Former Reds Infielder Alejo López Joins Athletics on Minor League Deal

Just before they traded shortstop Nick Allen to the Atlanta Braves, the Athletics brought in Alejo López to compete for a roster spot during Spring Training.

Sep 9, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Alejo Lopez (35) reacts after hitting a RBI double against the St. Louis Cardinals in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Alejo López has inked a deal with the Athletics, the infielder announced Sunday on Instagram.

The agreement is presumably for a minor league contract. Along with that comes an invitation to Spring Training and a chance to compete for a big league roster spot.

One day after the Athletics added López, they traded shortstop Nick Allen to the Atlanta Braves for right-handed pitcher Jared Johnson. That opened up even more space in the A's infield, giving López an even better shot to make his way back to the majors.

López made his MLB debut with the Cincinnati Reds in 2021. He wound up appearing in 74 games for the club over the next three seasons, until he elected free agency at the end of the 2023 campaign.

During his time in Cincinnati, López hit .265 with one home run, 11 RBI, three stolen bases, a .639 OPS and a -0.5 WAR. While he mostly played second base, López also got time at third and in left field.

López spent this past season with the Braves' Triple-A affiliate in Gwinnett. He never earned a promotion to the big leagues, despite batting .307 with four home runs, 55 RBI, 21 stolen bases and a .789 OPS in 112 games.

Even if López doesn't survive the Athletics' roster crunch next March, the 28-year-old could provide solid organizational depth. He has appeared in 701 games over the course of his minor league career, hitting .298 with 27 home runs, 298 RBI, 90 stolen bases and a .776 OPS across nine seasons.

The list of potential bench infielders the Athletics could utilize in 2025 now includes López, Max Schuemann, Darell Hernaiz, Jordan Diaz and Brett Harris. Top prospect Jacob Wilson is expected to take over at shortstop across from former top prospect Zack Gelof, who will be manning second base again.

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