Stephen Piscotty has had a rough time during his two seasons with the Oakland Athletics. Now, finally healthy and with a clear mind, he should be ready to emerge as a star.
The tale of how Stephen Piscotty came to the Oakland Athletics was one of mercy and tragedy. The former Cardinals’ outfielder had struggled in 2017, battling injuries and regression in a truly disappointing season. Eventually, it was learned that his mother was battling ALS, a diagnosis that had to weigh heavily on his mind.
The Cardinals, having acquired Marcell Ozuna, sent Piscotty to Oakland in exchange for Yairo Munoz and Max Schrock, allowing him to be closer to his family. Tragically, his mother passed away in May of 2018, her loss overshadowing any production that Piscotty would have had that season.
Yet, he managed to post a solid year for the A’s, leading to the hope that he would break out in 2019. Instead, he once again battled injury and regression, struggling to a .249/.309/.412 batting line over his 393 plate appearances. On the positive side, he did hit 17 doubles and 13 homers, showing that the power is still there.
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Spring training began on a positive foot for Piscotty. He appeared to be beyond those injury woes when an intercostal strain made him questionable for Opening Day. It appeared to be the same old story, where he would show flashes of his potential, only to have something happen.
The delayed start to the season was exactly what Piscotty needed. He will once again be fully healthy when Major League Baseball restarts spring training, ready to pick up where he left off. Likewise, he will be entering the season with a clear mind, the distractions and heartbreak of past years behind him.
With that being the case, the A’s may finally get to see Piscotty emerge as the player he once appeared to be. There was a time with the Cardinals when he seemed destined to be a potential star, a player with a solid batting eye and respectable power. He had once been a consensus top 100 prospect, and may now be ready to live up to that potential.
The Oakland Athletics may finally get to see what they have in Stephen Piscotty. Now that he is healthy and can focus on baseball, they may have another emerging star.