{{short description|Venezuelan baseball player (born 1978)}} {{For|the Colombian footballer|Álex Escobar}} {{for|the Brazilian presenter|Alex Escobar (presenter)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}} {{BLP sources|date=January 2009}} {{Infobox baseball biography |image= |name=Alex Escobar |position=Outfielder |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{Birth date and age|1978|9|6}} |birth_place=Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=May 8 |debutyear=2001 |debutteam=New York Mets |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=August 25 |finalyear=2006 |finalteam=Washington Nationals |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.258 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=13 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=52 |teams= *New York Mets ({{mlby|2001}}) *Cleveland Indians ({{mlby|2003}}–{{mlby|2004}}) *Washington Nationals ({{mlby|2006}}) }} '''Alexander José Escobar''' [ess-COE-bar] (born September 6, 1978) is a Venezuelan former Major League Baseball outfielder.
==Career== Escobar was signed by the Mets as a non-draft amateur free agent in {{By|1995}} and made his debut in {{By|2001}}. At the end of the season, he was traded to the Indians as part of an eight-player deal that sent Roberto Alomar to the Mets. Escobar missed the entire {{By|2002}} season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during Spring Training. In {{By|2003}}, he recovered from a slow start at Triple-A Buffalo Bisons and played 28 games, collecting 24 home runs and 78 runs batted in.
In the minors, Escobar was an All-Star in the 'AAA' International, 'AA' Eastern, and 'AA' South Atlantic leagues. He also was selected by Baseball America to join the 1998 All-Stars team.
Escobar was demoted by the Nationals during spring training after hitting just .103 (3-for-29) with two RBIs. He said he was not getting enough playing time in spring training. "I'm not swinging the bat. I have to work my way back," Escobar said. "I'm getting used to being on the field every day. It's a combination of everything." Baseball America rated him as a top prospect for three years.<ref>[http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/organization-top-10-prospects/2009/267356.html "New York Mets"], at baseballamerica.com</ref>
==See also== *List of players from Venezuela in Major League Baseball
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links== {{Baseballstats |mlb= |espn=4610 |br=e/escobal01 |fangraphs= |brm=escoba001ale }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Escobar, Alex}} Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:Binghamton Mets players Category:Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Category:Capital City Bombers players Category:Caribes de Anzoátegui players Category:Cleveland Indians players Category:Columbus Clippers players Category:Gulf Coast Mets players Category:Gulf Coast Nationals players Category:Harrisburg Senators players Category:Kingsport Mets players Category:Major League Baseball players from Venezuela Category:Major League Baseball right fielders Category:Navegantes del Magallanes players Category:New York Mets players Category:Norfolk Tides players Category:Potomac Nationals players Category:Baseball players from Valencia, Venezuela Category:St. Lucie Mets players Category:Tiburones de La Guaira players Category:Venezuelan expatriate baseball players in the United States Category:Washington Nationals players