Control Is Final, Elusive Piece For Athletics’ Luis Medina

Whenever Gil Patterson walks past 24-year-old righthander Luis Medina, he chants “El León.”

That’s because the Athletics’ pitching coordinator believes Medina will develop the heart of a lion. 

Medina has wowed the A’s with superior pitch quality.

“His fastball is electric,” Patterson said, “almost as electric as (Mason) Miller’s.”

Medina also flashes a tight curveball and a plus changeup, along with an effective slider. It is now a matter of developing consistency and control, and Medina has been making strides in that regard since joining the organization last year as part of the return from the Yankees for Frankie Montas. 

The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Medina had an impressive winter pitching in the Dominican League, where he put up a 2.75 ERA in 28 innings over 10 appearances. 

In spring training, he was so impressive that he caught the attention of A’s pitching legend Dave Stewart, who has been publicly touting the righthander’s potential. After his first two starts at Triple-A Las Vegas, Medina had to return to his home in the Dominican Republic to attend to a family emergency.

After one limited outing upon his return, Oakland called him to the majors for a spot start. While he gave up eight runs in five innings, he had the memorable experience of striking out Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in succession. 

“He’s really locked in on becoming a major league pitcher, whether as a starter or reliever,” Patterson said. “He’s doing all the right things. I told him, ‘It’s not just about when you’re on the mound. It’s about how you eat, how you treat your teammates, how you do your arm care.’

“He appreciates that and he’s really taking it to heart.”  

Medina’s fastball hits 100 mph and usually sits 96-98. Patterson said his four-pitch assortment can be highly effective as he learns better focus and command. Walks have been a major issue. Medina has issued 6.3 per nine innings in his minor league career.

Medina signed in July 2015 and this is his eighth pro season. Next year he will be out of minor league options, so the A’s need to quickly make good on his development. 

A’s ACORNS 

— In one of the most encouraging signs for the A’s, outfielder Lazaro Armenteros got off to a hot start at High-A Lansing, hitting .277 with six homers in his first 14 games. The Cuba native was a big signing in 2017, but he has struggled to get the most from his tools. 

— Outfielder Austin Beck, drafted sixth overall in 2017, will miss the season after enduring an ACL tear in his knee.