Athletics' Kyle McCann, Anthony Maldonado Outrighted After Clearing Waivers

The Athletics have sent catcher Kyle McCann and right-handed pitcher Anthony Maldonado outright to Triple-A Las Vegas, according to the team's official transaction log.

McCann and Maldonado had both been designated for assignment on Jan. 30. They were jettisoned from the Athletics' 40-man roster after the team acquired catcher Jhonny Pereda in a trade with the Miami Marlins and claimed right-handed pitcher Elvis Alvarado off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The A's didn't find a trade partner for either one, though, and no team claimed them off waivers. Instead of getting released to free agency, McCann and Maldonado will remain in the organization at the minor league level.

McCann made his MLB debut in 2024, batting .236 with five home runs, 15 RBI, a .690 OPS, -6 defensive runs saved and a 0.2 WAR in 54 games. He spent all of 2023 in Triple-A, posting a .270 batting average with 17 home runs, 57 RBI and an .824 OPS across 97 contests.

The A's selected McCann in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft. He was ranked as the No. 18 prospect in their farm system entering the 2021 season.

Maldonado, meanwhile, was an 11th round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft. He came up through the Miami Marlins' organization before getting claimed off waivers by the Athletics in November 2024.

In 16 big league appearances with the Marlins last year, Maldonado went 1-1 with a 5.68 ERA, 1.474 WHIP, 5.2 strikeouts per nine innings, one save and a 0.2 WAR. He also went 4-4 with a 4.66 ERA, 1.468 WHIP, 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings and five saves across 33 outings with Triple-A Jacksonville.

The right-handed reliever is 18-17 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.124 WHIP, 12.0 strikeouts per nine innings and 23 saves across his minor league career.

The A's will be able to retain McCann and Maldonado in the name of organizational depth to open 2025, but both have proven capable of chipping in at the MLB level. In their first season since leaving Oakland, holding residence in a minor league park in Sacramento, the team could very well call them up as reinforcements at some point in 2025.