A's reel in four-prospect haul in deals with Royals, Mets

SAN FRANCISCO -- Leading up to Tuesday’s 3 p.m. PT Trade Deadline as expected sellers, A’s general manager David Forst said the club would take an “opportunistic” approach, looking to move top players only if the deal was right.

A few hours before the Deadline, the A’s found a return to their liking for a pair of right-handers, sending starter Paul Blackburn to the Mets and Lucas Erceg to the Royals before opening a two-game series against the Giants at Oracle Park. The two deals netted Oakland pitching prospects Mason Barnett (rated the Royals' No. 4 prospect by MLB Pipeline) and Will Klein (their No. 18 prospect) along with Minor League outfielder Jared Dickey from Kansas City, and pitching prospect Kade Morris (the Mets' No. 25 prospect) from New York.

TRADE DETAILS
A’s receive: RHP Mason Barnett (Royals’ No. 4 prospect), RHP Will Klein (Royals’ No. 18 prospect) and OF Jared Dickey
Royals receive: RHP Lucas Erceg

A’s receive: RHP Kade Morris (Mets’ No. 25 prospect)
Mets receive: RHP Paul Blackburn

Barnett, 23, has racked up 109 strikeouts and 36 walks in 91 2/3 innings while posting a 4.91 ERA across 19 games (18 starts) for Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The right-hander’s fastball has been clocked up to 99 mph, and he pairs that heater with a low-80s changeup, an 85-87 mph slider and a 12-6 curveball that sits between 84-86 mph.

Drafted by the Royals in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Auburn, Barnett quickly shot up Kansas City’s prospect rankings, earning the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors in his first full professional season in '23 after finishing with a 28.8% strikeout rate and a 10.5% walk rate.

Klein, 24, brings a plus-plus fastball that has flashed triple digits. Working mostly out of the bullpen for Triple-A Omaha this season, the 6-foot-5, 230-pound righty has posted a 3.58 ERA with nine saves, 38 strikeouts and 27 walks in 37 2/3 innings. Klein has also spent three stints with the Royals this season, holding a 6.35 ERA in five relief appearances.

With a four-pitch mix that also includes an above-average curveball, a hard slider and a changeup, Klein projects as a high-leverage reliever who could fit into the back of the bullpen, though his control remains a work in progress, evidenced by his high walk rate.

Dickey, 22, has spent the 2024 season with High-A Quad Cities, slashing .269/.360/.424 with nine home runs, 12 doubles, 40 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 81 games, 75 of them in right field.

Morris, 22, began the season at Single-A St. Lucie before moving up to High-A Brooklyn. Between the two stops, the 6-foot-3 right has combined for a 3.51 ERA in 18 games (16 starts) with 95 strikeouts and 30 walks across 92 1/3 innings.

A native of Modesto, Calif., Morris profiles as a potential back-end rotation member with four pitches -- a fastball and a sinker that he can run up to 95-96 mph, a slider that can also vary as a cutter and sweeper and a mid-70s curveball and 85-89 mph changeup that are both considered works in progress. The continued development of those last two pitches will likely determine whether he sticks as a starter in the long run.

Erceg is one of the better discoveries by the A’s front office in recent years. Acquired from the Brewers for cash in May 2023, Erceg debuted last season and has quickly emerged as a quality setup man to All-Star rookie closer Mason Miller. The 29-year-old has posted a 3.68 ERA with three saves in 38 relief appearances with 41 strikeouts and 13 walks across 36 2/3 innings. Erceg has not allowed a run in 12 of his past 13 appearances. He has been particularly sharp in high-leverage spots, holding opponents to 4-for-30 (.133) with runners in scoring position and 7-for-74 (.095) with two strikes.

Between his contract status -- he is under team control through the 2029 season -- and an average fastball velocity (98.5 mph) that ranks in the 98th percentile of all Major League pitchers, Erceg became one of the most attractive relief options on the market for contending teams in need of bullpen help.

With Erceg out of the mix and Miller on the injured list with a fractured left pinky, Tyler Ferguson is likely Oakland’s interim closer.

Blackburn was the longest-tenured member of the A’s roster, having spent eight big league seasons with Oakland after he was acquired via trade from the Mariners in November 2016. Dealing with a foot injury that caused him to miss time, the right-hander has posted a 4.41 ERA in nine starts this season.

After toiling up and down from the Minor Leagues, Blackburn was designated for assignment at one point before enjoying a career resurgence that saw him earn his first career All-Star selection in 2022 and emerge as a veteran leader for a young A’s rotation.