Alan Eric Roden (born December 22, 1999) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball (MLB).
High school and college
Roden attended Middleton High School in Middleton, Wisconsin and played college baseball at Creighton University. In 2022, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League. In three years at Creighton, Roden recorded a .383 batting average, 14 home runs, 94 runs batted in (RBI), and 13 stolen bases. He also walked more than he struck out, with 49 and 27 respectively.
He earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics with a concentration in astrophysics from Creighton in 2022. He was a 2020-21 recipient of a NASA Nebraska Space Grant.
Professional career
Minor leagues
Roden was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft, and received a $497,500 signing bonus He made his professional debut that year with the Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays, appearing in 25 games and hitting .233 with one home run and nine RBI. He started 2023 with the High-A Vancouver Canadians before being promoted to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. In 115 combined games, Roden batted .317 with 10 home runs, 68 RBI, and 24 stolen bases. Roden began the 2024 season with New Hampshire and was later promoted to the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, where he was named the International League's Player of the Month for August after leading the league in hits with 34. He finished the season with a .293 batting average, 16 home runs, 75 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 126 games.
Toronto Blue Jays
Roden was invited to 2025 spring training by the Blue Jays, and recorded a .423 batting average. On March 23, 2025, manager John Schneider informed Roden he had made the Opening Day roster. His contract was officially selected on March 27. On April 15, Roden hit his first-ever major league home run against the Atlanta Braves in a 6-3 home win.