Since the A’s optioned No. 7 prospect, Max Muncy, back to Triple-A when the club called up No. 1 prospect Nick Kurtz, Muncy has been on a tear at the plate with Triple-A Las Vegas.
In seven games and 32 at-bats, Muncy is hitting .406 with 1.037 OPS and five extra-base hits. This is a positive sign, given that Muncy was in a rut at the plate with the major league club.
Muncy has played third base in five out of the six games he has been in the lineup, which goes with the idea that was brought up before the season, that the A’s are going to give Muncy reps at third in hopes he is the A’s third baseman of the future. He made the Opening Day roster as the A’s starting second baseman, but that was more because of the need for someone at the position.
Muncy will likely spend some time in Triple-A before he is recalled by the A’s. They want him to get meaningful reps at third while getting his confidence back at the plate. In an ideal world, they could time Muncy’s next call-up with a hot stretch at the plate, though injuries have a knack for disregarding “the plan.”
Muncy will likely remain in Triple-A as long as Gio Urshela and Luis UrÃas are producing for the big league club. Both Urshela and UrÃas are getting reps at third, and with Zack Gelof starting his rehab assignment this week, the infield is going to be pretty crowded.
The focus right now for Muncy is to work on his defense at third and to continue growing at the plate. Barring any injuries, Muncy will most likely be recalled this summer, when a starting spot opens up in the infield, perhaps around the trade deadline.
The A’s won’t call up Muncy to be a bench bat or a backup on the infield. If and when the A’s move Urshela or UrÃas in a trade this summer is when we will likely see Muncy back with the big league club.
A future infield of Muncy, Jacob Wilson, Gelof, and Nick Kurtz is what the A’s are working towards, with Tyler Soderstrom in left field.