Avans made his MLB debut in May after a long minor league career. He came on as a defensive replacement and singled in his only at bat. Avans made seven appearances with the Athletics and recorded a pair of hits in 15 at-bats. He was designated for assignment in early June and picked up by the Brewers. Avans played one game for the team and went 0-for-2 with a sacrifice fly. He was designated for assignment and shortly thereafter went straight to Triple-A.
The Dodgers took Avans in the 33rd round in 2018. He had spent his entire career with the organization before 2025. Avans rose through the system fairly quickly, reaching Double-A in 2019. He posted a 114 wRC+ with 24 steals across three levels that season. Avans was promoted to Triple-A in 2021, where his results stagnated. He continued to steal bases at a solid clip, including 40 swipes in 2022, but delivered roughly league-average numbers at the plate. Avans opted for minor league free agency after the 2024 season and joined the Athletics.
Avans hit a strong .328/.414/.444 in 48 games with Triple-A Las Vegas to open last season. More specifically, he lowered his strikeout rate to 14%. Avans had multiple Triple-A seasons with a strikeout rate over 25% while in LA’s system. The solid stretch with Las Vegas earned Avans a gig with the Athletics, although he only remained on the big league roster for a little more than a week. His strikeout rate rose again to 24.3% in 52 games at Triple-A Nashville. Avans has 40 steals between Las Vegas and Nashville, so there’s a chance his speed can help him become a factor in Colorado.
Photo courtesy of Jeff Hanisch, Imagn Images
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