I think he might be alive . I think Xebec will appear in BB’s arc.
I've been expecting him to be alive too.
Blackbeard's strange body, theories of Blackbeard harbouring multiple souls and unexplained methods of stealing DFs and eating more than 1 without dying and being able to use multiple DFs etc.
This is probably why we didn't get more info on why Auger and Devon went to Egghead too, they were maybe trying to get research in relation to Xebec or whatever Xebec was after too, its all gotta tie in somehow. Maybe Devon getting Saturns identity to transform into will relate to this somehow too. Wasn't Saturn at God's Valley too? Imagine if she could gain his memories?!
With Oda you have to expect the unexpected, the impossible, the ridiculous etc.
The people who genuinely thought Saul and Sabo were dead have learned nothing and eaten their words regretfully and heavily, the humble pie served by Oda. The same is coming for people who think Urouge and Kidd are dead too. Also people thought Drake was dead after Wano and they were wrong too. Maybe you could say the same happened for Stella/Vegapunk too.
Although Oda really trolled us with Kinemon and Pound too ofc. And then actually killing off Izo and Shutenmaru Ashura Doji whatever his name is too.
Why did Oda have a guy called ROCKSTAR "randomly" joined Shanks like that btw? Why did Shanks send him to WHITEBEARD of all people? A former Rocks Pirate, maybe the right hand of Xebec himself or at least a VIP member of his crew ofc?
I know I'm crack/conspiracy posting here a LOT but fuck it, with Oda we may as well given how unpredictable the bastard generally is and how much he hides absolute breadcrumbs and "foreshadowing" too.
I really feel the theory of Xebec being Buggy's father at this point too, I really want him to have the red nose or why Buggy has the red nose due to some plot related reason with Xebec somehow. Xebec being a literal clown and yet the most feared and dangerous pirate in the world since Joyboy at least would be FUCKING HILARIOUS and thus it makes Cross Guild an even more perfect modern day parallel/successor of the Rocks Pirates too.