There is not much news due to the ongoing lockdown. Any signing will be a minor league deal, trades are on hold and everything is in limbo. There will be a lot of speculation, especially around the Oakland A’s, but nothing will happen until the lockdown is over.
But that doesn’t mean other leagues are facing the same problems. In fact, these other leagues were able to attract more talent from the majors than they had in the past due to the lockout. This includes the Chinese Professional Baseball League, which has managed to attract a pair of players who have spent time in the A’s organization.
Pair of former Oakland A’s heading to CPBL
Francisco Pena spent the 2021 season in Triple-A for the A’s, essentially serving as a veteran mentor and someone who would be called upon in an emergency. Although that didn’t happen, he posted a solid .250/.322/.459 batting line in his 447 plate appearances, hitting 23 home runs and 13 doubles. Those numbers marked a marked improvement over his major league totals, as Pena had produced a .216/.249/.311 batting line in his 202 plate appearances, hitting five home runs and three doubles.
Dylan Covey was the A’s fourth-round selection in the 2013 MLB Draft. He never appeared in the majors of the organization, being selected by the White Sox in the 2017 Rule V draft. Like Pena, he did not find much success at the major league level, posting a record 6-29 with a 6.57 ERA and 1.593 WHiP in his 264.1 innings over four seasons.
Maybe this trek in Taiwan can make a difference. Both Covey and Pena are young enough that a strong performance could lead to another look at the majors. However, they must first find success in the CPBL.
Want your voice to be heard? Join the White Cleat Beat team!
Write for us!
Two former Oakland A farmworkers are heading to CPBL for 2022. Francisco Pena and Dylan Covey are hoping to jump-start their careers.
Comments are closed.