The A's have scratched plans to send highly touted third base prospect Matt Chapman to the Arizona Fall League in October, replacing him on the roster with recently acquired second baseman Max Schrock.
Chapman is leading the A's farm system with 36 home runs to go with 96 RBI split between Double-A and Triple-A, and he'll surely be competing to make the major league club next year out of spring training.
After originally slating him to play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the AFL, the A's are taking the precautionary route. With Chapman having already logged 500-plus at-bats this season, and given that he dealt with a left wrist injury that required surgery last season, the A's feel rest is more important than extra at-bats in the AFL, according to Oakland director of player development Keith Lieppman.
[STIGLICH: Rewind: Cotton settles in and delivers in his A's debut]
The 23-year-old Chapman is currently playing with Triple-A Nashville in the Pacific Coast League playoffs, and there have been no indications of a September call-up for him. That's likely because Ryon Healy has handled third base duties quite well since his promotion from the minors, and there's no use bringing Chapman up - and starting the clock on his service time - if he's not going to play every day.
Two other highly regarded infield prospects, Franklin Barreto and Yairo Munoz, will be among the A's contingent playing in the AFL. Barreto, Oakland's top-ranked prospect, has played shortstop primarily this season but has also seen time at second base. Munoz is a shortstop but also played second and third when both he and Barreto were on the Double-A Midland roster together.
Schrock was acquired from the Washington Nationals for reliever Marc Rzepczynski in August and spent a couple days with Single-A Stockton before being promoted to Midland.
