A’s camp invitees: Neuse, Heathcott
Slade Heathcott, once a big outfield prospect for the Yankees, and Sheldon Neuse, an infielder acquired in a big trade last summer, highlight a list of 17 nonroster players whom the A’s have invited to spring training.
Also on the list is utilityman Steve Lombardozzi Jr., who has played in 291 bigleague games scattered over six seasons, and Logan Shore, the A’s second-round pick in 2016, who will be in his first major-league camp.
Heathcott, 27, was the Yankees’ first-round pick in 2009 draft whose career has been derailed by injuries. In his lone big-league stint, in 2015, he went 10-for-25 for the Yankees. Heathcott spent the 2017 season in the Giants’ system.
Oakland acquired Neuse in the five-player trade July 16 that sent relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson to the Nationals. The 23-year-old had a solid minor-league season with three teams in 2017, ending with a .373 average in 18 games for Oakland’s Double-A team in Midland, Texas.
Neuse also excelled in the 2017 Arizona Fall League, hitting .314 with five homers in 86 at-bats.
Lombardozzi, 29, has played for the Nationals, Orioles, Pirates and Marlins, last getting significant big-league time with Washington in 2013. His father, Steve Lombardozzi Sr., spent six seasons as an infielder with the Twins and Astros.
Shore, 23, is a right-handed starter whom the A’s drafted out of the University of Florida in 2016. He has struck out 108 batters in 1012⁄3 minorleague innings.
— Henry Schulman
Mejia’s non-salary: Suspended reliever Jenrry Mejia and the Mets agreed to a one-year contract worth $1.7 million, money the pitcher will not receive because of his three positive drug tests.
Even though Mejia was banned for life in February 2016 for violating baseball’s drug policy, the Mets retain his rights as a player on their restricted list. The deal is the maximum 30 percent cut from his 2016 salary of $2.47 million. He was cut the maximum 20 percent last year to $2 million. Under baseball’s drug agreement, players serving suspensions do not get paid.
Mejia may apply to Commissioner Rob Manfred for reinstatement, and Manfred at his discretion has the power to let Mejia back in baseball.