymore, but said he could put me through to some schools. He sent me his number, and he sent my video to the Hofstra coaches. It went from there. The head coach there is Frank Catalanotto, a former big leaguer. He has been there before,” McCoy said.

Catalanotto was an excellent professional player, spending 14 years in the majors and compiling over 1,100 hits for five different organizations. McCoy was looking for mentorship, and he got it with the Hofstra coach. The two men gelled well together as McCoy put up a .893 OPS at Hofstra in 56 games and 222 at-bats. His power came to fruition as the right-handed hitter slugged 11 homers and drove in 44 runs. “Leaving Eastern Shore, I found that spark again,” McCoy explains. It was a great feeling to play the game and have fun.

After his senior season, the Cincinnati Reds worked out the outfielder at their stadium. He talked to scouts from the organization as they raved about his athleticism. McCoy was getting some buzz as the draft approached. It was surreal. “The Padres were my first actual workout. I did a live workout and did really well. I hit a home run in a game situation and ran a 6.5, 60-yard dash,” McCoy tells EVT. He liked his time with the organization as he felt great comfort. “Being there, it just felt like home. I had that weird feeling that I was here, where I was supposed to be.”

After the 2024 season, Alex McCoy expected to play pro ball. The MLB Draft came and went, but he was not selected. The Padres were in contact throughout the process and assured him that they would sign him. “The Padres took me right when Day 3 (of the MLB Draft) was over. My big thing was to go where you are wanted. From the beginning, they (the Padres) had interest and communication. They always showed they wanted me,” McCoy said proudly. The family man loved the fact that the Padres treated him with respect from the get-go.” I am so happy for Alex and his family,” said Hofstra head coach Frank Catalanotto. “He put in a lot of hard work to prepare for this moment, and we wish him all the best in his professional career. The Padres are getting a special player.”

Alex McCoy brings a combination of baseball and classroom skills to the Padres. During his lone season with Hofstra, he earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Honors and was a member of the Hofstra Dean’s List each semester. He does not take his work on the field or in the classroom lightly. That will carry him far as he attempts to get better at the game he loves so dearly.

Credit: Lake Elsinore Storm

The undrafted outfielder started his career in 2025 as he first played in the Arizona backfields during rehab. He did not begin the year in full-season ball, as injuries prevented him from opening the year with the Storm. That further motivated him. “Not being drafted did give me a little chip on my shoulder, but at the end of the day, once you are here, you are in the same place. We are all in the same place and take the same path to the big leagues. It is just about who can survive,” McCoy explains. Each time he is counted out, he rebounds with great intensity and achievement. Do not count this man out.

Wearing that Padres’ uniform for the first time is a core moment for this young player. He loved it. “It was pretty crazy. It still hasn’t really set in. Every time I put the jersey on, I think about the fact that I could be in school or I could be working. It is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Every day I go into the complex, and it’s insane. I play for the Padres,” McCoy said proudly.

With a large frame, his swing mechanics will always need to be adjusted. His approach right now is transparent. “I keep it simple. See the ball and be on time,” McCoy explains in a deep, serious voice. The large outfielder needed to work on his craft as the 2025 season began. “I think early in the season, I didn’t have that approach, but as I worked with coaches, it came to me. Just simplify and see the ball. When you see the ball, good things happen. You cut out so many other things.”

His mechanics come down to a few things right now. “I have always struggled with separation in my swing. I tend to bring my hands with me a lot, and that tends to speed the ball up. When I am going bad, I miss my pitch doing that stuff. I want to be in my swing more by getting the separation down,” McCoy explains. He is tall and has long arms. This is an issue most players built like him have, but he is aware. “I’ve been doing a lot of separation drills and trying to get more out of my swing. If I do this, the results will be better.”

To think of his numbers improving is an exciting thought for Padres fans. He will make changes as the coming season is an exciting time for the young prospect. “At the plate, I am trying to take advantage of pitches over the plate and not miss my pitch. Capitalize on the pitcher’s mistakes. If I can tie all these things together heading into spring training, then it is going to be a great year,” McCoy said with confidence.

In college, McCoy played outfield for the most part, though he is listed as a right-handed pitcher as well in his Eastern Shore biography. The Padres are utilizing McCoy at first base as well as the outfield. First base is a position he has familiarity with, as McCoy played 69 games at the position in college. “I will go wherever they want me to go. I played first base in instructs this past year and loved it. Even though I can play outfield, I do like the shorter run to first base. I can’t beat that short run (referring to the closeness to the dugout in between innings),” said McCoy with a laugh.

Lake Elsinore Storm

Alex McCoy has 121 career steals throughout his time in college and pro ball. That seems unreal, being that he weighs close to 270 lbs. “If I am a pitcher and I see a guy my size, I am going to think that he can’t steal. Typically, if they are not familiar with who I am, I will steal first or second pitch. I can get to that bag and slide earlier, being that I am a longer guy. I do that and just get that hand in there before the tag,” McCoy explains.

Strength will always be a plus for the right-handed hitter. He is beginning to really tap into his mechanics, and that is an exciting thing. It is unreal how large McCoy got after a strength camp. He could be a mashing first baseman when it is all said and done. “I tend to put on muscle weight quickly. I came back from this strength camp at like 290 (lbs.),” McCoy said. He is learning to balance out the added muscle to optimize his playing weight moving forward. “That (290 lbs.) is not the best weight to be at in this sport to move quickly and take the best routes to the ball. I am just being smarter with eating and lifting. I am becoming more flexible and mobile,” McCoy tells EVT.

Motivation is a game in the game of baseball. Especially for a minor leaguer. It can be difficult to put your best foot forward each day.

Alex McCoy utilizes his family to give him strength when times are tough. “My parents. Especially my mom. My parents are separated but still have a good relationship. But my mom- I lived with her for all my life, and the sacrifices that she made. Getting me to practice and putting me in school. Baseball is not a cheap sport when you are playing travel ball and all that. I just want to pay it all back to her. I know she is proud of me now, but I want her to be happier and even more proud of me down the road. Every time I go out there, it is me trying to give her that moment where she doesn’t have to work anymore,” McCoy explains.

In Lake Elsinore, McCoy became really close with Kavares Tears. The two bonded as Tears helped McCoy transition to life as a pro ball player. Though they are essentially the same age and from the same draft class, Tears comes from a highly decorated school like Tennessee. “He has been in the spotlight before. He is my roommate, and we were talking about it (being in the spotlight). Just having a guy like that around is nice because he has been there before. He knows how to deal with the crowd and the pressure,” McCoy said.

His goals are all about the team and earning wins. His personal goals are very simple. “I am working on jumps and first moves with my defense. Just trying to be a solid defender all around. I also want to be healthy the whole year with no hiccups,” McCoy said. Above all, his priority is to enjoy himself in his first full season. He is living the dream. ” I want to have fun and enjoy every moment of it. One day it will be over, and I cannot take anything for granted.”

James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. James has written about the Padres and their prospects for over a decade. He also writes about San Diego State as well as other local sports. James is the Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.

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