A’s Add Three To 40-Man Roster, Announce Several Minor League Signings
The Athletics announced Friday that they’ve selected the contracts of right-handers Miguel Romero and Wandisson Charles, as well as outfielder Greg Deichmann. Oakland also announced minor league deals and non-roster invites to Spring Training for 11 players. Right-handers Domingo Acevedo, Cristian Alvarado, Argenis Angulo, Matt Blackham, Ben Bracewell, Montana DuRapau, Brian Schlitter and Trey Supak will all be in camp with the A’s next year, as will infielders Pete Kozma, Frank Schwindel and Jacob Wilson.
Each of Romero, Charles and Deichmann was in Oakland’s 60-man player pool for the truncated 2020 regular season, but none of the three made his big league debut this year. Both Deichmann (No. 13) and Romero (No. 25) currently rank among the Athletics’ Top 30 prospects at MLB.com.
Deichmann was a second-round pick out of LSU in 2017 and has struggled at the plate in the minors due to wrist injuries, but he erupted with nine homers, two doubles and a triple in just 95 Arizona Fall League plate appearances in 2019. Romero, 26, averaged 10 K/9 and kept his ERA south of 4.00 in an outrageously hitter-friendly Triple-A setting in 2019 — a far more difficult task than one might expect at first glance. Just 28 of the 143 Triple-A pitchers with at least 70 innings managed a sub-4.00 mark thanks to the introduction of what was widely believed to be a juiced ball in an already hitter-friendly setting.
Among the non-roster invitees, Kozma jumps out at the most recognizable name. The former Cardinals shortstop has long been touted as a defensive wizard but has never been able to provide much in the way of offense to accompany his proficiency with the leather. DuRapau’s agents announced his signing last week, as we previously covered. The 34-year-old Schlitter is a well-traveled journeyman who logged 9 2/3 frames with the A’s in ’19. Supak was once a well-regarded prospect with both the Brewers and Pirates but will look for a fresh start with the Oakland org. Schwindel, a right-handed-hitting first baseman, got a very small cup of coffee with the 2019 Royals.
Athletics Release Daniel Gossett
The Athletics have released right-hander Daniel Gossett and added fellow righty Ben Bracewell to their 60-man player pool, the club announced. Bracewell will report to the A’s alternate training site in San Jose.
Oakland designated Gossett for assignment last week after a couple of years of struggles in the majors and then a pair of injury-ruined seasons. Now 27 years old, the former second-round pick (2014) recorded a 5.91 ERA/5.67 FIP with 6.54 K/9 and 3.03 BB/9 in 115 1/3 innings and 23 starts as an Athletic from 2017-18 before undergoing Tommy John surgery in the latter of those seasons. He hasn’t taken a major league mound since June 3, 2018, though potential selling points for other clubs include a 2.87 ERA with 8.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 128 1/3 Triple-A frames and one more minor league option.
Bracewell, 29, hasn’t gotten an opportunity to pitch in the majors yet, having been a career-long A’s minor leaguer since debuting as a professional in 2014. He spent parts of the previous three seasons in Triple-A ball and has done a respectable job at the minors’ top level, where he has pitched to a 3.88 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 174 innings.