Roster Madness: Billy McKinney headed to Stockton

The Athletics' first round acquisition from the previous draft and 24th overall draftee plucked from the 2013 crop, Billy McKinney, shall bypass the Midwest League entirely and debut in Stockton with the Ports as a 19 year old. Disclosed by David Forst this offseason, McKinney desired to "follow Addison's path" by commencing in California, and shall be granted with his wish as a usually stingy organization hurries the former TCU commit onward to central California after a dominant AZL and Vermont tenure upon his professional debut. After 206 PAs amongst AZL competitors, momentarily stunted by an ankle issue, McKinney compiled a .320/.383/.414 slash with a 17:29 BB/K before being escorted to Vermont where he went 12-34 with 4 XBH (1 HR) and produced a 3:4 BB/K as McKinney now officially shall transition onward to the California League with zero Low A experience, but proved himself with a 5-13 record against MLB arsenals in Oakland's major league spring training contests this March. McKinney, the lefty whom received significant praise for his offensive discipline and intangibles at the plate, services as Stockton's premier farmhand in conjunction with Michael Ynoa after Addison Russell's sensational 2013 with the Ports. 

Additionally, Jeremy Barfield, Kris Hall, Ryan Gorton, Daniel Robertson have officially been placed in Stockton while Lee Sosa, Phil Pohl, Andy Paz, Sam Bragg, BJ Boyd and Boogie Powell are headed to Beloit as numerous other assignments shall be announced within the coming hours. Most surprisingly, Ryan Gorton, the Oregon State 30th rounder from 2012, is headed to California over Phil Pohl, who spent is entire summer in California after only 12 plate appearances for the Snappers in his first full minor league campaign out of Clemson. Gorton, who participated in his initial Vermont debut after being sidelined due to meniscus issues, shall join McKinney in skipping out on Wisconsin in a perculiar alignment as the only member of the Ports' 2013 roster to be slotted upon the OD without any prior Midwest League experience was Andres Avila. Andy Paz, after three consecutive campaigns within the DSL and AZL, shall ascend to Beloit without another short season stint for him to undergo. The Cuban native and adopted French son features as one of the Athletics' most discipline oriented international assets in a somewhat surprising configuration to contrast with Nick Rickles and Josh Miller's extended assignments.

UPDATE:

Chad Pinder shall join Gorton and McKinney as Lake Monsters to bypass Wisconsin entirely despite a lackluster NYPL debut offensively for the primary defensive specialist. The supplemental second rounder from Virginia Tech during the previous draft proceedings was reported to have excelled throughout the MiLB competition present in Pheonix this spring and thus receives priority over Chih-Fang Pan and Antonio Lamas. Most intriguingly about this assignment for Pinder, the collegiate third baseman and shortstop within his welcoming few professional contests to contrast with Ryon Healy, is that this may signify Pinder's relocation to second base throughout 2014 for the Ports. Additionally, Aaron Shipman shall arrive within Banner Island and thus results with Ryan Mathews' retainment within Beloit, a disappointing initial outcome for the thunderous former 5th year NCST senior. Bruce Maxwell shall be posted within Stockton once more, as expected, while Brent Powers shall adapt towards a bullpen role for the Snappers. Seth Frankoff, Raul Alcantara, and Tanner Peters have been declared as boarding for Texas as well. For Stockton, they already have a guaranteed four of their premier five positional farmhands (Renato, D-Rob, Olson and McKinney) set to participate there for this campaign while Pinder, Shipman and Maxwell make it seven of their top 20 overall. Barfield, Ynoa and the anticipated assignment of Nolan Sanburn additionally have officially made the Ports the affiliate to watch for the Athletics. More roster configurations from Wisconsin and Stockton along with Midland and Sacramento shall continue to be announced throughout the upcoming 24 hours.