The A’s have scratched plans to send highly touted third base prospect Matt Chapman to the Arizona Fall League in October, replacing him on the roster with recently acquired second baseman Max Schrock.
Chapman is leading the A’s farm system with 36 home runs to go with 96 RBI split between Double-A and Triple-A, and he’ll surely be competing to make the major league club next year out of spring training.
After originally slating him to play for the Mesa Solar Sox in the AFL, the A’s are taking the precautionary route. With Chapman having already logged 500-plus at-bats this season, and given that he dealt with a left wrist injury that required surgery last season, the A’s feel rest is more important than extra at-bats in the AFL, according to Oakland director of player development Keith Lieppman.