Oakland A’s outright Pete Kozma from 40 man roster

Pete Kozma has been the definition of minor league depth throughout most of his career. An excellent defensive infielder, he has spent the majority of the past eight years in Triple-A, ready to be brought up as needed. That happened with the Oakland A’s as well, as Kozma spent most of the year in Las Vegas.

Now Kozma will need to find a new organization to join. The A’s have outrighted him from their 40 man roster, allowing Kozma to enter free agency in search of another minor league opportunity.

Pete Kozma leaving Oakland A’s

Kozma had received his first major league action since 2018 last year when he was called up for the final few games. He did not exactly swing a hot bat, with one hit and a walk over his 12 plate appearances, striking out four times. However, as is clear by his lifetime 56 OPS+ in the majors, his bat is not his calling card.

That has not stopped him from turning in a solid professional career. He has a lifetime .235/.305/340 batting line in his 4837 minor league plate appearances, collecting 218 doubles while notching his 1000th career minor league hit this past year.

Kozma is also versatile defensively. Capable of playing anywhere on the infield, he is the perfect player to have in case of emergency. It may not be a glamorous job, but it is one that the 33 year old Kozma, and others like him, have turned into a solid career.

Chances are, a similar opportunity will await Kozma in 2022. If he is willing to continue going through the grind, he can continue to be what he has been – a veteran mentor in Triple-A who is available in case of a dire emergency in the majors.

The Oakland A’s have removed Pete Kozma from their 40 man roster. Chances are, he will get another opportunity somewhere else for 2022.