stassi the next mauer?
Yuba City native youngest player in Oakland's spring training.
Last year at this time he was a high school senior who had the chore of raking the home plate circle at Winship Field following each Yuba City High baseball game.
My how things have changed.
A year later, Max Stassi is receiving base-running tips from Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson and living out every kid's dream — going to spring training and practicing with a Major League team.
One of 24 non-roster invitees when the Oakland A's opened camp in Phoenix last week, Stassi has been working out with the A's big leaguers and has impressed many within the organization with his defensive skills.
He's also doing it in front of the right people. Most importantly, Oakland manager Bob Geren, who was impressed by Stassi's maturity after watching him catch a bullpen session last week.
"You'd think he's much further along than 18 years old," Geren told the San Francisco Chronicle last week, adding that Stassi is quick and moves extremely well behind the plate.
Predicted by baseball insiders to be a first-round selection in last year's amateur draft, Stassi slid to the fourth round due to signability issues rather than his ability on the diamond. It was a steal for the A's, who inked Stassi to a contract just nine hours before the signing period ended on August 17.
His $1.5 million signing bonus is the most ever for a fourth-round pick.
Stassi is nearly four years younger than anyone invited to participate and is the shortest of the six A's catchers.
But despite his 5-foot-10, 190-pound frame, he has incredibly quick hands and his lack of size didn't effect his power numbers at Yuba City, according to scouts.
Stassi had a short stint with the short season single A team, Vancouver Canadians.
In 13 games he finished with a .286 batting average, four doubles, eight RBIs. His best game was his last on Sept. 6, when he went 2-for-5 with two doubles.
Named the Appeal-Democrat's All-Area player of the year three times during his four varsity seasons, Stassi ended his Honker career with a .514 batting average, 40 homers and 162 runs batted in 123 games.
He is also the only player to make The Sacramento Bee's All-Metro first-team four years, including Player of the Year honors the past two seasons. After batting .580 as a freshman, Stassi helped the Honkers pile up an 87-7 record while winning the last three Sac-Joaquin Section Division III championships.
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http://www.advarsitysports.com/articles/stassi-1880-high-year.html
