Athletics Could Deal Hottest Triple-A Bat This Summer

The team could elect to deal Colby Thomas, as he likely won't have a spot in the future of the A's outfield. We have discussed him as part of a possible return if the A's want to land Red Sox closer, Aroldis Chapman.

There are plenty of talented options for the A's to get this summer, and one of the most valuable trade pieces could be the Las Vegas Aviators' hottest bat.

Joshua Kuroda-Grauer Will Interest Many Teams This Summer

Unfortunately for many A's fans, the team could elect to deal Kuroda-Grauer this summer if they want to land an elite starter.

JKG has been lighting the Pacific Coast League on fire to start this season, and could be pushing the A's front office to call him up.

The Rutgers product holds an unreal .359 batting average with an .884 OPS in 167 at-bats this season with the Aviators.

His efforts this season have helped boost the Aviators to become the first-half PCL champions.

JKG is ranked as the A's tenth overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline. His 55-grade hit tool and 60-grade speed at shortstop make him a super attractive prospect for opposing teams. Any non-contenders with a need in the infield could swoop him up, in exchange for good pitching.

JKG Could Be Part of Potential Joe Ryan Trade

The Twins sit far out of reach from being a playoff contender, and they have a couple of really strong trade candidates.

The Yankees will be top contenders for their backstop, Ryan Jeffers. They will also have their ace, Joe Ryan, gaining interest from contenders up until the deadline.

Last season, the Twins completely unloaded their major league squad, and nothing is stopping them from doing the same thing this summer to add to their farm system.

The layout for the Twins' infield is solid with Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, and Luke Keaschall. However, adding an elite shortstop prospect like Kuroda-Grauer could be a very good move for their future, and could even get good playing time this season.

Joe Ryan would easily help the A's win a bunch more games and would be their ace heading into a potential playoff run in the easy American League. Pairing him up with the hot arms of Gage Jump and J.T. Ginn would give the team a huge boost.