Happy Friday everyone!
The Athletics’ new-look front office continues to take shape. Yesterday, the team officially introduced its new general manager, Cam Castro.
The 36-year-old spent the past eight years with the Milwaukee Brewers, working his way up from Single-A pitching coach to the Brewers’ senior vice president of player development and performance. Castro’s extensive background in pitching development is a big reason why Athletics President of Baseball Operations Taylor Smith brought him aboard
to help turn the A’s from rebuilders to contenders.
If the A’s want to return to the playoffs, they must fix their league-worst pitching staff. Jack Perkins, Jacob Lopez and Gage Jump are three starting pitchers who, with the right coaching, could elevate their ability next season. That trio will likely be joined by offseason additions acquired through trades and/or free agent signings.
Additional help may come from within the organization. The A’s top pitching prospect, left-hander Jamie Arnold, is on track to make his major league debut in 2027 as long as he stays healthy and avoids performance regression. Speaking of regression, the Green and Gold would greatly benefit if Castro and the new pitching coach can help talented right-hander Luis Morales regain his form after he struggled to retire hitters this year.
While Morales and Arnold remain with the team, a group of other minor leaguers declared free agency.
The majority of these players provided organizational depth. However, several of them received playing time with the Athletics due to the club’s injury crises during the second half of the season.
Robert Puason stands out as a highly touted multimillion international signee who failed to translate his tools into consistent production. Although the A’s have remained active in the international market—signing youth prospects from Latin America, South America and the Far East, it hasn’t panned out so well. Yoenis Céspedes remain the most recent signee to significantly impact the club.
Castro and Smith both previously worked with clubs who have found great success in scouting and developing foreign players. How can these two executives ensure the Athletics generate more of a return in investment on the international market? Which minor league free agents should the A’s resign and who should they let go to pursue other opportunities? Lastly, which MLB free agent do you want the team to target first?
A’s Coverage
- New GM Castro, POBO Smith give glimpse into vision for A’s
- Athletics Hire Cam Castro As General Manager
- Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
- A’s trade RHP prospect to Red Sox for outfielder Eaton
- Three A’s Officially Elect Free Agency
- 28 A’s Minor Leaguers Choose Free Agency
- A’s prospect who was ‘born to hit’ bringing big smiles, intangibles to Fall League
- After standout year, No. 7 prospect Taylor could factor into A’s ‘27 plans
- Q&A: Smith discusses his new role as youngest head of baseball ops in MLB
- Taylor Smith’s Improbable Quest: A Quality SP
- Why A’s Bringing Back Sonny Gray Could Make Sense
- Optics vs. Infrastructure: Taylor Smith’s First Dilemma
- Athletics Hire Taylor Smith As Next President of Baseball Operations
- Realistic Shea Langeliers trade offers the Yankees, Cubs and Reds can make
- A’s Max Muncy Undergoes Knee Debridement
- The five biggest questions facing the A’s this offseason
- Inside the A’s State-of-the-Art Las Vegas Ballpark
- Temporary plaza at Athletics ballpark weighed as funding remains uncertain
- How technology will shape fan experiences at the A’s Las Vegas ballpark
- Pitching prospect Huggins growing his game with the help of this A’s Hall of Famer
- ’Be a sponge’: No. 19 prospect leads A’s Fall League group with do-it-all mentality
- A’s LHP prospect Richardson shows off health and resiliency during Fall League homecoming
- Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
MLB News & Interest:
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- MLB increases cap and floor in latest proposal, sets 2028 target
- Here are the 2026 Silver Slugger Award finalists
- Pujols, Ensberg to interview for Astros manager opening (sources)
- Angels Yet To Begin Interviewing GM Candidates While Awaiting Sale Approval
- Guardians’ Clase, Ortiz described as ‘cheaters’ at pitch-rigging trial
- Hot Stove rumors: Gunnar, Mets, Rasmussen, Marte
- What to expect from Japanese superstar Sato in the Majors
- Phillies Likely To Pursue Left-Handed Setup Man
- Team-by-team breakdown of every free agent
- Top 40 MLB free agents: Tarik Skubal headlines class light on star power
- 10 free agents who raised their stock in 2026
- UPDATED 2027-28 MLB Free Agents
- Former MLB star Mark Teixeira wins U.S. House seat in Texas
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X
Everyone, please welcome Castro to the Athletics!
Sign of the future! It will be interesting to see what the Las Vegas ballpark looks like when it’s fully built.
Not a bad idea. However, the A’s new front office will find it difficult to entice talented, experienced free-agent pitchers to sign with the club because of the Sacramento factor and the team’s five consecutive losing seasons.
