NEW YORK - Eagle. Major Leaguer. Alex Carrillo is going to The Show. Carrillo is in Baltimore with the New York Mets and will be in the bullpen in Camden Yards to start the Mets' three game set with the Orioles. 

Carrillo, a member of the 2018 and 2019 teams, earned his call to Major League Baseball after dazzling in AAA with 5.2 innings of perfect pitching with 10 strikeouts and a 100 mile per hour fastball, going from AA to the MLB in just 14 days. 

For Carrillo, the rise has been a long time coming, but not surprising to anyone who knows him and his talent. As an Eagle, Carrillo posted a 3.79 ERA over 99.2 innings in his two seasons in the Gump with 101 strikeouts to just 35 walks and a .259 batting average against, earning first team All-SSAC honors in 2018. The native of West Covina, California started his professional career in 2019 starting in the Northwoods League playing for the St. Cloud Rox before signing with the Texas Rangers. Carrillo saw three appearances with the Arizona League side in rookie ball where he saw great success in limited outcomes with six strikeouts over 4.1 innings of work. 

After COVID, Carrillo joined the Frontier League with the New York Boulders before heading to Mexico and pitching two seasons for Quintana Roo from 2022-2023. He returned Stateside for baseball in 2024, pitching for the Washington WildThings in the Frontier League and posting a 3.38 ERA over 17 appearances. His stellar performance with the WildThings earned him a shot with the Venezuelan Winter League pitching for Tigres de Aragua and continuing his torrid form posting a 3.38 ERA and a 4-1 record.

Following the Winter League success, Carrillo earned another call from affiliated baseball, inking a contract with the New York Mets where he started the 2025 season in AA with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies where he posted a 4.19 ERA over 15 appearances with a 2-1 record, earning a call up to the Syracuse Mets on June 24.

"We knew that he had special stuff. We knew what he could be. He has proven himself in every league where he has played. Continually growing and working harder," Head Coach Patrick McCarthy said. "It is one of the most rewarding moments of my career, to see his success and tenacity. I've always dreamed of watching one of my guys on the big stage, and here we are. What others might not know about Alex is that he is a devoted husband, father, son and he follows Christ. This is a blessing for him, his family and for the entire Faulkner community! "

"I don't think there are words for how excited I am for him," Assistant Coach Mike Correa said. "His long journey, a lot of guys would've hung up a long time ago and then he stuck it out and what a testament to being resilient and hard-working! Originally starting with the Rangers, being let go, then going to Indy ball, then the Mexico league, and then just year after year, work after work, it all comes to fruition now. It couldn't happen to a better guy and it couldn't happen to a better kid."

"A God's promise Fulfilled," Assistant Coach Jonathan Villa said. "Not only to him, but to his wife, Danna, who's been through all of this from day one with him and his son, Aiden. A testament to the world that regardless of what the world says you should do, only God has the authority on what His plan is for you and the result of enduring hardship and not giving up in the process."

Villa caught for Carrillo before becoming assistant coach, but the connection goes much beyond that. "Alex, Danna and Aiden are not only me and Katie's friends. They're our chosen family and couldn't be more happy that the Lord has led them to this point. It fills my heart with true joy. It was 6 years ago that we got in the water together– Alex was the first person I had the blessing of God using me for him to receive the amazing gift of the Holy Spirit, so this feels like I can't even put it in words."

Carrillo and the Mets play at 5:35 central Tuesday night to open the three game series. Coverage will be on MLB.TV. Wednesday night's game will be broadcast on ESPN.