LOS ANGELES – To the Oakland Athletics: it’s time to give this Bro a chance.

 

The Oakland A’s are 1-9 in their last 10 games, and are 3-12 overall. Something needs to change to get a new spark going for this team to finally start winning. The good news for the A’s is that they have that spark to get them going in their farm system, and his name is Lawrence Butler.

MLBbro Lawrence Butler Is Part Of “The New Oakland” A’s Youth Movement

Butler Smashed Spring Training Assignment 


The first baseman/outfielder tore it up during spring training, having a .478/.556/.870 slashline, with one home run, and 10 RBI.

He also had four doubles, a triple, and stole two bases while only striking out four times in his 12 spring training appearances, showing his electric style that baseball fans were impressed to see.

 

“He’s fun. He’s got the tools. It’s taken him a little while to put it together. Any time you’re a high school guy, it takes a little while to get acclimated. He’s big, physical and mature now. He’s got the tools to play” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told MLB.com back in February.

 

So far, Butler has started the season with the A’s Double-A affiliate, the Midland RockHounds. In seven games, he’s batted .233, with no home runs, three RBI, an on-base percentage of .303, and a slugging percentage of .333.

 

Butler was drafted out of Westlake High School in Atlanta, and was picked by the A’s in the sixth round with the 173rd selection back in 2018. He’s been in the minor leagues ever since, as he has slowly but surely been improving and getting promoted to higher leagues.

Oakland believes in Butler

At the end of the 2022 season, Lawrence was selected by the team to be a part of the 40-man roster in order to avoid him being eligible for the Rule 5 Draft, which allows other teams to select non-40-man roster players from other teams. The A’s clearly believe in Butler, because they were taking no chances on another team snagging the blossoming talent. 

Why Not Bring Lawrence Butler Up To The A’s?


There was a chance that Butler could have possibly made the opening day roster after having that outstanding spring training, but a dislocated elbow during last year’s campaign limited him to 84 minor league games. If he had played a full season, maybe he would have gotten the chance to play in the bigs, but instead, the A’s may feel that he needs a bit more seasoning in the minors to make up for the missed time.

 

Oakland is expected to be one of the worst teams in all of the MLB this season, so what do they have to lose by calling up Butler.

 

He’s currently rated by MLB as the ninth-best prospect in the A’s organization. If they aren’t competing for a championship, then it would do some good to give their young guys some experience and get a taste of the show and their fans some cause for excitement. Butler fits that bill.

Plus, it can give A’s fans hope that even though their team is struggling now, the future does look bright.