Oakland Athletics: Stephen Piscotty
Billy Beane’s club is probably in for another rough season. But newly acquired outfielder Stephen Piscotty is a talented player who could add some much-needed consistency to Oakland’s lineup.
The A’s traded for Piscotty last December, sending infield prospects Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock to the St. Louis Cardinals. It wasn’t surprising to see the Cardinals make this move. Early in the offseason, they made one of the more impressive trades, getting outfielder Marcell Ozuna from the Miami Marlins.
The trade holds even more significance for Piscotty. In May of 2017, his mother was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). His mother lives in a Bay area suburb not far from Oakland, so the trade gave Piscotty an opportunity to be closer to his mother in her time of need. It was a classy move by the Cardinals.
Now back in his home state, Piscotty could very easily end up being Oakland’s best player. Though he had a bit of a drop-off in production at the plate last season, he can be counted on to get on base at a good clip. There’s some power in his bat as well. He only hit .235 in 2017, but for his three-year career, he’s slashed .268/.342/.367 with 38 home runs and 163 RBI.
Piscotty, 27, entered the league with high expectations. And he delivered in his first two seasons. Despite his struggles last year, there’s little doubt he can return to form. Look for Stephen Piscotty to be one of the few bright spots on an otherwise unimpressive Oakland A’s team.