The Athletics swapped some minor league pitching depth with the Cardinals on Saturday, trading minor league righty Casey Meisner for St. Louis reliever Josh Lucas. Both pitchers were assigned to the minors following the trade; Lucas, to Triple-A Nashville and Meisner to Double-A Springfield.
Lucas, 27, was competing for a role in the Cardinals’ bullpen prior to the trade. The right-hander put up decent numbers in Triple-A Memphis last year with a 3.15 ERA, 1.8 BB/9 and 10.2 SO/9 in 60 innings and earned a promotion to the big leagues. He struggled to replicate those numbers during a brief five-game tryout in the majors, however, issuing three runs, two homers, four walks and seven strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings.
Meisner, 22, ranked no. 27 in the Athletic’s farm system entering the 2018 season. In 2017, he turned in a cumulative 10-9 record in 28 starts with a 4.04 ERA, 3.2 BB/9 and 7.9 SO/9 in 133 2/3 innings across Double- and Triple-A. He earned two All-Star nominations in the minors and is projected to develop as a mid-rotation or bullpen arm as he continues to improve his velocity and command.
