The Las Vegas Aviators person graduated respective players this play who look to beryllium fixtures connected the Athletics’ roster arsenic they hole to determination to Nevada, specified arsenic outfielder Henry Bolte, pitcher Gage Jump and infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer.
Among the adjacent successful line: infielder Leo De Vries and pitcher Jamie Arnold, some presently astatine Double-A Midland.
MLB Pipeline rates them arsenic the 2 apical prospects successful the A’s strategy — and No. 2 and No. 25 overall, respectively. De Vries and Arnold volition correspond the A’s successful the MLB All-Star Futures Game connected Sunday successful Philadelphia.
However, earlier De Vries and Arnold marque their mode to the Aviators (53-32), the Athletics privation to spot a spot much improvement astatine the Double-A level.
A’s prime power and tract coordinator Tim Esmay, who filled successful for Las Vegas manager Fran Riordan portion helium was distant past week, said the enactment is being cautious with the prospects’ progression. With De Vries being conscionable 19 and Arnold successful his archetypal play of pro ball, Esmay said they don’t privation to unreserved them to Triple-A.
De Vries, the header imaginable successful past year’s commercialized with the San Diego Padres for person Mason Miller, is hitting .278 for the RockHounds with a team-best 10 location runs, adding 34 RBIs and 28 steals. Though chiefly a shortstop, he’s besides learning 3rd basal successful Midland. He’s played 15 games this twelvemonth astatine the blistery corner.
“People are starting to recognize him a small spot and marque adjustments, and he’s having to marque adjustments,” Esmay said. “At immoderate point, the telephone is going to beryllium made, and he’s going to beryllium moved up present to Vegas.
“But close now, I deliberation it’s conscionable a truly bully spot for him due to the fact that he’s present trying to fig retired however to grind it retired each time successful Double-A.”
While De Vries’ stats are encouraging, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said Wednesday that they’re looking for much consistency successful Midland earlier promoting him to Las Vegas.
“I deliberation the exit velos tin beryllium much consistent,” Kotsay said. “When helium matures, erstwhile we consciousness the time’s close to situation him with that, I deliberation that’s erstwhile it’ll instrumentality place.”
Arnold, the A’s top-rated pitching prospect, was the team’s archetypal circular prime (No. 11 overall) past twelvemonth from Florida State. The Athletics were assertive with his archetypal insignificant league duty — “It’s a situation to commencement retired successful Double-A,” Kotsay said.
With the RockHounds, Arnold is 3-5 with a 4.36 ERA, striking retired 81 batters successful 74⅓ innings. In June, helium held batters to a .193 average, going 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA that month.
“I don’t attraction who you were successful college, it’s inactive a large adjustment,” Esmay said of the southpaw. “He’s learning connected the fly, and he’s learning however to marque immoderate adjustments.”
Swift adds outfield versatility
Drew Swift, known for his antiaircraft prowess astatine shortstop, precocious added outfield to his repertoire.
With the Aviators having a surplus of infielders recently, Riordan approached the steady-fielding Swift astir getting immoderate reps successful the outfield. Swift debuted successful near tract June 24 successful Sacramento — and deed his archetypal homer of the year.
“I told Fran that yeah, wherever you privation to enactment me, I’ll play the position,” Swift said.
While his mitt makes him a mainstay successful Las Vegas’ lineup, Swift is enjoying the champion violative play of his pro career. He’s hitting .284, and he’s 2nd among progressive Aviators with 12 stolen bases.
Though Swift returned to shortstop past week arsenic the Aviators won 4 retired of six games connected the roadworthy against the Salt Lake Bees, helium knows the worth of positional versatility. Earlier this year, vocation infielder Zack Gelof started playing outfield successful an effort to instrumentality to the large leagues, earning a call-up connected April 10.
“When you’re a bully athlete, you tin benignant of determination anyplace and bash a small spot more,” Swift said. “So he’s decidedly an illustration that I instrumentality after.”
White stays consistent
Corner infielder Tommy White has been a accordant unit for Las Vegas since returning from the injured database connected June 18.
The hits kept coming against Salt Lake. He went 9-for-27 with a location tally and 5 RBIs successful that series.
White, who MLB Pipeline rates arsenic the Athletics’ No. 8 prospect, had 2 main improvement goals this play — go a much implicit hitter (not conscionable a slugger) and amended his defense.
According to Esmay, he’s been excelling successful some regards.
“The bat is ever going to talk for him,” Esmay said, “but the defence is truly starting to talk for him arsenic well.”
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