The A’s entered spring training without a third baseman set option, but the 23-year-old Max Muncy “He’s starting to separate himself from this pack,” wrote MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos. There’s no shortage of coincidences that the A’s have a hit-over-glove prospect in Max Muncy at third base for the second time in the last decade. But the hope now is that the younger Muncy (regardless of the older one) can solidify the hot corner.
Muncy, now 23 and a returning 2021 first-round pick, hit .325/.397/.504 in Triple-A last season. He underperformed in 220 major league at-bats, but was productive in the Arizona Fall League and hit the absolute jackpot this spring, hitting .419/.526/.839 with three home runs and as many walks as strikeouts (seven) in 38 at-bats. The question surrounding Muncy is not whether he can handle third base from a defensive perspective, not at the plate.
“Our biggest focus right now is defense.” supervision Mark Courtesy He says to Gallegos: “We’ve been working really hard with him in that area and we’ve seen some improvements. We’ll continue to follow that progress.” Readers may want to check out Gallegos’ article in its entirety. We talk extensively with Muncy about the swing/approach changes he implemented in the Fall League and the challenges of transitioning from shortstop to third base – a move that is often taken for granted.
Meanwhile, another player previously touted as a young Athletics infielder is Jack GerloffHe made his Cactus League debut this week, writes MLB.com’s Courtney Hollmon. Gerlof went 2-for-4 with a double in his first game since suffering a dislocated shoulder on a diving play from second base last year. The injury ended his season, but Gerlov’s 2025 campaign got off to a poor start due to a fractured hamate bone and a stress fracture in his ribcage. He hit just .174/.230/.272 in 101 plate appearances and 30 games last season.
It’s easy to see injuries derailing his 2025 campaign, but Gerloff was already facing some questions this time last year. Was he the dynamic rookie who hit .267/.337/.504 with 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases in 60 games in 2023? Or was he a lesser version of the player in 2024, hitting .211/.270/.362 with 17 home runs, 25 stolen bases and a 34.4% strikeout rate?
Still only 26, Gelof is hoping to return to his form in 2023 but has now taken on a less established role at the club. Acquired the A’s. Jeff McNeil He came from the Mets this offseason and is using him as their second baseman. Muncy is the leading third baseman and Gelof hasn’t played since 2022. Muncy, a former second-round pick, told Hollomon that he is working out in both the infield and outfield, hoping to improve his versatility and earn a spot on the roster again. Gelof still has two years remaining on his minor league option, so he could start the season in Triple-A if the A’s want more exposure at various positions in the upper minors.
Elsewhere in A’s camp, there’s more unwelcome news about the oft-injured right-hander. Gunnar Hoglund. The 26-year-old right-hander made headlines for his trade return to the Athletics. Matt Chapman He made his big league debut last season with Toronto, but pitched only 12 games between Triple-A and the major leagues. He was recovering from Tommy John surgery at the time of the trade and missed the final three months of last year due to a hip impingement.
This spring, Hoglund suffered a knee injury early in camp. According to Gallegos, he is now also dealing with back issues. Hoglund has not yet played in a spring game and is unlikely to do so before the season begins. He was likely to play in Triple-A even if healthy, but another pair of injuries is disappointing for the 2021 first-rounder (selected six picks ahead of Muncy and 41 picks ahead of Gerloff).
Hoglund pitched well in Triple-A last season and enjoyed two excellent starts to start his MLB career (11 1/3 innings, 11 hits, one walk, 10 strikeouts). However, he scored 20 points over the next 21 frames, including 8 points at the hands of the Blue Jays, before being placed on the injured list for the remainder of the season.
