by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
The A’s acquired one player in the major league portion of the Rule-5 draft and selected three more players in the minor league portion of the draft on Thursday.
Infielder Vimael Machin was taken by the Phillies from the Cubs with the 15th pick of the major league portion of the draft but was then dealt to the A’s for cash considerations. Oakland then selected outfielder Jason Krizan, catcher Jose Colina and RHP Deivy Mendez in the minor league portion of the draft. The A’s must keep Machin on their major league roster all season or offer him back to his original team, but there are no such restrictions on the players taken in the minor league portion of the draft.
Oakland lost outfielder Mark Payton, who spent last season playing for the A’s Triple-A Las Vegas affiliate, when he was selected by Cincinnati in the major league portion of the draft. But the A’s did add another young player on Thursday when they acquired outfielder Buddy Reed from the Padres as the player to be named later in the Jurickson Profar trade. Let’s take a closer look all the players the A’s acquired on Thursday…
Vimael Machin (2B-3B-SS)
(AA/AAA: 447 AB / 7 HR / 69 BB / 62 K / .295 AVG / .390 OBP / .412 SLG)
The 26-year-old infielder was taken by the Phillies from the Cubs in the major league portion of the Rule-5 draft on Thursday and was then dealt to the A’s for cash. The left-handed hitter has consistently shown the ability to draw a lot of walks, which is evidenced by the impressive .390 on-base percentage that he put up while playing for Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa in 2019. He also notched 27 doubles last season, when he was a Southern League Midseason All-Star as well as the Southern League Player of the Month for May. Born in Puerto Rico, he attended Puerto Rico’s Baseball Academy High School and graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University before the Cubs made him their 10th-round pick in 2015. Machin will compete for a spot on the A’s roster in the spring, either as the left-handed half of a second base platoon, or as a utility infielder and the 26th man on 2020’s expanded roster.
Jason Krizan (OF-1B)
(AA/AAA: 386 AB / 14 HR / 50 BB / 45 K / .275 AVG / .358 OBP / .469 SLG)
The 30-year-old minor league veteran, who was Detroit’s 8th-round draft pick back in 2011, was the A’s first pick in the minor league portion of the Rule-5 draft on Thursday. Krizan has a reputation as a contact hitter who rarely strikes out. The left-handed hitter struck out just 45 times last season while notching 31 doubles in 386 at-bats for Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse in the Mets’ system. And he’s managed to put up a career .350 on-base percentage over nine minor league seasons. Krizan has played primarily in left field, but he’s also spent some time at first base. And he could see time at both positions, either at Triple-A Las Vegas or Double-A Midland, in 2020.
Jose Colina (C)
(Rookie: 86 AB / 8 HR / 9 BB / 17 K / .372 AVG / .443 OBP / .744 SLG)
The 21-year-old Venezuelan backstop was the A’s second pick in the minor league portion of the Rule-5 draft on Thursday. The switch-hitter has yet to play above the Rookie-level Arizona League, but he put up an impressive .372/.443/.744 slash line with 8 home runs in just 29 games last season. And with a lack of catching depth at the lower levels of the organization, Colina could have the chance to see a little more playing time in the A’s system next season.
Deivy Mendez (RHP)
(A-/A+: 30 IP / 32 H / 14 ER / 14 BB / 33 K / 4.20 ERA / 1.53 WHIP)
Mendez was the A’s third and final pick in the minor league portion of the Rule-5 draft on Thursday. The Dominican righty has primarily worked as a reliever and last made a start in 2015. The 24-year-old has strikeout ability, whiffing 301 batters over 255 2/3 innings in his minor league career, but he’s also issued 170 walks, so he can be a little wild. The A’s obviously are hoping that they can find a way to harness his stuff. Mendez has yet to pitch above High-A and is likely to find a bullpen spot with one of the A’s A-ball affiliates in 2020.
Buddy Reed (OF)
(AA: 381 AB / 14 HR / 42 BB / 126 K / .228 AVG / .310 OBP / .388 SLG)
The A’s didn’t acquire Reed in the Rule-5 draft, but they did pick him up from the Padres on Thursday as the player to be named later in the Jurickson Profar trade. The 24-year-old, who was San Diego’s 2nd-round pick in 2016 draft, stole 23 bases last season after swiping a total of 51 in 2018. His speed also allows him to cover a lot of ground in center field, which is his primary position. The switch-hitter slashed .324/.371/.549 in 79 games for Lake Elsinore in the California League in 2018 before struggling a bit at the Double-A level. He clubbed 14 home runs, but struck out 126 times and batted just .228 last season for Amarillo in the Texas League. Reed will get a non-roster invite to spring training, and the A’s are clearly hoping that they can help get him back on track while playing for either Double-A Midland or Triple-A Las Vegas in 2020.
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