Rangers claim Nuñez

SEATTLE — While Renato Nuñez was on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville, the A’s tried to sneak him through waivers.

They couldn’t do so: The Rangers pounced, making a waiver claim on the corner infielder-left fielder Sunday, so Oakland has lost a young player with strong power potential.

“Nuñez easily could hit 30plus homers one day,” one AL scout said. “He might strike out 150 times doing it, and he’ll never be a good defender, but on a second-division club that can give him 500 at-bats, he will provide offense.”

The scout said that Oakland losing Nuñez on waivers could be like the deal in 2004 in which Oakland sent minorleague outfielder Nelson Cruz to Milwaukee for infielder Keith Ginter. Cruz developed into one of the top power hitters in baseball.

Nuñez, 24, was part of the A’s core group of young players, including Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Chad Pinder, who came up through the minor leagues together. He hit 33 homers combined last year between Triple-A Nashville and Oakland; his 32 homers with the Sounds were the second most in the minors.

The A’s had no spot for Nuñez: The team has a righthanded-hitting designated hitter in Khris Davis, Chapman and Olson are likely to be Oakland’s corner infielders for the next several years, and Nuñez, who is out of options, is not a good enough outfielder to supplant any of the A’s options on a regular basis. With a three-man bench, Oakland doesn’t have the luxury of carrying a right-handed pinch hitter.

Nuñez went 2-for-2 with a double in the first Cactus League game but was hurt the next day and missed the rest of spring training with a hamstring strain.

In seven games with Nashville on a rehab assignment, Nuñez went 10-for-28 (.357). Pinder to be recalled: Pinder, a utilityman, will be recalled Monday and infielder Franklin Barreto will return to Nashville, according to sources.

Pinder homered Sunday in the second of his two rehab games with Class A Stockton. He has missed 10 games with a hyperextended left knee.