Five Athletics Players That Will be Key to the Team's Success in 2025
Months of anticipation and excitement has been built up, but finally, Opening Day is here. For the first time in 2025, the Athletics will take the field against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night and embark on a new era for the franchise-- playing in West Sacramento for the first time after nearly 60 years of playing in Oakland.
While a lot of change is in the air for this season, expectations could be high for the A's, who worked tirelessly to retool their roster in an attempt to return to the postseason for the first time since 2020.
A lot will be at stake while the A's attempt to accomplish just that, and surprise a lot of people throughout the campaign. But if they want to be the team that they think they can be, they will need big performances from everyone, particularly guys who are considered cornerstone pieces for this season.
Here are five players that will need to perform to expectations if the A's want to see any success in 2025.
SP Luis Severino
With great power comes great responsibility. Severino, who received the largest contract in franchise history this offseason, will immediately take on the role as the ace of the staff and set the tone for a young rotation.
A two-time All Star with the New York Yankees, Severino has made a name for himself in the league with his hard-to-hit pitch mix, particularly his hard fastball that was once clocked at 101mph in 2017.
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Finishing with a 3.91 ERA in 2024 after having an ERA well over 6.00 for 2023, Severino is looking to revitalize his career on big contract. With the chance to be the face of the rotation, his performance could dictate how good the A's starting rotation ends up being.
SS Jacob Wilson
It is hard to think of another prospect in recent history that the A's have invested more into than Wilson. The sixth overall pick in the 2023 draft, Wilson quickly rose through the minors, making his MLB debut in July of last season.
While he got injured in his first game and missed a substantial amount of time, he showed enough promise to where he enters this season as the starting shortstop. If Wilson can live up the hype, and potentially be an AL Rookie of the Year candidate, it can dictate the future of the A's franchise.
Being only 22 years-old and with the A's very high on him, having a strong year will provide hope that he will not only be the team's long-term shortstop, but will be the catalyst for sustainable success in the future.
CP Mason Miller
The lone A's player to be selected for the All-Star game last season, Miller cemented himself as one of the league's top closers in 2024. He enters 2025 as the unquestioned anchor of the pitching staff, ready to close out even more wins on an up-and-coming club.
Finishing with a 2.87 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP while saving 28 games last season, Miller's performance this year will determine how the A's are able to go about this season. If he continues to be the dominant closer that he has been, the team will be in very good shape, having that reliable arm to close out games and create problems for opposing teams.
But if he struggles, wins can turn into losses and turn a highly anticipated season into a nightmare very quickly. One of the team's best players, Miller will be counted on many times throughout the season.
C Shea Langeliers
While having a high batting average may not be Langeliers' biggest strength, hitting only .224 last season, his power is a big reason why he has been able to make a name for himself, driving in 80 runs and hitting a career high of 29 home runs last season.
While Brent Rooker is the big-time power threat for the A's, Langeliers is not far behind. In 2025, he will be needed more than ever to help the A's become run-scoring machines. Behind the plate, his glove makes it easy for any pitcher to have trust in him, with only a handful of catchers better than him as a defender.
Catchers are seen as the quarterbacks of the defense and are often times expected to be major leaders in the clubhouse, with Langeliers being no exception.
1B Tyler Soderstrom
Another former first round pick, selected 26th overall by the A's in the 2020 draft, Soderstrom has yet to fully live up to the expectations bestowed upon him when he was drafted.
Originally a catcher, the emergence of Langeliers combined with guys like Daniel Susac and Nick Kurtz being in the system, caused Soderstrom to move over to first base. But his strong defensive skills behind the plate have translated well to first, emerging as one of the A's top defenders.
However, the team will need to see him step up at the plate and make an impact, hitting .233 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs last season after hitting only .160 as a rookie in 2023. Soderstrom is still young (23 years old) and has plenty of room for growth, but like Wilson, a big season from him could dictate how successful the future is.
He showed flashes of his potential last season, but 2025 will be his time to shine.
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-10d65334a1eaf1bcbdd71d7db595cd1c.jpeg "Dylan Grausz")
A lifelong sports fan, Dylan has channeled his passion for sports into the world of reporting, always looking to provide the best possible coverage. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Dylan has since gone on to report on all sports, having gained experience covering primarily football, baseball, basketball, softball and soccer.