Courtesy Texas Rangers
For Tyler Alexander, pitching for the Texas Rangers isn't just another stop in a professional baseball career — it's a return to the place that helped shape him.
The Southlake Carroll graduate and TCU alum has spent eight years building a Major League career across the Midwest and Northeast before finding himself back in North Texas, this time wearing a Rangers uniform. Now settled in Aledo full-time with his wife, Alexander is rediscovering the places, people and traditions that made the area feel like home long before he ever stepped on a big-league mound.
Whether it's reconnecting with former coaches, revisiting favorite restaurants, or learning from some of baseball's biggest names, Alexander is embracing a homecoming years in the making.
COMING HOME TO NORTH TEXAS MEANS… finally getting to enjoy the house we bought in Aledo back in 2021. For years it was mostly an offseason home. Now we actually get to live here.
SOUTHLAKE STILL FEELS LIKE HOME... because so many of the places and people are still part of our lives. We go back quite a bit. Sushi Sam is our favorite sushi spot. My wife still gets her nails done in Southlake. I still love stopping by Duff's when I can. Feedstore is legendary. Every time we're in the area there's always something that brings us back.
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE… like making the drive to the Roanoke Babe's [Chicken Dinner House.] There are two locations closer to our house, but that's the one we always go to. My father-in-law lives in Trophy Club, and my wife loves spending time in the Stockyards, so we're constantly finding reasons to be around the area.
I’M ACTUALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO… the Texas heat. A lot of people probably think that's crazy, but it's nostalgic for me. It reminds me of being a kid, running around all day, playing baseball and having fun. I've spent so much time in Detroit [where I was drafted] and the Northeast since college, and while those summers are beautiful, there's just something about Texas heat that feels like home.
THE RANGERS PITCHING STAFF IS SPECIAL... because we have such a good mix of experience and young talent. You've got veterans like Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi, guys who have done everything in this game, and then young studs like Jack Leiter and Kumar Rocker. The bullpen has been phenomenal too. Everybody knows their role and takes pride in doing their job.
LEARNING FROM DEGROM AND EOVALDI… has been pretty surreal. Those guys were pitching in the big leagues when I was still in high school. When I first got here, I spent a lot of time watching them work and getting to know them. They're elite pitchers, but they're also just great people. They're human beings, not robots, and they've been incredibly helpful.
WHAT STANDS OUT MOST ABOUT THIS CLUBHOUSE… is the people. The players, coaches, and staff have all been awesome. From the moment I arrived, everyone made me feel welcome. It's a great group to be around every day.