Jonah Bride Learns A New Position
When Jonah Bride donned the tools of ignorance, the Athletics made a smart move: They added him to their 40-man roster.
Since joining the organization as a third baseman in 2018, Bride has diligently worked to improve. Not only has he become a better hitter, but the 26-year-old has learned to play around the infield.
When A’s official Billy Owens approached him about learning to catch, Bride accepted the challenge with glee.
So Bride came to instructional league with the intention of focusing on learning the new position. He then moved to the Arizona Fall League, where he played 17 games, making three starts at catcher.
“He can hit,” A’s farm director Ed Sprague exclaimed when asked why Bride was added to the 40-man. “He’s versatile—he plays third, second and first, and he’s learning how to catch. He gets on base and he’s one of our best fastball hitters in the zone.”
The getting on base part is what has really caught the attention of Oakland. He hit .265/.407/.424 with nine home runs in 78 games for Double-A Midland in 2021. He drew 57 walks against 57 strikeouts.
The A’s grade Bride’s tools as about average across the board, but in his case the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
After a spectacular high school career in Owasso, Okla., Bride spent a year at Neosho JC in Kansas before moving to South Carolina, where he played for three years. After a strong senior season, the A’s selected him in the 23rd round of the 2018 draft.
Bride lacked the big carrying tool that teams usually seek in higher-round draft picks. But now he is poised to potentially become a multi-position player controls the zone and who can drive hits to all fields.
Every team can use a player like that to tie a roster together.
A’s ACORNS
— In addition to Bride, the A’s added shortstop Nick Allen, third baseman Jordan Diaz, outfielder Cody Thomas and righthander Jorge Juan to the 40-man roster.
— Sprague reports that top prospect Tyler Soderstrom feels fully recovered from the oblique injury that cost him much of last season and knocked him out of the Arizona Fall League. The catcher is expected to report at full strength to spring training.
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