Three Minor League deals that could boost the A's big league club
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Outside of signing veteran reliever Mark Leiter Jr. to a one-year deal, the Athletics have had a relatively quiet offseason when it comes to Major League transactions.
The Minor League side of things, however, is a different story. Over the past couple of months, the A’s have been quietly active in signing players to Minor League deals, several of which will bring a history of big league success to 2026 Spring Training.
This should come as no surprise. The A’s have a recent history of stockpiling Minor League free agents ahead of Spring Training -- and discovering some diamonds in the rough as a result. Some examples of Minor League deal success stories over the last few seasons include right-hander Tyler Ferguson and outfielder Carlos Cortes, both players expected to have significant roles with the club this upcoming season.
“We’ve been very active in that market,” A’s general manager David Forst said. “Our group puts in a lot of time because I think we know how important guys in that position are for us during the year. One thing we do offer is opportunity. We have a really good track record of getting those guys to the big leagues, and not just for a day or two. Guys like Tyler Ferguson and [Michel] Otañez. Giving guys real opportunity to stick in the big leagues. That has served us well when we go out into the Minor League free-agent market and try to sell ourselves to players.”
Here’s a closer look at a few intriguing Minor League signings that have already been made:
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RHP Nick Anderson
2025 (Triple-A Tacoma/Memphis/Albuquerque) stats: 38 games, 5.26 ERA, 48 strikeouts and 19 walks in 39 1/3 innings pitched
2025 stats w/ Rockies: 12 games, 6.14 ERA, 10 strikeouts and two walks in 14 2/3 innings pitched
The numbers from last season are rather unimpressive, but Anderson was much better in the preceding years, posting a 3.06 ERA in 35 games for the Braves in 2023 and a 4.04 ERA in 37 appearances for the Royals in ‘24. His best run came from 2019-20, when he combined for a 2.77 ERA with 136 strikeouts and 21 walks in 81 1/3 innings with the Marlins and Rays.
With a career 3.43 ERA in 177 games across six big league seasons, the 35-year-old Anderson still carries a fastball that enjoyed an uptick back to the mid-90s last season, and he should be firmly in the mix for a bullpen spot in Spring Training.
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INF Michael Stefanic
2025 (Triple-A Buffalo) stats: .287/.403/.383 (.786 OPS), six home runs, 17 doubles, 51 RBIs, six stolen bases in 106 games
2025 stats w/ Blue Jays: .182/.280/.182 (.462 OPS) in nine games
The A’s have openings at second base and third base, the two positions Stefanic has played most across his seven professional seasons. That’s not to say he’ll be the starter at either spot come Opening Day, but his experience will at least put him in the conversation when Spring Training rolls around, barring the addition of a more proven option from now until then.
Signed by the Angels as an undrafted free agent in 2018, Stefanic earned his way onto the organization’s Top 30 Prospects list in the years after. He’s excelled at each level of the Minors as a career .323 hitter with an .849 OPS, but to this point, that has yet to translate in his limited big league opportunities from 2022-25 with the Angels and Blue Jays.
Regarded for his contact skills and plate discipline, Stefanic provides some important infield depth, and it would not be a shock to see him in the Majors with the A’s at some point next season.
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1B/OF Joey Meneses
2025 (Triple-A Syracuse) stats: .265/.322/.447 (.769 OPS), 11 home runs, 35 doubles, one triple, 55 RBIs, two stolen bases in 110 games
You might remember Meneses tormenting the A’s as a member of the Nationals over a series in Washington, D.C., back in 2022. He’s a career .274 hitter with 29 homers, 61 doubles and 165 RBIs in parts of three Major League seasons with the Nationals from 2022-24 before spending last season in the Mets’ system.
Meneses is unlikely to challenge for a roster spot out of Spring Training. First base and left field, the spots where he is likely to see time, are locked down by Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom. But he’s the exact type of hitter likely to thrive while playing for Triple-A Las Vegas in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, making him a strong candidate for a callup during the season should a need on the Major League roster arise.