The Athletics' Max Muncy made the 2025 Opening Day roster. Interestingly, the Dodgers' third baseman is also named Max Muncy, and to make things more confusing, they share a birthday on the 25th.
That happened after Athletics manager Mark Kotsay called Muncy in his office on Sunday morning following an A’s March 9 exhibition against the D-backs at Las Vegas Ballpark. When Muncy walked in, he was expecting a decision to minors but was instead welcomed with the decision to stay behind and impress.
As soon as he realized that, Muncy was on cloud nine and called his parents immediately.
“It was surreal,” Muncy said of the conversation with manager. “A little unexpected. I thought I was getting sent down. But he was like, ‘Hey, we’re going to have you out in Seattle.’ I just couldn’t be more excited.
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"My Mom couldn't find my Dad. I started breaking down just trying to get the message across. I was like, 'I don't even know what to say. I'm going to the big leagues, but I gotta go to this Cubs game.'"
The 25th overall selection by the A’s in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Thousand Oaks High School (California) batted .289 (11-for-38) through 23 games and largely rotated between second baseman and shortstop.
Max Muncy asked to make his chance count, says A's manager
The opportunity to perform might not come along again. So while soaking in the moment, Max Muncy will also have to make sure that he makes his standing worthwhile.
A's manager Mark Kotsay told Muncy before sharing the big news with him.
“We were thinking about just sending him back to Minor League camp,” Kotsay said. “My demand from him when he made it through cuts was, ‘I want an impression. I want you to stay here and leave an impression on me.’”
Kotsay also shared what makes Muncy stand out.
“He’s a kid that’s dynamic,” Kotsay said. “He’s a fast-twitched kid that is really athletic. He’s got great reaction times. He can cover ground, and he can play all over the infield, so there’s a lot of value there.”
If not for hand and elbow injuries, Max Muncy might have made his debut in majors in 2024. Instead, injuries rendered him to just 50 AAA games.
