Youth movement helping to usher in new era of Athletics baseball

The A's offense is littered with up-and-coming hitters, including outfielder Lawrence Butler, shortstop Jacob Wilson and recently promoted Nick Kurtz. 

Butler, now in his third season, has played a tremendous role in the Athletics' turnaround. The 24-year-old enjoyed a breakout year in 2024 and made it clear that he's sticking around for the long haul after signing a seven-year, $65.5 million contract earlier this season. 

Wilson has also been a massive contributor to their offense in the early going and has caught the eyes of many with his uncanny bat-to-ball skills. The A's 2023 first-round pick has started to become what some people are saying the next Luis Arraez, a three-time batting champion, as he began his first full season in the bigs, hitting .337/.344/.472.

The Athletics took their offense to another level, adding slugger Nick Kurtz to the mix. The 22-year-old out of Wake Forest was an absolute monster in the minors, getting the call to the show after only 32 games, where he slashed .336/.432/.689. With the A's 2024 first-round pick slotting nicely into their lineup, suddenly the Athletics don't look too easy to beat up on anymore. 

Potential in the arm department

In addition to their lineup, you can't overlook that the A's have arguably one of the best closers in the league in Mason Miller. The Athletics caught lightning in a bottle with Miller and his electric fastball, saving 28 of 31 games, along with 104 strikeouts over 65 innings in 2024. 

Outside of Miller, the pitching staff needs work, but the Athletics have a good building block after signing starter Luis Severino to a three-year, $67 million contract this offseason. 

While Sevy hasn't had his swing-and-miss stuff to start his year, he has posted a respectable 3.31 ERA and 1.04 WHIP to start his tenure with the A's, and still seems to possess the velocity that makes his fastball so effective. 

The Athletics are no doubt an incomplete team at the moment, but they are a club to keep an eye on. With their rapidly developing youth and sneakily good offense, don't be surprised if you see them slide into the playoffs over the next few seasons.