It was easy to overlook Adam Oller’s inclusion when the Oakland A’s traded Chris Bassitt. He was not considered a top prospect as he was already 27 years old and had bounced through three different organizations, independent ball, and played in Australia. But the A’s saw something with him that made the organization adamant that he be included in the return along with JT Ginn.
That long, winding journey since he was a 20th round selection in the 2016 MLB Draft has finally come to fruition. Manager Mark Kotsay informed Oller that he has made the Opening Day roster, making those bus rides and long nights worth every second.
Adam Oller finally getting his chance with Oakland A’s
Oller’s overall statistics in spring training are not impressive. He has allowed seven runs on 11 hits and two walks over his 6.1 innings, striking out nine batters. However, those numbers are skewed by a disastrous second outing, one that left him on the cusp of making the roster.
There are reasons for Oller to be an intriguing player for the A’s. He pitched well in his first taste of the upper minors last year, posting a 3.45 ERA and a 1.167 WHiP in his 120 innings, striking out 138 batters with 40 walks. That type of production would certainly generate some interest.
He also has the type of arsenal that could surprise. Oller’s fastball may be in the mid 90s, but his arm side run makes it difficult to hit. His changeup has cutting action and may be his best offering. He also throws a slider and a curve, with the curve as the better of his breaking pitches.
At this point, Oller is likely to start his major league career as a middle reliever/longman in A’s bullpen. However, if he performs well in that role, he could get a chance in the rotation, especially if Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas are traded as expected. He could be a bigger piece of the future than anyone may have anticipated.
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Adam Oller is seeing his dreams come true. After bouncing around the minors, he has finally gotten to the majors with the Oakland A’s.