Top 10 Athletics Spring Training Storylines To Watch

Welcome back, Athletics fans. Spring training has returned, and so has a level of optimism around the A’s. The past few years have been filled with just about every other emotion outside of hope, but it’s time to turn the page.

The A’s have increased their win total each of the past three seasons, and they finished 2025 with 76 wins, their most since narrowly missing the playoffs in 2021. A young offensive core took another step in 2025 and heads into the 2026 season as the driving factor behind this team.

However, the A’s pitching is finally starting to trend in the right direction. The past few years have been forgettable, and a roster overhaul has taken place, as only a couple of pitchers still remain from the 2024 season. Veterans were added in 2025, and 2026 is the year when a number of younger arms enter the discussion.

As the buzz builds around this team, I wanted to outline what I think will be the top 10 storylines to follow this spring training.

As you know, spring training is a time to sort out the secondary questions. I feel confident that Nick Kurtz will be a factor, so I’ll skip talking about him. Instead, I want to focus on position battles and rounding out the roster.

Who Claims Third Base?

The A’s have just about every position filled outside of third base. Since Matt Chapman left, there has been a revolving door of mostly underwhelming, short-term options. This year’s competition includes a few names who could develop into long-term solutions and a veteran who might have an edge.

I’ll start with the veteran, Andy Ibáñez. Ibáñez bounced around to start his career before landing with the Tigers and specializing as a short-side platoon player. He’s historically hit lefties well, but his .714 OPS against southpaws in 2025 was not good enough.

Luckily, Ibanez can play a number of positions and could find a role as a utility player if he does not win third base.

Max Muncy comes with the first-round draft pick pedigree and highest upside, but his 2025 season doesn’t exactly stand out as belonging to the obvious answer at third. I will say, he was showing signs of improvement as the season went on, but he will need to cut down on strikeouts before being handed the role.

Best case scenario would be Muncy hitting enough to make up for his defensive shortcomings and putting an end to the questions at the position. While I think that’s possible, 2025 did not show nearly enough to think it is probable.

Brett Harris and Darell Hernaiz are the next guys up. I think both are fine depth players to stash in the minors, but their limited ceilings dampen expectations. For a deeper dive on the third base situation, you can check this article out.

Zack Gelof’s Role Is Changing

The addition of Jeff McNeil has put Zack Gelof‘s role in question. Once thought of as the second baseman of the future, Gelof struggled mightily in 2024 before injury stunted any hopes of a bounce-back in 2025.

What we saw in 2023 – .267/.337/.504 with 14 home runs and 14 stolen bases across 69 games – is looking more like a fluke than the standard. Bottom line, Gelof does not make enough contact. Since entering the league, he’s posted a 72.4% zone contact rate, 10% below league average.

However, the athletic profile is too good to simply give up on. Coming into spring training healthy will allow Gelof time to hopefully correct these issues and carve out a role. He’s going to work some in center field and could find a spot as a utility option and late-game chess piece.

His speed and defensive instincts lead me to believe the transition could work, but if he doesn’t prove he can hit enough, it becomes hard to find a roster spot. Shoulder surgery is also tricky to come back from, and many players take over a year to get right. In my opinion, Gelof is facing an uphill battle.

Which Prospect Starting Pitchers Stand Out?

The A’s have not had many high-profile starting prospects in recent years. Former top prospects who needed a second chance and injury-riddled arms have mostly made up their prospect pool. Well, that changes this year.

Luis Morales, Gage Jump, Wei-En Lin, Braden Nett, Jamie Arnold, and Kade Morris will all be in camp, amongst others, making for an exciting taste of the future. Morales leads the charge and will likely have the most impact in 2026. More on Morales later.

Jump, Just Baseball’s 52nd-ranked prospect, is an exciting lefty with a high IVB fastball that’s tough for batters to pick up. Pair that with a big bending breaking ball with plus command, and you have a pitcher that could be a factor by mid-season. I don’t think the A’s are in a rush to get him to the majors, and the Aaron Civale signing proves that, but he could force their hand sooner than later.

Lin just turned 20 and is a few years away from joining the rotation. But, he’s worth keeping an eye on this spring. His stuff is electric, but he needs to iron out his command. The invitation to spring training shows just how high the organization is on this young lefty.

Nett was part of the return from San Diego in the Mason Miller trade and is currently on the 40-man roster, giving him an inside track to being an early call-up. He’s a tall righty with a big fastball that climbs up around 100 mph paired with a slider that gets plenty of swing and miss. This is the type of prospect the A’s have not had waiting in the wings, ready to debut, outside of Morales.

Will We See Luis Morales Take a Leap?

Luis Morales deserves to be his own storyline. He joined the A’s late last season, making nine starts and posting a 3.14 ERA and 4.68 FIP. His fastball leads the way, averaging 97 mph, but it often found too much of the zone last season, leading to hard contact. Refining his command is the next step that I’ll be watching for.

Albeit in a small sample, Morales threw his fastball 52.4% of the time last season and did not utilize his full four-pitch mix to the extent I thought he would. His other offerings – a sweeper, changeup, and slider– all recorded a whiff rate of 25% or better, with his breaking balls at 38% collectively.

The two adjustments I will be watching for will be his fastball command and whether he utilizes his full pitch mix more. Young players can often lean on their fastball and take time to find their pitch sequencing, so the 2025 results were not surprising, but taking that next step can truly unlock his potential.

What’s the Plan With Colby Thomas?

The A’s outfield is fairly set with Tyler Soderstrom locking down left, Lawrence Butler in right, and Denzel Clarke hopefully hitting enough to keep his elite glove in center. The bench will likely include Colby Thomas and Carlos Cortes, who surprised everyone with a 132 wRC+ last season.

Thomas showed above-average power in the minor leagues and hit at every stop along the way. Once he joined the A’s, a truly everyday role was hard to find, and he struggled, slashing .225/.267/.417 for an 82 wRC+. Will the A’s use Thomas, a somewhat significant prospect who’s still developing, as a short-side platoon option only?

His swing and miss issues have always been a concern, especially since he joined the upper minors and majors. He did post a 136 wRC+ against lefties, which leads me to believe a platoon with Butler (52 wRC+ vs. LHP) is there for the taking.

Capitalizing on this opportunity isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. You don’t often see a young player settle into a short-side platoon role, as the inconsistent playing time doesn’t usually align with development. If the A’s are willing to let Thomas focus solely on this role, I think he could be an asset.

A Bullpen Battle for a Lefty Spot

Last season, the A’s bullpen had a couple of bright spots but was mostly filled with below-average pitchers. After moving Miller, well, things really looked bleak.

The additions of Scott Barlow, Mark Leiter Jr., and a couple of veteran non-roster invitees gives the A’s more proven depth, but a lefty to pair with Hogan Harris is still needed.

Brady Basso has the inside track with a big looping curveball that you don’t see as often in today’s game. His 2025 was cut short due to injury, but the small sample we did see showed a significant increase in vertical movement on his changeup, which gives him another pitch to get righties out with. The fastball is low velocity but has enough ride to work.

However, I’m not fully convinced he has the job locked up. Ben Bowden and Matt Krook, both veteran non-roster invitees, have a chance to steal the job. Also, keep an eye out for Domingo Robles. The former starter is in camp and could carve out a role in the bullpen.

Backup Catcher Competition

Finding a backup behind Shea Langeliers has not been easy. Much like third base, players have been shuffled in and out for the better part of the past few seasons. Austin Wynns, a 35-year-old they picked up off waivers last season, struggled offensively, and any variation of an upgrade would be welcomed.

The A’s are obviously not comfortable with the situation, as they have brought four other veteran options on non-roster invites. Shane McGuire, Bryan Lavastida, Chad Wallach, and Brian Serven will all get a chance to earn the backup role.

Lavastida joined the organization mid-season and posted a .348/.404/.562 slash with four home runs in 26 games in Triple-A, but we know how those numbers can be inflated. Outside of Wynns, Wallach comes with the most major league experience (156 games), though he has been nothing more than a depth catcher and brings little offensively. Similar story for Serven.

If the club wants to go with a veteran who serves almost as a coach, Wynns is probably the best option. However, Lavastida and McGuire have a little more upside and youth, and both are ready to assume the role if Wynns doesn’t pan out.

Which Non-Roster Invitees Will Stand Out?

The A’s have a ton of NRIs in camp, and a number of them are intriguing young players, so I’ll cover only a few.

Leo De Vries – Just Baseball’s ninth overall prospect, De Vries came to the A’s via the Miller trade at last year’s deadline. A switch-hitting shortstop with freakish tools and an already advanced hit tool for his age. I don’t think he makes the jump this season, but all eyes will be on their top prospect this spring.

Jamie Arnold – After being selected 11th overall in last year’s draft, Arnold did not pitch the rest of the year. The lefty comes with a ton of upside and is probably closer to making his debut than most casual fans might think. Looking sharp in spring training is step one, but he could fly through the minors and join the rotation late this summer, if all goes well.

Joshua Kuroda-Grauer – If you are not familiar with Kuroda-Grauer, I think you will be soon. He has a plus hit tool, but next to no power. Still, his old-school approach could be just what the A’s need in their lineup. He rarely strikes out, he puts the ball in play, and he has speed. The ceiling is more limited than the other two names listed, but I think you’ll find him to be a fun player to watch.

The Last Chance for Several Players

More and more players continue to peel off this roster from previous years. As the team improves, naturally, more fringe players will find themselves looking for new work.

The list of last-chance candidates is long, but the main names that stick out to me are Luis Medina, Gunnar Hoglund, and Joey Estes. Depending on how the third base situation plays out, Hernaiz and Harris are probably safe for now, but not for the entire season.

The next wave of young pitchers is here and pushing their way to the upper minors. Keeping guys like Medina, Hoglund, and Estes around is becoming increasingly less important, and each will need to prove this spring that they are worthy of a spot not only in the majors, but on the 40-man roster.

Do the A’s Have Enough Pitching?

I’ll leave you with this. A short and straightforward question. Do the A’s have enough pitching? All five of the projected starters come with question marks. The bullpen is far from a threat and near the bottom of the league.

I’ll be watching not only for certain roles to be determined, but also to look at just how many total arms show enough to even be considered an option. Will enough arms show enough upside to give the A’s a chance to climb closer to contention in 2026?