Born in Hialeah, Florida, on January 29, 1987, Alexander Thomas Avila, would go onto play baseball at the University of Alabama, and, in 2005 was drafted by my team, the Detroit Tigers, making his big league debut on August 6, 2009, going 2 for 4 vs the Baltimore Orioles.
Alex is one of my favorite Tigers backstops, a tough guy who has been hit by more vicious foul balls than any other Detroit catcher in my lifetime...at least it seems that way.
Of all Alex's accomplishments, the one he probably remembers as his finest acheivement was catching former teammate Justin Verlander's 2nd career no hitter in 2011.
One of the great things about Alex as a Tigers player was fans getting him elected through the Final Vote to the All-Star Game in 2011.
2011 was really Alex at his best, catching the Verlander no hitter, making the ASG, and then winning the Silver Slugger Award, as the best hitting catcher in the A.L., when he batted .295, with 19 HRs, 82 RBI, with a .506 slugging percentage.
Alex played for the Tigers from 2009 until 2015, when he was signed as a free agent to play for the Chicago White Sox.
In 2016 Alex came back to the Tigers, and had one of his most productive years as a Tigers player in just 77 games before being traded, by his Dad, Tigers GM Al Avila, to the Chicago Cubs.
Update...
I asked Gummy Arts if he would draw me a Alex card too add after coming across a post today.
He made me this.
Gummy does a great job every day of celebrating baseball through his drawings... give him a follow!
Alex, I believe, is still unsigned to play in 2018, and I'd smile quite a bit if he was brought back to my Tigers this year.
Happy Baseball Birthday! Alex Avila....GO TIGERS! 🐯⚾️
Play Ball!
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