Freitas Heads To A's Training Camp

The Oakland A’s hunt for a new starting shortstop may have ended last Monday when it acquired Jed Lowrie from the Houston Astros. They also got relief pitcher Fernando Rodriguez in the deal.

In order to obtain the pair, the A’s sent Chris Carter, the power hitting first baseman who has the Sacramento River Cats’ record for most career home runs, along with starting pitcher Brad Peacock.

Also included in the deal with Houston was former Yuba City High School star, Max Stassi. A former fourth-round pick by Oakland, Stassi hit .268 with 15 home runs and 45 RBI’s in 84 games with Stockton in the Class A California League.

David Freitas - Will he play this year
for the River Cats?

By moving Stassi out, the A’s may be pointing to former Elk Grove and Cosumnes River College star David Freitas as their catcher of the future. Freitas, obtained from the Washington Nationals’ organization last August, ended last season with Double-A Midland. 

“I don’t want to read anything into (the Stassi trade),” Freitas said Saturday. “When it came down I got several texts from teammates at Midland asking, ‘Dude, what do you think about that?”

He’ll know soon enough. Freitas left Sunday for the A’s Spring Training Camp in Arizona. It opened for pitchers and catchers on Tuesday. And, for the first time, Freitas is attending the major league team’s spring training practices.

“You know since I’ve been a little boy my dream has been to play major league baseball,” he said.

He’s excited to be right there in Arizona with the defending American League West Division champions. The A’s rank Freitas #19 in their list of top 20 prospects in their organization.

This season, Freitas thinks there’s a chance he may be with Sacramento in Triple-A.

“I really won’t know, so follow my mom on Facebook, she’ll let you know where I end up,” Freitas laughed. He’s now on the A’s 40-man roster.

The past couple weeks Freitas has been helping at Pleasant Grove High School where his younger brother Kyle will likely be a force at either first base or third base for Rob Rinaldi’s Eagles. Freitas spend the time lending his knowledge and experience with Eagles’ catchers and hitters.

“They’re pretty good,” Freitas said of the Pleasant Grove team.

Freitas was a key member of Elk Grove’s Section championship teams in 2005, 2006 and 2007.