A's Look to Bolster Starting Pitching Staff With Another Top Prospect

The young hurler will reportedly make his MLB debut

Jul 22, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Athletics glove and hat on the field before the game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Athletics are reportedly expected to continue their recent stretch of promoting several top prospects to the big leagues.

Right-handed pitcher Kade Morris, the A's No. 12 prospect for 2026 on MLB Pipeline, is set to be called up to the majors, according to MLB.com's Martín Gallegos. The A's are off on Monday and have not yet confirmed the 23-year-old's reported promotion. But if he's officially added to the active roster, the young righty would be the latest prospect to join the big league club after the A's called up outfielder Henry Bolte and left-handed pitcher Gage Jump in May.

The A's recently placed right-handed pitcher Luis Severino on the 15-day injured list after he threw just one inning in his start against the New York Yankees on Friday due to right arm discomfort. Left-hander Jacob Lopez also struggled on Sunday, so it wouldn't be surprising if the A's turned to Morris to try to shake things up in their starting pitching staff.

Kade Morris seemingly has a chance to secure a spot in the A's rotation

Feb 20, 2026; Mesa, AZ, USA; Athletics pitcher Kade Morris (82) poses for Photo Day at HoHoKam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Morris was a third-round draft pick by the New York Mets in 2023. The young hurler was then sent to the A's at the 2024 trade deadline in the deal that saw right-hander Paul Blackburn go to the Mets. And now, just under two years later, the 23-year-old is seemingly set to find himself on a big league mound soon.

So far in 2026, Morris has a 4.45 ERA in 11 Triple-A starts with 49 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings. Last year, the University of Nevada product posted a 4.38 ERA in 28 starts across Double-A and Triple-A with 128 strikeouts over 150 innings. While those strikeout numbers don't necessarily jump off the page, the top prospect did showcase his breaking ball's swing-and-miss potential in a Spring Breakout game against the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this year.

As things stand, it looks like the A's will need to find a starting pitcher for both Thursday and Saturday against the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros, respectively. If Morris is officially called up, it seems like he could make his big league debut on one of those days. His last Triple-A start came on May 27, so either way, the young hurler should be well rested ahead of his first MLB appearance.