New Colorado Rockies Free Agent Could Solve A's Infield Opening

The A's have openings at second and third, and this free agent could fill in nicely at either.

Apr 24, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Aaron Schunk (30) moves after a ground ball in the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

The Athletics infield is locked in at two of the four spots, with first baseman Nick Kurtz and shortstop Jacob Wilson serving as the long-term solutions at their positions. Kurtz is expected to win the AL Rookie of the Year award, while WIlson is projected for a top-three finish.

Where the A's are looking for a solution is at second and third base, and they are open to bringing in some fresh faces this winter when it comes to who will man those spots in 2026. Zack Gelof had surgery right before the season ended for a dislocated shoulder, and there is no timetable for when he'll return at this time.

They have internal options in Darell Hernaiz and Max Muncy at both spots, plus Brett Harris as another option at the hot corner. All three of their internal options present their own pros and cons, but Hernaiz in particular impressed the club down the stretch.

One avenue the team could end up taking would be to bring in brand new free agent Aaron Schunk, formerly of the Colorado Rockies. The 28-year-old was outrighted off the 40-man earlier this week, and has since elected free agency.

Schunk was a second-round pick back in 2019 and has played a little ball in the big leagues, going 28-for-126 (.222) with a .246 OBP in 55 games with the Rockies. Those stats aren't terribly impressive, but his minor-league numbers are.

Over the past three seasons in Triple-A Albuquerque, he has hit roughly .290 with a .350 on-base, averaging 10 homers per season. That's a starting point.

Then you throw in the fact that Colorado isn't known for their development pipeline, and the difficulty of going back-and-forth from altitude in terms of getting into a groove, and there is some reason to hope that Schunk could turn into an underrated signing for a club with the right tutelage.

The A's have also had a knack for bringing in former Rockies from around this time period, with Ben Bowden ranking as Colorado's No. 10 prospect in 2020, while Schunk was No. 6. Former Athletic Tyler Nevin was also their No. 12 ranked prospect that year, while backup catcher Willie MacIver was at No. 28 in 2019.

The A's even had Vince Fernandez in Triple-A Las Vegas this past season, and he ranked No. 25 on the list in '19.

The calling card for Schunk is his glove, which has been terrific at the exact two spots the A's could use a boost. In 147 MLB innings at second base, he's put up +4 Outs Above Average making him a solid defender. At third, he's racked up 103 innings across two seasons and holds a +3 OAA.

At the rate he was going in racking up defensive accolades, Schunk could be one of the best defenders in baseball at either position across enough innings. Heck, being league average defensively would be a step up from the production that the A's got in 2026 from anyone not named Max Schuemann.

The appeal here is certainly the glove, but also that Schunk will be available on a minor-league deal this winter, which would keep him off the 40-man roster. He's a work in progress, but there wouldn't be any rush for him to have to figure things out during camp. Adjustments would likely have to be made, and those can take time.

He may not be the guy they can plug in immediately, but he wouldn't be a bad depth option to swoop up this winter. He also has some of the same qualities as Harris and Hernaiz, who are more known for their gloves, but haven't hit consistently in the big leagues just yet. Adding one more name to the mix would mean a higher likelihood of one of them taking the role and running with it.