Phillies rookie Alex McFarlane carries the Virgin Islands with him
Philadelphia Phillies rookie reliever Alex McFarlane is turning heads with a 4-1 record and 1.08 ERA while carrying St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, on his sleeve—literally, with a "VI STRONG" tattoo from Hurricane Irma and Maria recovery. His July 22 MLB debut made him the 16th Virgin Islander in the majors, and fans back home are watching every pitch.
McFarlane, 25, keeps a Virgin Islands flag gaiter in his locker and says each outing is a chance to represent a community smaller than Citizens Bank Park's 42,901-seat capacity. St. Thomas counted 42,261 residents in the 2020 census, per the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Key Takeaways
- McFarlane debuted July 22 and is the 16th Virgin Islander to reach MLB, with a 4-1 record and 1.08 ERA through eight appearances.
- Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017 destroyed St. Thomas baseball fields, forcing him to finish high school in Georgia before Miami and a 2022 Phillies fourth-round draft pick.
- He struck out Mike Trout on three triple-digit fastballs and interim manager Don Mattingly sees higher-leverage bullpen roles ahead.
- Back home, McFarlane follows athletes like Aliyah Boston and Tim Duncan while inspiring a new generation of Phillies fans.
Why did Alex McFarlane leave the U.S. Virgin Islands for high school?
Category 5 hurricanes Irma and Maria hit the Caribbean in September 2017, two weeks apart. Baseball fields on St. Thomas were destroyed, and McFarlane lost a full year of the sport at age 16 while helping his family recover.
With no high school baseball on the island—only interisland youth play against teams from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and beyond—he moved to Habersham Central High School in north Georgia for his senior year. Coaches there helped him adjust to his first organized high school season after years of island-hopping tournaments.
How is Alex McFarlane performing for the Phillies?
McFarlane reached the majors on his third call-up after bullpen injuries, including Brad Keller and Caleb Kilian landing on the injured list, pushed Philadelphia to promote their top prospect permanently, Yahoo Sports reported.
Through eight appearances and 8.1 innings, he owns a 4-1 mark, 1.08 ERA, and eight strikeouts against four walks. On Aug. 29 against the Angels, he earned a win in a 5-3 comeback after a scoreless eighth inning lowered his ERA further.
His signature moment came facing Mike Trout: three fastballs, all triple digits, ending in a 101 mph swing-and-miss. Nine of 16 sinkers and four-seamers in that outing touched 100 mph or more.
What does home mean for McFarlane on the mound?
After watching St. Thomas rebuild, McFarlane tattooed "VI STRONG" on his left arm. He still texts teammates from island ball and knows kids back home may swap a childhood Red Sox loyalty—inherited from his mother—for Phillies fandom.
He points to WNBA star Aliyah Boston and Basketball Hall of Famer Tim Duncan as Virgin Island trailblazers. Fellow St. Thomas native Najer Victor pitches in the Angels' Triple-A system, and McFarlane hopes they share a big-league field soon.
For readers tracking breakout talent across industries—from sports to markets in our Fintech & Crypto Alerts hub—McFarlane's rise is a reminder that resilience off the field can fuel performance under the brightest lights.