The A’s Take Note of Young Aviators Pitchers

After helping the Las Vegas Aviators end a four-game losing streak, pitcher Mason Barnett was recently called up to rejoin the Athletics. Although optioned back to Triple-A, Barnett is the latest promising Aviators pitcher to reach the majors as the A’s future pitching staff develops in Las Vegas. The Athletics are looking to build a competitive mlb roster with talent coming up from their minor league teams.

Acquired from the Kansas City Royals in 2024, Barnett is ranked No. 17 among A’s prospects by MLB Pipeline. He started five games for the Athletics late last season, posting a 1-1 record with a 6.85 ERA. Barnett pitched two scoreless innings Sunday in the Athletics’ 7-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. In fact, his journey through the mlb pipeline reflects the importance of development at every level.

The Manager’s Story

A’s manager Mark Kotsay said Sunday that Barnett will serve as a long reliever. He pitched two scoreless innings in the Athletics’ 7-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox. “Mason’s done a nice job in Triple-A of making starts, building his pitch counts to 80-90,” Kotsay said. “There’s a ton of value to that (long relief) role. We’re at a point that we need that role to keep everybody else fresh.” The mlb team needs reliable long relief options to remain competitive all season.

Barnett started last week’s series in Reno with five shutout innings, striking out seven, allowing one hit, and walking five in the win. The victory helped the Aviators (11-8) rebound after a winless, rain-shortened series in Sacramento. This season with Las Vegas, Barnett is 2-0 with a 3.07 ERA. After facing hitters from mlb last year, he said consistency and pitch execution are key lessons.

Aviator’s Victories

The next day, left-hander Gage Jump, ranked No. 51 among all prospects, helped the Aviators defeat the Aces by striking out eight in 4⅔ innings and reaching 97.4 mph with his fastball. Kade Morris, the organization’s No. 12 prospect, followed with five strikeouts in 5⅔ innings during Thursday’s win, earning a no decision. Las Vegas pitchers lead the Pacific Coast League with 9.92 strikeouts per nine innings this season, showing the skill and promise that could translate to future success in mlb.

“These guys are competitors,” Riordan said. “These guys want to go out there and have great starts every time they toe the slab, and a lot of times you do have that momentum where starters get into a groove and they feed off each other.” Riordan also relies on a dependable bullpen, with a mix of youth and experience helping the Aviators close out games.

Veteran Nick Anderson has not allowed a run or hit in eight relief innings, issuing only two walks. Wander Suero, with 196 MLB appearances, also maintains a 0.00 ERA and has two saves. Cuban right-hander Yunior Tur is working toward a spot in the A’s bullpen, striking out 11 in 8⅔ innings with a 0.90 ERA. With these stats, Tur hopes for a chance in mlb soon.

Stealing the Bases

Las Vegas is among the fastest teams in the Pacific Coast League, with 29 stolen bases and only three times caught stealing this year. Outfielder Henry Bolte, the Athletics’ fifth-ranked prospect, is second in the PCL with nine steals. Cade Marlowe is second on the team with five. Neither has been caught stealing this season, reflecting strategies that could succeed in mlb games.

“Because we’re so fast throughout our lineup, we’re doing a good job taking advantage of situations to steal bases,” Riordan said. “As guys get on base more and get into a rhythm offensively with more baserunners, I think stolen base success will increase.” 

Riordan credits assistant hitting coach Kevin Kouzmanoff, who played third base for the A’s in 2010 and 2011, for the Aviators’ baserunning success. Kouzmanoff assumed baserunning duties last season, and his strategies are helping Las Vegas excel on the basepaths.

“Kouz has done a great job embracing the role,” Riordan said. “It’s something he’s focused on this year, finding better opportunities and giving players cues on when to steal bases.” Las Vegas has not won the Silver State Challenge, an intrastate rivalry with the Aces. The team is off to a good start this year and is competing for the Silver Plate Trophy. That level of rivalry mirrors what fans see in mlb division play.

Las Vegas went 4-2 in last week’s series in Reno, with Marlowe playing a key role in the Aviators’ success. Marlowe is hitting .326 with nine RBIs in 13 games. These kinds of performances can lead to opportunities in mlb in the future.