OAKLAND — The Athletics officially began looking to the future Friday, promoting prize prospects Tyler Soderstrom and Zack Gelof from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Soderstrom, a first-round draft pick in 2020 from Turlock, was hitting .254 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs with an .818 OPS for the Aviators while catching, playing first base and serving as a designated hitter.
Gelof, taken in the second round out of Virginia a year later, was hitting .304 with 12 home runs, 42 RBIs and a .929 OPS. Gelof has been primarily a second baseman this season, although he’s also played at third base and in the outfield.
Both are in the starting lineup Friday night against the Minnesota Twins at the Coliseum, with Soderstrom hitting fifth as the DH and Gelof sixth at second base.
The A’s also activated pitching prospect Freddy Tarnok. Soderstrom is ranked as the A’s No. 1 prospect by MLB.com, Gelof is third and Tarnok is fifth.
To make room on the roster, the A’s put catcher Manny Piña on the 10-day injured list with a wrist contusion, pitcher Richard Lovelady on the 15-day list with a forearm strain and outrighted shortstop Tyler Wade to Las Vegas.
Word of the Soderstrom and Gelof promotions initially came via local newspapers Wednesday (the Turlock Journal for Soderstrom, the Cape Gazette in Delaware for Gelof).
More to come on this breaking story . . .