The A's farm system has taken on a life of its own this offseason with all the Kyler Murray talk, but it's time for an update on the organization's No. 2 prospect, A.J. Puk.
And so far, it appears to be a good one.
MLB.com's Jane Lee reported recently that "per general manager David Forst, A.J. Puk is already throwing pitches from flat ground," after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April of 2018.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
While this may not sound like much, Lee considers it "tremendous progress," and indicates he is well on his way to return to game action. And the plan for him to sport a minor league uniform for the A's in 2019 is a huge possibility.
We could see him appear in a game around the midseason point, "if not sooner," Lee said.
Despite him being selected to MLB Pipeline's top left-handed prospects, his ETA to The Show is estimated to be 2020.
Things could change, of course -- everyone's rehabilitation process is different. But for the time being, this is great news for those curious about the lefty who has been compared to Randy Johnson.
Oakland Athletics
[RELATED: Prospect breakdown on A.J. Puk]
Talk about pressure.
In 2017, across two teams (High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland), the A's 2016 first-rounder boasted a 4.03 ERA with 184 strikeouts in 125 innings.