IA’s added a rear launcher Aaron Civale with a $6MM free agent contract this week. He comes in from the back Luis Severino again Jeffrey Springs as experienced arms with different rotations. Manager Mark Kotsay suggested Wednesday that while three veterans are locked into starting spots, camp battles could determine the final two roles. “It’s definitely an open competition,” the fourth-year captain told MLB.com’s MartÃn Gallegos. “I think we have some depth this year that we haven’t had in the past.”
Of the A’s returning starters, only Springs and Severino reached 100 MLB innings last season. Jacob Lopez led the way with 92 2/3 frames in 21 appearances (17 starts). He was followed in the MLB career by JT Ginn, Luis Morales, Gunnar Hoglund, Mason Barnett again Jack Perkins. Morales and Lopez had great success and entered camp as overwhelming favorites.
The 23-year-old Morales posted a 3.14 earned run average over his first 48 2/3 MLB frames. His 21.6% slugging percentage and 9% walk rate were not impressive, and his fly-ball profile led to a home run problem. The basic numbers would suggest he is a regressor, but he can make up for that by missing more at-bats in his first full season. Morales has a 97 mph fastball and a potential fastball and breaking point.
Lopez is a slow-throwing lefty who turns 28 during spring training. That points to a lower ceiling than Morales, but he arguably showed more in his rookie season. Lopez has struck out 28.3% of opponents behind a 11.8% swinging strikeout rate. He finished the year with a 4.08 ERA skewed by the nine drubbings he picked up in Seattle shortly before going on the injured list with a season-ending flexor strain. He owns a 3.28 earned run average in that appearance.
It was a relatively small sample and it’s easy to see potential declines. Lopez is an extreme fly-ball hitter who will spend the next two seasons in the friendliest home park outside of Colorado. A fastball between 90-91 mph gives no margin for error. Home runs may be an issue, but Lopez has been missing more bats than his velocity would suggest thanks to a quality slider and combination command. Gallegos writes that Lopez is a bit behind schedule due to an arm problem last season but should have time to put in a full Spring Training workout.
Ginn probably has the best chance to push one of Morales or Lopez into the season-opening trade. He struck out a quarter of his opponents with an 8% walk rate while getting ground balls more than half the time. Most of the fly balls he had left cleared the fence. Sutter Health Park did nothing for Ginn, as 12 of his 17 home runs allowed came at home. He had a near 7.00 ERA in Sacramento compared to a 3.14 ERA on the road. The ERA was 5.08 in 90 1/3 innings.
Barnett was called up late in the season. He was hit hard in five innings, posting an ERA near 7.00 through 22 1/3 innings. He’s shown some interesting stuff, led by a mid-90s fastball and a quality slider, but the command has been inconsistent throughout his minor league career. Hoglund is a first-round pick whose stock is expected to drop after Tommy John surgery. He appeared to put himself back on the map with a solid six-game run in Triple-A, but major league opponents were stymied in his first six games. He had season-ending hip surgery in June.
Perkins started four of 12 appearances after being called up in June. He suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in August. He sat around 96 mph on the fastball and had excellent results on a mid-80s breaking ball. Perkins’ minor league numbers suggest he might be a better fit in the bullpen, however. He walked 11.3% of Triple-A opponents and posted double-digit walk rates in three straight seasons.
Luis Medina again Joey Estes had MLB experience and held positions in the 40-man roster. Medina is out of options and missed last season rehabbing Tommy John surgery. He’s likely been given a long-term relief ticket to open the season, and Estes could end up on the fringes of the 40-man roster. Medina is the only member of this group apart from these three veterans who cannot be selected.
The most powerful weapons in the organization are still in small groups. Gage Jump again Jamie Arnold they are two of the top prospects in the sport. Jump has an outside chance to break camp after posting a 3.64 ERA while striking out a quarter of the opposition in 20 Double-A appearances. Not on the 40 man list, but each of them Braden Nett, Henry Baez again Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang there is. They are solid prospects (Nett and Baez, especially) with Double-A experience and could get consideration for break camp if they really impress during Spring Training.
