The Triple-A Nashville Sounds are the Oakland A’s highest minor league affiliate, and as such their roster tends to have more than just upcoming prospects. There’s also a contingent of MLB-ready backups who can step up to the bigs when a need arises, such as the two relievers who got the call up on Friday.
One player who doesn’t fit into either of those broad categories is Frankie Montas. The 25-year-old isn’t technically a prospect anymore by way of service time, having spent a couple months in Oakland last season, but he’s also not MLB-ready as he continues to work on harnessing his powerful stuff.