Aces Wild: Time For The A’s To Get A Break?
The A's are rebuilding with a focus on acquiring pitching prospects. They are hoping to accumulate a group from which multiple frontline SPs could emerge. The team won 102 games this season. They have seen most of their newly acquired prospects take steps backward. A’s fans dream about the team getting lucky. It happened with John Mabry and Josh Donaldson. In 1990, the A.S. had 4 pitchers who were supposed to be the next great pitchers.
Mason Miller is a 24-year-old pitcher who has pitched only 20 innings in his minor league career and has yet to win a game. He is healthy and ready to be drafted by the Oakland A's in 2021. His fastball and slider are high-90s with a true wipeout slider. Miller has won 16 games in the Arizona Fall League and is capable of joining the dream team in 2024.
Luis Medina has walked 266 batters in 382 minor league innings. He has the same high 90s velocity as Miller and an equally devastating curve to match Miller’s slider. Medina is out of options and likely will be the A”s long man in 2023. He doesn't have the mechanics to be a good pitcher. If he ever finds the one skill of repeating his pitches with any semblance of control he is going to become a force.
Gunnar Hoglund was acquired in the Matt Chapman deal. He was selected in 1st round, with the 19th overall pick, by the Blue Jays in 2021. Hog Lundd is recovering from Tommy John surgery and will not be ready to pitch until August. When he did pitch, he was fine: 8 scoreless innings in Rookie and A ball, 1 BB, 8 K. A's imagine a 2024 starting rotation in which Miller, Medina, and Hoglund are emerging as the aces their stuff allows.
Wouldn't it be nice to wake up and enjoy the very real 1% chance it could happen?
