De Aza Named ALPB Player of the Week

11 hits during week featuring milestones and records earns league honors

WALDORF, MD – Blue Crabs outfielder Alejandro De Aza was named Atlantic League Pitcher of the Week for the week of August 25-30. It is the third consecutive week that a Blue Crabs player has won a weekly award after pitchers Ian Kahaloa and Connor Overton won in previous weeks.

De Aza is the second Southern Maryland position player and the fifth player overall to earn a weekly award this season, joining the previously mentioned Kahaloa and Overton, relief pitcher Isaac Fix, and outfielder Danny Bautista Jr.

De Aza was a steady presence in the leadoff spot during the Blue Crabs series win against the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. Over six games, De Aza batted .478 with 11 hits including a home run and two doubles. He led the league with 11 RBI last week while also scoring seven runs. He posted an impressive .571 on-base percentage and .696 slugging percentage.

In the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader, he surpassed 1,000 total bases in his Atlantic League career. He became the 24th player in league history to accomplish the feat and the third player to do so after time with the Blue Crabs, joining Jeremy Owens and James Shanks. On Tuesday, he notched the 150th double of his ALPB career.

On Sunday afternoon, he delivered an RBI double that drove in Ryan McCarthy to set the franchise season runs record, passing the previous mark of 759 runs which was set in 2009.

At the end of last week, the 42-year-old veteran owned a .300 batting average with six home runs and 46 RBI over 60 games. After playing in Tuesday’s contest, he is five games away from appearing in 600 Atlantic League contests.

De Aza is playing in his 24th professional season, seventh in the Atlantic League, and second with the Blue Crabs. He played 10 Major League seasons with the Marlins, White Sox, Orioles, Red Sox, Giants, Mets, and Nationals. He previously played in the Atlantic League with New Britain, Lancaster, Long Island, and Staten Island. The Guaymate, Dominican Republic native began his professional career after signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent in May 2001.

The Southern Maryland Blue Crabs have been proud members of the Atlantic League since 2008, the fourth-longest tenured team in the league. With a proud tradition of success on and off the field, many players have found a home while playing in front of Crustacean Nation, the nickname for the Blue Crabs’ avid fanbase. A host of former Major Leaguers have played for the Blue Crabs, including Chien-Ming Wang, Pat Mahomes Sr., and team legend Daryl Thompson. Many players have also made it to the Major Leagues after playing with Southern Maryland, including Isaac Mattson of the Pittsburgh Pirates. 2026 marks the 18th season of Blue Crabs baseball at Regency Furniture Stadium, where Clawsome Times Await.