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Blue Jays' Anthony Alford out for 3-6 weeks with hamstring injury

Anthony Alford had a tough break on Friday. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Anthony Alford had a tough break on Friday. (Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

One of the Toronto Blue Jays’ rising stars hit a roadblock on Friday as Anthony Alford went down with a hamstring strain.

Alford was having a very strong spring slashing .323/.313/.645 with six extra-base hits in 31 at-bats. The 23-year-old didn’t figure to crack the team’s Opening Day roster, but looked like a promising option to fill in if any of the regulars were injured.

Thanks to plus athleticism and a surprisingly refined approach at the plate for a former football player, Alford ranks behind just the dynamic duo of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette among Blue Jays prospects and between 47th and 60th on major league-wide lists. He profiles as a starting centre fielder, who might even be a top-of-the-lineup hitter thanks to his top-end speed and batting eye.

Alford hit .299/.390/.406 in 324 trips to the plate across three minor-league level last year with five home runs and 19 steals. In the offseason, he played in the Mexican Pacific Winter League where he slashed .352/.386/.505 in 26 games. He also went 1-for-8 with a double in a brief MLB cameo.

Alford has struggled with injuries in the past — like a broken wrist last season and a concussion in 2016 — but nothing related to his current ailment.

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