Laureano enjoying notoriety with A’s
Trade to Oakland let young outfielder gain highlight-reel fame
OAKLAND, Calif. — One year before he transfixed the baseball world with a throw that will be replayed for years to come, Ramon Laureano traversed center field at ONEOK Field. A Tulsa Drillers batter launched a prodigious home run over his head.
Laureano gave chase. Right fielder Kyle Tucker did not.
“It was way over,” Tucker said Friday. “But (Laureano), he’s a super-aggressive guy. He’ll literally run through the outfield wall trying to catch a ball. I saw him literally run through the wall, jumping over it.”
One-time teammates at Class AA Corpus Christi, the two young phenoms sat in opposite dugouts for Friday night’s series opener at Oakland Coliseum. Neither was in the starting lineup. Though he has struggled during his first major league exposure, Tucker’s stock remains high.
So, too, does Laureano’s. Six days ago, during the Athletics’ 7-0 win in Anaheim, the 24-year-old rookie made a running catch in left-center field. Angels outfielder Eric Young Jr. took off from first base on contact.
“Two pitches before, I’d thought about that same play,” Laureano said Friday. “And it happened. The game was 7-0, might as well.”
Laureano set his feet, crowhopped and uncorked a 321-foot throw from the warning track. Statcast clocked it at 91.2 mph. It reached A’s first baseman Mark Canha on the fly. Young was easily doubled up.
The throw became a lead highlight on television and set social media ablaze, rekindling memories of former A’s outfielder Yoenis Cespedes’ memorable toss from the left-field corner in 2014. Laureano returned to his cellphone and found 20 text messages.
“I don’t want to sound cocky or anything, but it was cool,” Laurea-
no said. “I thought about it a couple pitches before and I was like, damn, that was crazy.”
The Astros traded Laureano in December, a victim of a 40-man roster dilemma as the Rule 5 draft neared.
Instead of Laureano, their 16thround pick in the 2014 draft, the Astros protected pitchers Cionel Perez and Dean Deetz. Both were added to the 40-man roster. Laureano was exposed to any team unless, of course, the Astros executed a trade.
“I wasn’t that shocked,” Laureano said. “I thought about why they may trade me. It makes sense. They would have traded me for a freakin’ Pepsi-Cola, you know, because of the situation I was in. Might as well get something back. I understood the situation. It’s part of baseball. They have pretty good outfielders.”
For Laureano, the Astros received righthanded pitcher Brandon Bailey. He has struck out 122 in 1061⁄3 innings during his first season with the organization.
Eleven days ago, Bailey was promoted to Class AA Corpus Christi. MLBPipeline.com ranks Bailey the organization’s 28thbest prospect.
In 2016, Laureano occupied an identical spot in those same rankings. He boasted a .955 OPS in 116 games, earning a promotion to Corpus Christi midway through the season.
Laureano started there in 2017 and regressed. He had a .668 OPS in 123 games, striking out 110 times against 40 walks. The decision to leave him off the 40-man occurred that December.
“I was trying some new stuff, but it didn’t even freaking work at all,” Laureano said. “I just kind of tried to change and it took a little bit of time, way longer than I thought. But, yeah, I worked during the offseason to be consistent.”
Prior to his call-up, Laureano had a .905 OPS at Class AAA Nashville. His walk rate increased and his aggression remained palpable. Laureano has three outfield assists in his first nine major league games. He had a walkoff single in the first game he played.
“I’m just glad I’m in the big leagues right now, trying to be an everyday player here,” Laureano said. “I’m seeing the ball good, I’m seeing everything good, and I just have to keep it going.”
Laureano was not in Friday night’s starting lineup. He felt no awkwardness seeing the organization that drafted him for the first time as an opponent.
“I learned so much,” Laureano said. “I met so many great teammates,coaches, front office (personnel). I learned so much from them. I’m glad I came up with them.”