Xavier Scruggs: Age, MLB Career, Analyst Career, The Traitors: New Blood Status & Elimination
Xavier Scruggs entered The Traitors: New Blood with a professional athlete's competitive instincts and years of experience studying baseball from both sides of the field. The former Major League first baseman later built a second career in sports broadcasting, working with ESPN and MLB Network.
His experience made the game's new Accomplice twist particularly interesting. Xavier was selected alongside Katie Fites to compete for a place among the Traitors. He immediately chose an aggressive route, putting Katie's name into circulation in an attempt to make himself the more attractive recruit.
That plan ultimately worked against him. Xavier and Katie both completed the secret death-warrant task, so Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams had to choose one of them. They recruited Katie and Xavier was murdered, making him the second player murdered during the season and the first contestant eliminated by the new Accomplice recruitment twist.
Exit: Episode 3
Exit method: Murdered after losing the Traitor recruitment decision
Pre-show preferred role: Traitor
Game distinction: Chosen as an Accomplice candidate, but never became an official Traitor
Final placement: Eliminated before the main game could continue for him
Latest Episode Update: Xavier Is Murdered After Katie Is Chosen
Xavier's elimination was tied directly to the season's Accomplice twist. Tomica and Joe had selected Xavier and Katie as the two contestants who would compete for the third Traitor position. Both successfully completed the death-warrant task, which meant the original Traitors could choose which player to recruit and which one to remove.
They selected Katie. Xavier was then murdered face-to-face by the Traitors, ending his run without ever becoming a Traitor himself. The elimination was shown in Episode 3, while the fallout from his strategy continued into Episode 4 as other contestants tried to interpret the names and suspicions he had left behind.
Xavier Scruggs Quick Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Xavier Ladel Scruggs |
| Age | 39 as of September 23, 2026; 38 when the season cast was announced |
| Born | September 23, 1987 |
| Birthplace | Whittier, California |
| Hometown on The Traitors | Wesley Chapel, Florida |
| Occupation | MLB Analyst / Baseball Analyst |
| Former Career | Major League Baseball first baseman |
| MLB Teams | St. Louis Cardinals, Miami Marlins |
| College | University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
| The Traitors Role | Faithful; later selected as an Accomplice candidate |
| Outcome | Murdered after Katie Fites was recruited as the third Traitor |
| Exit Episode | Episode 3 |
| Self-Declared Superlative | Most Infectious Smile |
Who Is Xavier Scruggs?
Xavier Scruggs is a former Major League Baseball player who transitioned from professional baseball into sports media and baseball operations. MLB identifies him as an analyst appearing across MLB Network programming, while ESPN lists him as a baseball analyst contributing to Baseball Tonight, College World Series coverage, Little League coverage and MLB telecasts.
He was born in California and represented Wesley Chapel, Florida on The Traitors: New Blood. His combination of playing experience, broadcasting work and baseball analysis gave him a distinctive background among the 22-person civilian cast. NBCUniversal officially listed him as an MLB analyst in the show's cast announcement.
Xavier Scruggs' Baseball Career
Scruggs attended Poway High School in California before playing college baseball at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Seattle Mariners selected him in the 50th round of the 2005 amateur draft, but he chose college instead. The St. Louis Cardinals later selected him in the 19th round of the 2008 MLB Draft.
He reached the Major Leagues with St. Louis in 2014. MLB records credit him with 50 MLB games, 27 hits, one home run and 14 RBIs across three seasons, including time with the Miami Marlins.
MLB debut: September 4, 2014, with the St. Louis Cardinals.
MLB career: 50 games, 27 hits, 1 home run and 14 RBIs.
Position: First baseman.
Bats/throws: Right/right.
His Career After Major League Baseball
Scruggs continued playing professional baseball after leaving MLB, including two seasons with the NC Dinos in South Korea's KBO League. ESPN's biography credits him with 61 home runs and 208 RBIs during his KBO career. He also played professionally in Mexico.
His transition away from playing eventually led into broadcasting and baseball analysis. MLB Network identifies him as an analyst, while ESPN lists a broad range of baseball assignments. In 2021, he also joined the St. Louis Cardinals' baseball operations department as a Diversity & Inclusion consultant.
Xavier Scruggs' Work in Sports Media
Scruggs has built a second career by turning his playing experience into analysis and storytelling. His ESPN work has included major college and youth baseball coverage, while his MLB Network work includes the program Off Base. He also contributed to SiriusXM baseball coverage and created baseball-focused projects outside traditional television.
MLB Network and ESPN both describe him as a working baseball analyst, making his presence on The Traitors: New Blood an extension of a career that already requires close attention to player tendencies, communication and decision-making.
Education and College Baseball
Xavier chose the University of Nevada, Las Vegas after being drafted out of high school. His junior season became a major turning point. UNLV records say he was named the 2008 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year, UNLV Sportsman of the Year and a Louisville Slugger Second Team All-American after winning the Mountain West Triple Crown.
That 2008 season included a .379 batting average, 20 home runs and 65 RBIs, numbers that helped push him toward the Cardinals' draft selection.
Why Xavier Wanted to Be a Traitor
Xavier said before entering the castle that he wanted to be a Traitor. He explained after the show that the role appealed to him because it would give him more control over the game than the Faithful position. When Alan Cumming revealed that he had been chosen as an Accomplice candidate, Xavier said he was excited and immediately switched into competition mode for the final Traitor spot.
His pre-show mindset therefore matched what viewers eventually saw: he was not content to quietly wait for the Traitors to choose him. He tried to influence the decision himself.
The Strategy That Sent Xavier Home
Once Xavier learned that he and Katie were competing for the third Traitor position, he began placing Katie's name into conversations. In his exit interview, he explained that he wanted the Traitors to see him actively competing for the position and thought making Katie less appealing would improve his own chances.
Joe and Tomica interpreted the tactic differently. Xavier's early attempt to put Katie under suspicion made them question whether he would be difficult to control as a Traitor. That helped push the decision toward Katie, even though Xavier believed he had a strong relationship with both original Traitors.
Why Joe and Tomica Chose Katie
The final decision was not based solely on who completed the task. Both Katie and Xavier succeeded, so Joe and Tomica evaluated which contestant they wanted beside them in the turret. Their choice was Katie, whose social connections and quieter approach made her the person they selected to join the Traitor team. Xavier was eliminated instead.
Looking back, Xavier said he was surprised by the decision. He believed the three of them could have worked together and said he felt more connected to Joe than Tomica, although he also thought Tomica had a natural connection with him.
Who Xavier Suspected
By the time he left the game, Xavier said Joe was one of the players he had in the back of his mind as a possible Traitor because of how prominently Joe presented himself early in the season. Victor Vollbrechthausen was another name he considered.
Xavier also explained why he did not vote for Victor at the first Round Table. He said that as an Accomplice candidate, he did not want to be seen voting against a possible Traitor because he thought that could create problems for his own chances. He did not have Tomica identified as a Traitor at the time.
Xavier's Closest Connections in the Castle
In his post-elimination interview, Xavier said he felt connected to several players, including Katie, Mark Zgoda, Arisa Thomas, Madeline Kostopulos and Logan Smith. He also said he had connected with Logan early despite Logan spending much of his time more independently.
That network mattered to the way Xavier approached the game. He was trying to create relationships across different groups rather than rely exclusively on the younger contestants or on his own reputation as a former professional athlete.
Who Xavier Would Have Targeted as a Traitor
Xavier said that, had he been recruited, Victor would have been an obvious target because there was already heat around him. He also considered Michael Foote, describing him as a strong Faithful whose communication skills and legal background could make him difficult for the Traitors to leave unchecked. These were his own hypothetical plans, not actions he was able to carry out in the game.
Episode-by-Episode Timeline
Episode 1 — Begins as a Faithful
Xavier entered the castle as one of the 22 civilians. Tomica Adams and Joe Vanella were selected as the original Traitors and later chose Xavier and Katie Fites as the two Accomplices competing for the third Traitor position.
Episode 2 — Accomplice Test Begins
Xavier and Katie were given a secret task to retrieve a blank death warrant from the castle without being noticed. The task set up the recruitment-or-elimination twist.
Episode 3 — Both Complete the Task
Xavier and Katie both obtained the death warrant. That meant Joe and Tomica had to choose which Accomplice to recruit and which to murder. Xavier had already begun putting Katie's name into circulation to strengthen his own case.
Episode 3 — Xavier Is Murdered
Tomica and Joe selected Katie as the third Traitor. Xavier was murdered face-to-face and left the game as a Faithful who never became an official Traitor.
After Elimination — Exit Interviews
Xavier explained that he was surprised by the decision, defended his offense-first strategy against Katie and revealed that Joe and Victor had been among his early suspicions. He also identified the players he might have targeted had he reached the turret.
Xavier Scruggs on Social Media
Related Traitors: New Blood Profiles
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Xavier Scruggs a Traitor or a Faithful?
Xavier entered the game as a Faithful. He was later selected as one of the two Accomplices competing for a Traitor position, but the original Traitors chose Katie Fites instead. Xavier never became an official Traitor.
How was Xavier Scruggs eliminated?
After Xavier and Katie both completed the Accomplice challenge, Joe Vanella and Tomica Adams recruited Katie as the third Traitor. Xavier was then murdered face-to-face.
What episode did Xavier Scruggs leave The Traitors: New Blood?
Xavier was eliminated in Episode 3, which aired September 24, 2026.
Why did Xavier Scruggs target Katie Fites?
He wanted to make Katie less attractive to Joe and Tomica as a recruitment choice. Xavier explained after the show that he was trying to demonstrate that he would fight for the final Traitor spot.
What was Xavier Scruggs' MLB career?
He played Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals and Miami Marlins. MLB records credit him with 50 MLB games, 27 hits, one home run and 14 RBIs.
What does Xavier Scruggs do now?
He works in baseball media as an analyst, with ESPN and MLB Network among the organizations that have featured his work.
Sources
NBCUniversal: Official The Traitors: New Blood cast announcement identifying Xavier Scruggs as an MLB analyst: NBCUniversal.
Parade: Xavier's post-elimination interview covering the Accomplice strategy, recruitment decision, suspicions and hypothetical Traitor targets: Parade.
MLB.com: Xavier Scruggs' official MLB biography and career record: MLB Network Personalities and MLB Player Profile.
ESPN Press Room: Current baseball analyst biography and broadcasting career: ESPN.
UNLV Athletics: College career, 2008 Mountain West Player of the Year and Triple Crown season: UNLV Rebels.
TV Insider: Episode 3 and 4 recap and game developments: TV Insider.
MLB.com: Scruggs' post-playing baseball operations role: MLB.com.
Official social links: Xavier Scruggs' public Linktree lists his Instagram, X, LinkedIn and other professional accounts: Linktree.