Former Major League Baseball infielder Xavier Scruggs is set to appear as a contestant on the upcoming season of *The Traitors: New Blood*, bringing a blend of athletic pedigree and media savvy to the reality competition.
A career built on diverse leagues
Scruggs began his professional journey as the 68th overall pick in the 2008 draft by the St. Louis Cardinals after a standout college stint at UNLV. He made his MLB debut in 2014, returned the following year, and later signed with the Miami Marlins in 2016 before heading to the KBO League’s NC Dinos, where he spent two seasons before becoming a free agent in 2018.
After hanging up his glove in 2019, Scruggs transitioned into a diversity, equity and inclusion role with the Cardinals in 2021, a position that dovetailed with his growing presence as a baseball analyst on ESPN and MLB Network.
Since 2021 he has been a regular voice on ESPN’s MLB coverage, co‑hosting the weekday morning show *The Leadoff Spot* on SiriusXM, while also serving as the founder and CEO of Xtraordinary Athletes, a platform that assists retired athletes in rebranding and navigating post‑sport life.
Off the field, Scruggs is married to Jessica Scruggs, a strategic account executive at SOCi.ai, and the couple shares three children: Zeke, Xander and Zuri.
His participation in *The Traitors: New Blood* marks a new chapter, blending his competitive spirit with a public persona that now includes both analysis and advocacy, as he steps into the game’s strategic arena alongside a fresh cast of contestants.