Xavier Edwards

Xavier Edwards's Biography

Xavier James Edwards, born on August 9, 1999, has established a successful career as an American professional baseball player. Currently playing the infield for the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball (MLB), Edwards has made a considerable impact on the sport since his MLB debut in 2023. Born and raised in Florida, Edwards’ talent for baseball began to show during his time at North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek. Despite being a senior, he exhibited astonishing competitiveness on the field with a batting average of .406. His extraordinary performance also incorporated 16 runs batted in, 24 stolen bases, and an impressive on-base percentage of .532. This saw him secure a commitment to play college baseball at the esteemed Vanderbilt University.

The San Diego Padres, recognizing Edwards’ athletic excellence, selected him as the 38th overall pick in the 2018 Major League Baseball draft. Following his signing, which valued $2.6 million, Edwards made his outstanding professional debut with the AZL Padres and earned a promotion to the Tri-City Dust Devils on August 8. His remarkable games with the two teams included an impressive combination of performances, batting .346/.453/.409 with 16 RBIs and 22 stolen bases.

Edwards’ career progressed with phenomenal speed, beginning 2019 with the Fort Wayne TinCaps. His exceptional play saw him earning Midwest League All-Star honors. Upon batting .336/.392/.414 with 30 RBIs and 20 stolen bases across 77 games, Edwards got promoted to the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm. His run of great form continued at Lake Elsinore, batting .301/.349/.367 and adding 14 stolen bases.

Notably, on October 10, 2019, Edwards received the high honor of selection for the United States national baseball team in the 2019 WBSC Premier 12. Here, he competed in four games, delivering two singles and striking out three times.

In a significant trade on December 6, 2019, Edwards together with Hunter Renfroe, and PTBNL (later identified as Esteban Quiroz in March 2020) were exchanged for Tommy Pham and Jake Cronenworth with the Tampa Bay Rays. Following the trade, Edwards faced an inactive year in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of the Minor League Baseball season.

However, in 2021, Edwards demonstrated his resilience by playing for the Montgomery Biscuits, once again impressing audiences with a batting .302/.377/.368, producing 27 RBIs and 19 stolen bases in 79 games. The course of Edwards’ promising career took another turn on November 15, 2022, when he was traded to the Miami Marlins with J. T. Chargois for Marcus Johnson and Santiago Suarez. The Marlins immediately added him to their 40-man roster, making a protective move to secure him from the Rule 5 draft.

Edwards got optioned to the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp to commence the 2023 season. Here, he excelled in 20 games with a batting of .306/.427/.361 with no home runs, 4 RBI, and 7 stolen bases. In May 2023, Edwards received his first major league call-up. He played 30 games for the Marlins that season, hitting .295/.329/.333 with 3 RBIs and five stolen bases.

Edwards’ 2024 season unfortunately began on shaky ground as a bacterial infection in his left foot saw him placed on the 10-day disability list. He was later moved to the 60-day list before returning to the field in late May. Yet, in a remarkable comeback, Edwards hit his first triple and home run while completing the cycle in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 28 of the same year. This feat marked Edwards as only the second player in franchise history to hit for the cycle, joining Luis Arráez who did so on April 11, 2023.

In conclusion, Xavier Edwards’ early career, characterized by impressive performances, rapid promotions, and unique feats, displays his exceptional talent as a professional baseball player. Despite adversities and changes, Edwards undoubtedly remains an athlete to watch in Major League Baseball.