A's Select Matt Chapman; Designate Infielder Trevor Plouffe

The Oakland A's selected the contract of infielder Matt Chapman from Triple-A Nashville, the club announced today. Infielder Trevor Plouffe has been designated for assignment.
Chapman, the A's fourth-best prospect according to MLB.com, is currently tied for third in the Pacific Coast League with 16 home runs despite missing two weeks in April with a sprained left wrist. He is also fifth in the PCL with a .592 slugging percentage and leads the league in home runs per at bat, hitting one homer per 10.88 at bats.
Chapman was the A's first round selection (25th overall pick) in the 2014 draft out of Cal State-Fullerton. He has hit 80 home runs in 317 career minor league games, including a career high 36 in 2016 between Double-A Midland and Triple-A Nashville, which was the third most among all minor leaguers. His league-leading 29 home runs for Midland last season helped him earn Texas League Player of the Year honors. Prior to this season, MLB.com rated him as having the strongest arm among all minor league position players.
Plouffe signed a one-year free agent deal with the A's on Jan. 18, 2017, and has appeared in 58 games this season, including 47 starts at third base and four at designated hitter. He is hitting .214 with seven home runs and 14 RBI, but is 2-for-30 (.067) over his last 12 games and 6-for-51 (.118) with 19 strikeouts over his last 18 contests. He is tied for fourth in the American League in grounded into double plays with 10.