A closer look at prospects A’s acquired in trading Montas, Trivino to Yankees

Strikeout rate stands out among Waldichuk’s minor-league numbers. The lefty averages 13.7 strikeouts per nine innings — 328 in 215 ⅔ innings. His 3.8 walks-per-nine average is a bit high, but opponents hit .193 against him. Waldichuk made seven starts last season at High-A before a promotion to Double-A and six Double-A starts this year before moving to Triple-A.

A 2019 fifth-round pick from St. Mary’s, Waldichuk was the No. 5 prospect in the Yankees’ system, per Baseball America. He throws a fastball, which he’ll use up in the zone, a sweepy slider, a changeup and curveball. His delivery is a bit funky and one scout noted his arm action might be difficult to repeat. A’s GM David Forst said pro scout Jeff Bittiger believes Waldichuk has front-of-the-rotation potential.

“He’s gone out since his being drafted and done nothing but performed and kind of checks every box in terms of strikeouts, of command, of velocity and a couple of plus off-speed pitches in his curveball and changeup,” Forst said on a conference call Monday.

Medina is said to have electric stuff. His fastball sits in the upper 90s and he’s touched 103 mph, per Baseball America, and he throws a breaking ball and changeup. Command seems to be a challenge. Medina has averaged 10.7 strikeouts and 6.1 walks per nine innings in the minors. In 72 innings at Double-A this year, he has allowed just 46 hits but has walked 40.

Signed at age 16 by the Yankees from the Dominican Republic, Medina has pitched as a starter in their system. Forst said Medina, pegged by Baseball America the Yankees’ ninth-best prospect, will continue to start in the A’s system.

“We see him as a starter,” Forst said. “We know the curveball is a plus-plus pitch, we think his changeup is excellent as well and think there’s a three-pitch mix there to continue starting. Obviously the velocity’s the thing that jumps out at you, and it’s really easy. Not a lot of effort there.”

Sears reached the majors this season and the A’s faced him June 28 in New York. Opposing Montas that evening, Sears pitched 5 ⅔ scoreless innings, holding the A’s to three hits. In 22 innings with New York the lefty has a 2.05 ERA, pitching both as a starter and reliever. Sears has also manned both roles in the minors, where he owns a 2.86 ERA and 11.1 K/9 rate over 277 ⅓ innings.

An 11th-round pick by Seattle in 2017, Sears was traded to the Yankees that November. He has thrown a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup in his MLB outings, per Statcast, using the changeup against left-handed hitters and the slider against righties and lefties. Forst said Sears will join the rotation at Triple-A Las Vegas for now, but Sears would seem a candidate for a call-up to Oakland in the second half.

Bowman, a 2021 fourth-round draft pick out of Louisville, went to the same South Dakota high school as former A’s second baseman Mark Ellis. Baseball America noted his speed and strike zone awareness in a pre-draft scouting report. Bowman was at High-A this season in the Yankees’ system, where he owned a .217/.343/.355 slash line with 55 walks, 97 strikeouts and 35 stolen bases in 80 games.

Forst said the A’s saw Bowman while he was playing at Louisville and like his contact and walk rates. He will join High-A Lansing, where the A’s also have 2021 first-rounder Max Muncy and infielder Euribiel Angeles, acquired in the Sean Manaea trade from the Padres. “It’s a little crowded in the infield, so we’ll move the three guys around,” Forst said.