The Athletics are in agreement with infielder Jonathan Ornelas on a minor league contract, reports Francys Romero. He’ll report to Triple-A Las Vegas. The 26-year-old opted out of a minor league deal with the Yankees last week.
Ornelas had spent the season with New York’s top affiliate in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He had a nice year, hitting .299/.362/.480 with nine homers through 280 plate appearances. He fanned at a league average 22.5% rate with a slightly below-average 7.5% walk percentage. Ornelas made a decent amount of hard contact and has a .368 average on balls in play.
A third-round pick by the Rangers in 2018, Ornelas has a more modest career track record at the plate. He was a .233/.331/.331 hitter at the Triple-A level coming into the season. He hit .208 without a home run in 32 big league games with the Rangers and Braves between 2023-25. Ornelas is better known for his glove and versatility, as he can play anywhere in the infield.
The A’s have Jacob Wilson locked in at shortstop but questions at second and third base. Zack Gelof is on the injured list after sustaining a laceration in his right knee that required stitches. Rookie infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer underwent surgery this week after suffering a ruptured testicle on a foul ball.
The team is using depth players Donovan Walton and Alika Williams at second base, cutting back on the playing time for Jeff McNeil. They recalled Max Muncy as a third base option but could play him in the outfield. Tommy White could see additional third base reps if Nick Kurtz returns from the injured list to reclaim the first base job this weekend. Darell Hernaiz is their only depth infielder on optional assignment, while Michael Stefanic and Jack Winkler are at Triple-A without occupying 40-man roster spots.
