Lawrence Butler Continues To Make Case For Opening Day Roster
8 months agoOakland Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler went 2-for-4 with a run scored in Tuesday's Cactus League victory against the Seattle Mariners. Butler, 23, has been having a strong spring and is now hitting .433 with four RBI and a stolen base over his first 30 at-bats. The young outfielder had a strong minor league campaign in 2023 with a combined 15 homers, 70 RBI and 21 stolen bases to accompany a healthy .284 batting average across Double-A and Triple-A. His success on the farm earned him a promotion to the big leagues late last season, but he struggled with four homers, 10 RBI and a .211 batting average in 42 games. Butler had minimal playing time in Triple-A, so the growing pains were as expected in his first taste in the show. Despite that, Butler enters the season vying for an outfield spot on a young and non-competitive team that will be sure to showcase and give their young talent ample opportunities. The left-handed bat might struggle to drive in runs with a weak lineup, but his ability to hit for power and swipe bags makes him worth a gamble later in drafts.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com