MESA, Ariz. -- Following the second round of roster cuts about halfway through Spring Training, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay pulled Max Muncy into his office.
Such a meeting is typically a signal that a player is about to be cut from big league camp. This one, however, was different.
It was a Sunday morning before the A¡¯s March 9 exhibition against the D-backs at Las Vegas Ballpark. Kotsay summoned Muncy -- the A¡¯s No. 7 prospect -- into his office to inform the 22-year-old infielder that while he was safe from the latest round of cuts, he ¡°wasn¡¯t impressed¡± with his performance up to that point in camp.
¡°We were thinking about just sending him back to Minor League camp,¡± Kotsay said. ¡°My demand from him when he made it through cuts was, ¡®I want an impression. I want you to stay here and leave an impression on me.¡¯¡±
On Sunday morning before the A¡¯s 8-1 victory over the Cubs at Sloan Park -- two weeks after Kotsay issued that challenge -- the skipper delivered a much more positive message: Muncy has made the A¡¯s Opening Day roster.
¡°It was surreal,¡± Muncy said of the conversation with Kotsay. ¡°A little unexpected. I thought I was getting sent down. But he was like, ¡®Hey, we¡¯re going to have you out in Seattle.¡¯ I just couldn¡¯t be more excited.¡±
A non-roster invite to big league camp, Muncy -- the 25th overall selection by the A¡¯s in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Thousand Oaks High School (Calif.) -- has emerged as one of the stars of spring.
Off the field, his infectious personality has become a hit inside the A¡¯s clubhouse with his teammates, many of whom he¡¯s already had a chance to play with in the Minors such as Lawrence Butler, Zack Gelof, Max Schuemann and Jacob Wilson.
On the diamond, Muncy forced his way into serious roster consideration by hitting .289 (11-for-38) through 23 games while also showing off stellar defensive play at second base and shortstop.
¡°He¡¯s a kid that¡¯s dynamic,¡± Kotsay said. ¡°He¡¯s a fast-twitched kid that is really athletic. He¡¯s got great reaction times. He can cover ground, and he can play all over the infield, so there¡¯s a lot of value there.¡±
With the A¡¯s having dealt with multiple injuries to the left side of their infield in 2024, Muncy likely would have reached the big leagues last season had it not been for separate hand and elbow injuries that limited him to 50 games at Triple-A Las Vegas.
Now a more polished version of himself, Muncy has gained the trust and confidence of Kotsay and the coaching staff. In the aftermath of Gelof requiring surgery on his right hand, Muncy could very well find himself making his Major League debut at second base for the A¡¯s come March 27 on Opening Day against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
¡°I think there¡¯s a chance for him to stay on the field anywhere,¡± Kotsay said of Muncy. ¡°We saw young players like Butler, [Tyler Soderstrom] and even Gelof get their opportunity and it was tough. He¡¯s going to see what the league is all about. We¡¯re going to see how he handles it. The hope is that he has success and never looks back.¡±
Sharing the same name and birthday with the Max Muncy who was once drafted by the A¡¯s and now stars for the Dodgers, the countdown is also now on for their first Major League encounter. The two faced off last August at Triple-A when the Dodgers¡¯ Muncy was on a Minor League rehab assignment. The Major League showdown could happen in 2025: The A¡¯s and Dodgers are scheduled for a three-game series at Dodger Stadium from May 13-15.
¡°It¡¯ll be cool to see him again,¡± Muncy said. ¡°I can be like, ¡®Hey, I¡¯m here as well!¡¯ We¡¯ve got to do another meetup.¡±