12:11pm: Barreto was not in the initial lineup, with Adam Rosales penciled in at short and Lowrie at second. But he’s now taking the latter’s place, with the club announcing that Lowrie “has been scratched.”
It’s just a slight knee sprain for the veteran, skipper Bob Melvin tells reporters including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). So, it seems there’s no reason to read anything into the move at the moment, though presumably Lowrie could be dealt at any point before the trade deadline.
9:36am: The Athletics are set to call up top infield prospect Franklin Barreto, according to a club announcement. He’ll take the roster spot opened by the team’s placement of Chad Pinder on the 10-day DL for a left hamstring strain.
Barreto, just 21 years of age, is a key piece of the A’s past and future. He came to Oakand as the prospect centerpiece of the shocking deal that sent superstar third baseman Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays back in November of 2014. Even assuming Barreto can stay on the MLB roster from this point forward, he would not be in line to achieve Super Two status; instead, he’d project to achieve arbitration eligibility after the 2020 season while reaching free agency in the fall of 2023.
Since landing with his new organization, Barreto has steadily climbed the ladder and developed into a consensus top-50 prospect leaguewide. He struggled a bit last year in his first attempt at the upper minors and in a stint in the Arizona Fall League, and hasn’t exactly dominated this year at Triple-A. Given his age, though, the A’s still obviously see room for growth — and clearly believe he’s ready now to handle duties at the game’s highest level.
Over his 309 plate appearances this year at Nashville, Barreto owns a .281/.326/.428 batting line. He has knocked eight long balls and stolen four bags, though he has also been cut down on five attempted steals and has a history of being caught on the bases.
Barreto is known as a solid defender at short, but may ultimately line up at second base or even center field in the long run. With Pinder joining the rehabbing Marcus Semien on the DL, though, it seems reasonable to anticipate that Barreto will line up at his natural shortstop position in his first taste of the majors. He could move over to second, though, once Semien returns.
This move comes as part of a wave of others for the struggling A’s, who own the worst record in the American League. Oakland is in the midst of a transition that has already seen several promotions along with the departures of veterans Trevor Plouffe and Stephen Vogt. Odds are that veteran Jed Lowrie will follow them out of town — though he’ll likely be dealt rather than designated for assignment — leaving second base open for Barreto.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
pro4pro32goathletics
Welcome to the show! Although it might be too early, he probably will struggle in his first stay, but he needs the experience. Maybe they should have waited till August and called up Wendle instead, but I’m excited to see Franklin! Hope he does well and people will stop all the worst trade ever talks about Josh Donaldson.
Priggs89
He gets to face James Shields and Derek Holland to wrap up this weekend. He should get his career off to a great start.
Priggs89
Just as I predicted…
biasisrelitive
good call
A'sfaninUK
Crushed it
A'sfaninUK
Wendle is an atrocious hitter though, he has a hole in his swing the size of the moon. Check out his minor league walk and k rates – no. He needs to be DFAd, the A’s shouldnt be giving time to AAAA types like Wendle.
pro4pro32goathletics
I saw Wendle’s stats today before writting this comment and I thought he still could have been called up instead of Barreto to avoid rushing. But I get that Wendle’s stats aren’t great and that he probably will never be a MLB regular, but who knows. He still might be called up late in the season, he still has some time left to improve before the A’s will give up on him.
julyn82001
Show time. Go A’s!!!!
arc89
The future has arrived! Barreto, Brugman, Healy, Olson, Pinder, Maxwell, and Chapman. This is the future of the A’s so stay patient and in a couple of years they will be great.
SuperSinker
Hopefully they’ll be decent. It’s unlikely more than 1 or 2 will be good, and surprising if any of them amount to above average regulars.
arc89
Healy is a 30 home run hitter just can’t play very good defense. Chapman is the best defensive 3B in the minors with power. Brugman looks like a average outfielder that can play good defense. Olson still needs to prove he can hit well enough to be up. Pinder looks like another Zorbist type player with some pop. Maxwell can hit just need to learn to play defense. Barreto being so young it may take a couple years before his hitting makes him a all star. Overall this is the base of the A’s for a while.
pro4pro32goathletics
And the A’s will have some money left over to spend, if they give chances to their youth I think instead of signing a few veterans like they did before 2017 they can spend the money on someone good like Lorenzo Cain.
Paul Miller
Spend some money on someone good?
Oakland???
I definitely want whatever you’re on!
pro4pro32goathletics
The A’s won’t have to pay for guys like Butler, Lowrie, Plouffe, Alonso and R.Davis, so they will have some money saved. My point is if you can fill up like 90% of the team with young and controlable guys why don’t offer even something like 4yr/70mln to Cain.
pro4pro32goathletics
Remember the A’s were in on Edwin Encarnacion and were actually close to signing him. You never know what Billy Beane is going to do.
Philliesfan4life
they will get another major haul if they trade sonny gray
A'sfaninUK
AJ Puk honestly not far behind, he’s been an absolute monster this year, 105 K’s and 25 walks in a mere 68 innings. Mark my words, he really could be the next Kershaw. He was also just promoted to AA and threw 7 strong inngings with 7 K’s. Hes a monster. Including last year he has 145 K’s and 37 walks in 100 IP in his career so far. The minor leagues are clearly not challenging him enough.
sacball
that measly one home run allowed bodes well too! especially since he’s already breezed through the Cal league
biasisrelitive
next Kershaw is a bit extreme but I think he has ace potential
A'sfaninUK
Keep in mind many pundits had him at #1 in the draft, its so insane how he fell to Oakland at 6. Reminds me of how the Giants got Posey.
firstbleed
Still pissed the Brewers passed on Puk in the draft and took Corey Ray. Not that Ray is bad but they already have a plethora of OFs and a real need at SP, especially one with TOR ability. A’s fans enjoy!
julyn82001
Show time… Go A’s!!!
sacball
aaaand he homers in his second at bat
thekid9
Nice. So glad the Mutts are leaving Amed Rosario in the minors to rot.