The Athletics and infielder Michael Stefanic have agreed to a minor league deal, in keeping with Kiley McDaniel of ESPN. The deal comes with an invitation to large league Spring Coaching for the upcoming season.
Stefanic, 30 in February, has made cameos on the large league degree in every of the previous 4 MLB seasons. Signed as an undrafted free agent by the Angels again in 2018, Stefanic performed within the decrease ranges of the minors for just a little over the yr earlier than the cancelled minor league season in 2020 worn out a yr of growth. When he returned in 2021, he regarded nothing wanting glorious within the higher minors with a .336/.408/.493 slash line between the Double- and Triple-A ranges. He struck out at only a 13.9% clip whereas strolling 9.4% of the time. He hit for a little bit of energy along with that self-discipline, swatting 17 homers and 26 doubles in 125 video games.
Stefanic’s minor league numbers have typically been extra of the identical; in 5 seasons on the Triple-A degree, he’s a profession .332/.427/.454 hitter. Whereas he hasn’t come near exhibiting as a lot energy as he did again in 2021, his contact and self-discipline has remained glorious for his degree and allowed him to succeed with a contact-over-power profile whereas taking part in primarily second base however logging time all around the infield. Sadly for Stefanic, his sport merely hasn’t translated on the large league degree within the restricted alternatives he’s acquired.
The 30-year-old is a profession .227/.314/.267 hitter throughout 99 video games and 289 plate appearances within the majors. His finest stint on the large league degree got here with the Angels in 2023, when he slashed a stable .290/.380/.355 throughout 25 video games. These are glorious on-base numbers, however he was helped by a .333 BABIP he hasn’t been capable of replicate since because of a paltry 22.2% Laborious-Hit fee and a barrel fee of 0.0%. That full lack of energy is tough to make work within the majors; Luis Arraez is nearly the one participant within the trendy sport to search out any form of sustained success with that form of strategy, though others like Nick Madrigal have been capable of maintain their very own in smaller samples.
The A’s will carry Stefanic in as some much-needed infield depth behind a bunch that’s largely unproven exterior of AL Rookie of the 12 months runner-up Jacob Wilson. Max Muncy was unable to make an affect in 63 video games for the membership this yr, whereas Zack Gelof hasn’t impressed on the large league degree since his debut 2023 season on account of accidents and ineffectiveness. Gamers like Darell Hernaiz, Max Schuemann, and Brett Harris may present depth behind that group, however including an alternative choice like Stefanic makes some sense given a skinny marketplace for infield expertise this winter and the Athletics’ typical lack of assets. If the A’s don’t handle to herald one other infield bat to their combine this winter, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Stefanic compete with somebody like Schuemann for a bench job headed into camp this spring.
