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For as thrilled as the A’s were to select Jacob Wilson with the sixth overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft, the excitement level was equally as high when they landed Steven Echavarria two rounds later.

Signing Wilson for an under-slot bonus created flexibility for the A’s to go over slot in the third round to take Echavarria and sway him away from a commitment to the University of Florida by signing him for $3 million, a figure that is considered more typical for a first-round pick.

Following the Draft, Echavarria was sent to the instructional league, and though he only pitched six innings there, his performance was enough to generate some buzz entering the offseason.

“A lot of people are very excited about him,” said A’s director of player development Ed Sprague. “It was a pretty small sample size. He hadn’t done anything for a while, so really, after we drafted him, it was just getting him built up. He threw six innings in instructs and looked really good. We’re excited for him to get his pro career kicked off.”

Before Echavarria enters his first professional season, he will be among the organization’s top prospects participating in next week’s inaugural Spring Breakout showcase when Oakland’s prospects square off against the Giants’ prospects at Hohokam Stadium.

Echavarria, ranked as the A’s No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, brings a four-pitch mix that features a fastball that consistently hits 96 mph and has reached up to 98 mph, carrying ride up in the zone that lends to a good amount of swing-and-miss. Other pitches in his arsenal include a sweeping slider, a curveball and a low-80s changeup. He also throws a 92-93 mph two-seamer down in the zone, which should develop more consistent velocity as he grows into his 6-foot-1 frame.

Echavarria’s dominant run as a senior at Millburn High School in New Jersey, going 8-1 with a 0.28 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 50 innings, earned him NJ.com’s Pitcher of the Year honors in 2023, setting up the 18-year-old for a highly anticipated pro debut this upcoming season.

When is the last time the A's played in the American League Championship Series?

A) 2006
B) 2003
C) 1998
D) 2012

With their current lease at the Oakland Coliseum set to expire after the 2024 season and a planned move to Las Vegas to a new ballpark that is expected to be ready for the 2028 season, the A’s continue to explore their options for a temporary home from 2025-27. 

Before the A’s opened up a two-game series with the Brewers at Las Vegas Ballpark on Friday night, A’s team president Dave Kaval sat down with MLB.com to discuss the latest on that front. 

MLB.com: As far as the interim home search, which is now a priority for you, where do things stand on that end?

Kaval: We’re in active negotiations with multiple cities, including Oakland. I have another meeting with the folks in Oakland and the county on Thursday. We’ve been meeting with African American Sports Entertainment Group about selling our [Coliseum] share to them, and that has been a positive conversation. We’ve had fruitful conversations. We’ve also talked to the Miller Group in Salt Lake City, as well as the folks in Sacramento, so we have kind of like a triple-parallel path going on. We specialize in parallel paths, and we just want to be really thoughtful about the decision. It’s a very big decision. It’s one that affects a lot of stakeholders, from Major League Baseball to the Players [Association] to our players and the communities involved. We just want to make sure it is a really deliberate and smart decision because there are deadlines. MLB has to print a [2025] schedule by this summer, so we’re working through that. We have broadcast partners we have to bring along through this as well, which has revenue implications. All those things together, it makes for a rather complex decision, but one that I feel that, every day, we’re getting closer to.

MLB.com: Is there a specific deadline or timeframe where you want to make a final decision by?

Kaval: I think the best way to frame it is, by the time the Major League Baseball schedule is announced, we have to have this out there. That’s what we’re monitoring with the league. That doesn’t happen until the summer, so that’s what we’re really keeping an eye on.

MLB.com: Is the hope that it’s just one specific site for the team to play at or is there a possibility of splitting time at multiple ballparks?

Kaval: We haven’t really evaluated a splitting time scenario. It’s been one spot. I think that’s a better situation for the players. But the one thing I will say is that I think it’s probably likely that, wherever we play, we would play one or two series here at Las Vegas Ballpark maybe to kick off the season. The MLB season starts earlier than Triple-A, so you could come here and play one or two series. That would give the community here a little taste. It would be a nice revenue generation opportunity for the folks here, and [Las Vegas Aviators owner] Don Logan and his team run as professional an organization as you will find in all of sports. This venue is practically a Major League venue. They did a really nice job here, so I think that’s an interesting aspect to what we could do as well.

The A's are celebrating their 10th Spring Training at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz. Secure your tickets for the best seats at the lowest prices for a Spring Training game versus the Giants, Cubs, Angels, and more.

• The Las Vegas Strip was an appropriate backdrop for Mitch Spence, who hopes to parlay a good spring into an Opening Day roster spot with the A’s. More >>

• Miguel Andujar is giving the A’s no choice but to consider him as part of their 2024 plans with a hot start at the plate this spring. More >>

A. 2006

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