Sheldon Neuse was called up by the Oakland A’s on Thursday, according to the team. Khris Davis, who was placed on the three-day paternity list on Thursday due to the birth of his child, vacated his spot on the team’s 25-man roster.
It was decided to designate pitcher Wei-Chung Wang as a designated player in order to free up a spot on the 40-man roster.
Neuse (pronounced “noisy”) was ranked ninth on Athletics Nation’s Community Prospect List prior to the start of the season.
After a disappointing season in Triple-A the year before, he had a second shot in 2019 and performed considerably better, even at the age of 24.
Additionally, the A’s minor-league affiliate relocated from Nashville to Las Vegas, which is known as a hitter’s paradise.
To acquire Neuse, Oakland traded Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson for Blake Treinen and top pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo, who was sent to Washington in exchange for Neuse in July 2017.
He was drafted by the Nationals in the second round of the 2016 draft. It was a great year for the right-hander in Oakland, who went from High A to Double-A and then to the Arizona Fall League in 2017.
When he was invited to the A’s spring training the following year, he ended up leading the Cactus League in home runs.
After just 18 games at Double-A the year before, he was sent to Triple-A for the start of the season.
He had a 72 wRC+, no power, no walks, and too many strikeouts as a result of that promotion and Nashville’s tough home park. He improved as the summer progressed, but he still had a lot to prove when the new year began.
How To Pronounce Sheldon Neuse?
Neuse is pronounced “noisy”/ˈnɔɪzi/ NOY-zee