alexander was then selected by the kansas city royals in the sixth round of the 2010 major league baseball draft and signed with them on june 11, 2010 for a $130,000 signing bonus. he made his professional debut that season with the idaho falls chukars of the pioneer baseball league, where he was 1–6 with a 5.73 era in 12 games (11 starts). he subsequently missed the entire 2011 season due to left shoulder surgery and returned in 2012 to pitch in 10 games (six starts) for the kane county cougars of the midwest league where he had a 2.55 era.