Keep an Eye on These Two A's Players This Spring

Jason Burke | Jan 2, 2025

Sep 9, 2023; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Matt Krook (92) pitches in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Athletics roster is fairly set as we enter 2025, with upgrades made to the starting rotation and at third base already this offseason. That said, there will still be time to tinker in the weeks leading up to pitchers and catchers reporting to camp, but there is one interesting wrinkle that we should be aware of this Spring Training.

Avid fans of the A's likely have a pretty good guess at the majority of the Opening Day roster, even now. We know that Tyler Soderstrom is the presumed first baseman, and Jacob Wilson will be taking over at shortstop, but some of the biggest battles will be in how third base shakes out (platoon or no platoon), the final couple of spots in the bullpen, and what the left field mix will look like.

Yet, the A's also have two players that will be hitting the 60-day IL before the start of the regular season in Luis Medina and Ken Waldichuk, who are each expected to miss at least large chunks of the campaign, if not the whole year.

When a player goes on the 60-day IL, that opens up a spot on the team's 40-man roster, and that is where things get interesting. The A's have plenty of players to keep an eye on that currently don't hold a 40-man spot, that could be added to the roster before Opening Day.

One of those players is the team's No. 7 prospect on MLB Pipeline, Colby Thomas. He had a huge season in the upper minors, batting a combined .277 with a .342 OBP, 31 home runs, and 15 stolen bases between Double-A and Triple-A. He is not currently on the 40-man roster, but if he impresses, then he could earn a spot.

That said, they could also keep him off the roster until they're ready to call him up over the course of the campaign with left field already a crowded position. Thomas will likely make his MLB debut in 2025, the question is just when that will be.

Another offensive option would be Jordan Díaz, who has spent time with the big league club in both 2022 and 2023, but he just hasn't found a defensive home. The fact that Díaz was an early spring roster cut last season and never made his way to Oakland likely spells the end of his tenure with the club in the next few months, but he also continued to hit in the minors last season and mashed a career-high 22 home runs with Triple-A Las Vegas as well.

Díaz will be out of options this spring, which could force the team's hand one way or another. Díaz is still just 24 years old.

In terms of pitchers, the A's will likely go with one of their many relief options for the second spot. They currently have three relievers on the 40-man that aren't projected to be on the big-league roster, while also having an additional five pitchers that are considered starters not listed on the 26-man. A pair of arms listed in the A's bullpen--Hogan Harris and Brady Basso--are starting pitchers. They have a number of arms they could turn to in a pinch to start a game.

If they end up adding a relief pitcher, they should look to add a lefty, since T.J. McFarland is the sole southpaw option that's a full-time reliever at the moment. Roster Resource also has Harris and Basso, who are both lefties, but are more long relief types.

In the minors they also have the recently acquired Jacob Lopez, who is also a starter.

In terms of relievers, that would leave offseason signees Matt Krook, Ben Bowden, as well as David Leal. Both Bowden and Krook have spent time in the big leagues, which would put them as the more likely choices here. Bowden last appeared in the bigs with the Colorado Rockies in 2021.

Krook would likely be the guy the A's would choose, based off of his ground ball rate of 53.1% in the minors last season. He struggles with command, but can strike guys out, too. If he can take a step forward this spring, Krook could work his way into a useful role with the A's this season.

Fun fact: Bowden and Krook share a birthday, with each A's minor league left-hander born on October 21, 1994. Both are also listed a 6-foot-4.