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Oakland Athletics Jesus Luzardo heads up prospects that could impact 2018 playoff teams in 2019

By Benjamin Chase

WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: Starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo #9 of the Oakland Athletics and the World Team works the first inning against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 15: Starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo #9 of the Oakland Athletics and the World Team works the first inning against the U.S. Team during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on July 15, 2018 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /
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Oakland Athletics
WASHINGTON, D.C. – JULY 15: Jesus Luzardo #9 of the World Team pitches during the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at Nationals Park on Sunday, July 15, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Comments from Oakland Athletics management that they will give their elite lefty every chance to impact the major league club this season makes sense, but what other 2018 playoff teams may have a prospect provide impact on their 2019 success?

As Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reported this week, the Oakland Athletics are very impressed with left-handed pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo. Discussion has focused on the opportunity that Luzardo will have to impact the 2019 Oakland Athletics.

Luzardo is a tremendous prospect who had a rise through the minor leagues akin to Ronald Acuna‘s in 2017 before his 2018 debut for the Atlanta Braves. He’s just one among a number of prospects that could have a significant impact on teams that made the 2018 playoffs as they hope to return to the 2019 postseason.

We’ll take a look a prospect for each 2018 playoff team, starting with Luzardo…

Jesus Luzardo

Originally born in Peru, Jesus Luzardo went to high school in Florida, where he established himself as one of the elite arms for the 2016 draft before elbow soreness put up some red flags for teams heading into the 2016 draft. The Washington Nationals, known for gambling on high school arms who may need Tommy John surgery, drafted Luzardo in the third round.

Luzardo was just getting back on the mound in 2017 when the Nationals traded him to the Oakland Athletics as part of the return in a deal that sent multiple relievers to the Nationals from Oakland. Overall in 2017, he tossed 43 1/3 innings in his return to the mound, but they were impressive innings, with a 1.66 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 5/48 BB/K ratio.

While the Oakland Athletics let Luzardo make 23 starts in 2018, they managed his innings in his first full season back from surgery. His performance, however, has him among the best prospects in all of baseball.

Luzardo didn’t turn 21 until after the minor league season was over, yet he blew through three levels, really finding his first struggle in AAA, and even then, it was really his final start of the year that really skewed his numbers, as his first three starts at AAA, he had a 3.46 ERA with a 5/17 BB/K ratio over 13 innings before allowing 8 runs in 3 innings in his final start of the season. Overall, Luzardo tossed 109 1/3 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 30/129 BB/K ratio.

With recently-signed Mike Fiers the only sure thing for the 2019 Oakland Athletics rotation, Luzardo has a wide-open shot to earn a spot out by midseason 2019, if not right out of spring training.

We’ll look next at the other Wild Card game loser, the Chicago Cubs and their Wild Card game opponent, the Colorado Rockies.

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