The A’s have signed catcher Yohel Pozo to a new minor league contract, Baseball America’s Matt Eddy reports. Pozo will return for a second year in Oakland’s organization, after hitting an impressive .306/.338/.523 with 18 homers over 391 plate appearances at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2023.
Despite some nice on-paper production at the Triple-A level over the last two seasons, the hitter-friendly nature of the Pacific Coast League tends to inflate Pozo’s numbers. An .826 OPS over 267 PA with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2022 translated to only a 104 wRC+, and Pozo’s 2023 numbers in Las Vegas were actually below average (99 wRC+) in comparison to the rest of the PCL’s hitters.
This is probably why Pozo still hasn’t gotten another look in the big leagues since his 21-game stint with the Rangers in 2021. Pozo hit .284/.312/.378 over 77 PA in his debut season in the bigs, which was the highlight of his nine years in the Texas organization. (The Padres briefly had Pozo signed to a minors deal during the 2020 offseason before Texas selected him back via the minor league version of the Rule 5 Draft.) The Rangers parted ways with Pozo last winter, allowing for the Athletics to make the signing.
In addition to catching, Pozo has also gotten a decent chunk of playing time as a first baseman during his pro career. Still only 26 years old, Pozo will return to a depth role in the minors, as Shea Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom will continue to get the bulk of catching assignments on the MLB roster.
Bozos signing Pozos.
Is that Canseco in the picture?
Just in time for xmas, Yohel Yohel…
Hit 347 in the Hamas league
Are the A’s playing in Vegas this year?
Recent stories suggest a new stadium in Las Vegas would not be completed until 2028, so it’s unlikely the A’s will be playing in Las Vegas any time soon… if at all.
The 2024 season will be the last one for their lease in Oakland. Where they will play the following two or three seasons before their Vegas stadium is built is a good question.
Sacramento is the best option for in between. Minor alterations to Sutter Health Field where the Rivercats play and they could sell out with 13-15K fans every home game. Doesn’t sound like much but better than they do in Oakland.
Been to Raley field in Sacramento a few times a year. It’s a nice stadium. 15k would be easy to do for them there, and much better than Oakland. Just curious what happens to the river cats though. The Giants move a lot of players up and down the 80, anyone know how that works? Do the river cats play there when the A’s have away series? Do they temporarily move to another stadium?
Raley Field was renamed to Sutter Health Field.
Ownership indicated that it could be done with just a handful of minor league games swapped to a different site. They would want a small amount of money chipped in for modifications needed to meet MLB standards.
A’s ratings and attendance heavily tanked after the organization was dismantled and lobbied for a move to a new state. I’m not sure Sacramento fans will be any happier to go and support them, even if the organization is somehow able to convince the Giants to let them do this.
I am 100% confident Sacramento fans will be happy to go, which team they root for A’s versus opponents, no guarantees!
The issue of whether the Giants would OK the move, they certainly would oppose it if it was a permanent thing, but for two transition years, I don’t see how Sacramento would would hurt them more than leaving Oakland two years sooner would help. But that is just my speculation. The facts that Rivercats ownership expressed an interest suggests to me that the Giants might consider it, but no guarantees.
The Scottsdale Seguaros can hold 8000, the A’s average.
RE: Seguaros
If ever there was a name for a Cactus League team, that is it. Prickly fit for the A’s though.
I hope not because the A’s are going to come to Vegas because the Raiders showed how little you can invest into your team and make lots and lots of money. How? Easy, first people out of town want to come to Vegas, and then they can see their team. Then, get out of Dodge killing two bird with one stone. So, the Casinos and the Sports team takes care of your money until you come back.
Someone should give this guy a proper MLB look.
His defense is subpar, which may be a contributing reason that he hasn’t been given one.
But having seen the quantity of catchers last season, I could image a few teams with a defense-first starter could use him as a C2 with PH and 1B ability mixed in.
he has the kind of glove where he looks more like the C3/1B if he makes it onto an mlb roster, but if he gets hot he would hold some value
Now, if the A’s can sign Enrico Pallazzo
I bet if the A’s offered Rickey Henderson a ML contract he’d jump at it.
Yohel Pozo … MLB The Show making up names again….