by Charlie O Mallonee

OAKLAND–In the deal that sent former A’s pitcher Scott Kazmir to Houston the A’s picked up one non pitcher and a pitcher. Let’s talk about the right hand pitcher Daniel Mengden who comes in immediately as the 25th best prospect in the Oakland A’s system and there was enough time to see where they’re going to plug him in. Mengden should be the number one prospect because this guy has the best mustache since former A’s pitcher Rollie Fingers.

Mengden has a perfectly groomed handlebar mustache. To look at this guy you would say “this guy is a member of the Oakland A’s” it’s just fantastic. In all seriousness Mengden is a 22 year old, he’s 6’2 190 pounds and the Astros took him in the fourth round in the draft in 2014. He was the 106th player in that draft. He comes out of Texas A&M that’s where he played his college ball.

Mengden is a four pitch pitcher, when you talk about that’s been at A ball that has already four pitches. Your starting to talk about somebody that has real potential. He has a fastball in the low 90s, he has a sharp biting slider right now that has an outstanding chance to make that an outstanding slider. He’s got a curve ball and a change up to go with that that both needs some work.

Then again your talking about fastball, slider, curve, change, he can perfect three of those pitches if he can take four of those pitches and put them into the mix he’s got some real potential at the Major League level. He’s currently needing some work but your an A ball guy. If he didn’t need work he wouldn’t be in A ball.

Mengden has made two starts in Stockton and is 1-1 as a member of the Ports he’s got a 1.50 ERA he struck out 13 and walked one that was a relatively impressive number. He had a 3.23 ERA for the season and as always their trying to work with the projections to see when Mengden would be MLB ready. They’re saying Mengden probably for 2017 would be the first opportunity to be pulled up into the Majors.

That’s pretty quick when your playing A ball and granted he’s playing high A ball but your talking about a guy whose going to go to AA ball and then onto Triple A next season and then onto the Majors in 2017. This is one guy that the A’s see that can fast track through the season. The other player that the A’s picked up who is a catcher/first baseman Jacob Nottingham. He comes immediately slotting as the eighth best player in the A’s minor league system.

Charlie O covers the rest of the A’s prospects picked up during the fire sale last week listen to the podcast below at http://www.sportsardioservice.com