Instead of September call-up, ex-A’s prospect Grant Desme enters seminary

A’s outfield prospect Grant Desme retired from baseball in January to enter the priesthood and the 24-year-old former second-round pick officially begins his time at a seminary in California today. Had he not given up baseball before the season Desme would probably be in line for a call-up when rosters expand on September 1. After all, he hit .288/.365/.568 with 31 homers and 40 steals in 131 games between high Single-A and Double-A last season and was also named MVP of the Arizona Fall League. Instead he’ll be at St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange Country, where he’ll live as a monk as a part of a 70-person community. The whole process of becoming a priest takes 10 years, but Desme said back in April that he regretted nothing about his decision and “didn’t even realize it was Opening Day.”