A’s Agree to Terms with 15 International Players

Jan 21, 2025, 9:48 AM

Sactown Sports writer

The following is via an A’s media release.

The A’s agreed to terms with 15 international players, including six from the Dominican Republic, six from Venezuela, one from Japan, one from Cuba, and one from the Bahamas, the club announced today.

The list includes shortstop/RHP Shotaro Morii out of Japan who is the 25th-ranked international prospect according to Baseball America. Bahamian shortstop Ayden Johnson is ranked 28th, Venezuelan outfielder Breyson Guedez is ranked 29th, and Dominican outfielder Darwing Ozuna is ranked 45th.

The complete list of players is as follows:

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The Athletics have agreed to terms with right-handed reliever Jose Leclerc, the team announced Friday. It’s their second offseason addition that aims to aid their pitching after signing starter Luis Severino in early December.

To clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Jose Leclerc, the A’s designated right-handed pitcher Will Klein for assignment.

According to ESPN‘s Jeff Passan, it is a one-year deal worth $ 10 million.

Leclerc was 6-5 with a save, a 4.32 ERA and .671 opponents OPS in 64 relief appearances with Texas last year. He struck out 89 batters in 66.2 innings (12.02 per nine innings) and tied for 14th in the majors among relievers in strikeouts.

The 31-year-old right-hander had a career high in wins, and his games pitched, innings pitched and strikeouts were the second most of his career and his most since 2019. Leclerc held the opposition to a .227 batting average, including .193 against right-handed hitters, but walked 32 for a .323 on-base percentage.

Leclerc has pitched eight seasons in the majors, all with Texas, and is 12-20 with 41 saves and a 3.27 ERA in 350 career appearances. He has 473 strikeouts in 360.1 innings (11.81 per nine innings) and is the Rangers/Senators franchise record holder for most strikeouts by a reliever.

Originally signed by Texas out of the Dominican Republic in 2010 at the age of 16, Leclerc made his Major League debut in 2016. He logged a 1.56 ERA and 12 saves in 59 relief appearances in 2018 and had 14 saves and 100 strikeouts in 68.2 innings over 70 relief appearances in 2019.

Leclerc missed nearly the entire 2020 season with a torn right teres major muscle and was out for the entire 2021 season following “Tommy John” surgery. He has pitched in 160 games in three seasons since the surgery and has a 3.36 ERA, .629 opponents OPS and 210 strikeouts in 171.1 innings since his return.