A's Add Alcantara to 40-Man Roster

STOCKTON - Right-handed pitcher Raul Alcantara has been added to the Oakland Athletics 40-man roster in an effort to prevent him from being picked up in the Rule 5 Draft next month.

In 2009, at the age of 16, the Dominican Republic native was signed by the Boston Red Sox as a free agent. Alcantara was acquired by Oakland in a 2011 trade alongside outfielder Josh Reddick in return for right-handed pitcher Andrew Bailey.

In 27 starts, Alcantara posted a 12-6 record in 157 innings pitched with 127 strikeouts and a 3.11 ERA between the Ports and the Class-A Beloit Snappers during the 2013 season.

The Rule 5 Draft stipulates that any player drafted under the age of 19 must be added to the 40-man roster within five seasons. If an organization chooses not to do so, the player may be drafted by another club.

Other former Ports who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft if not added to the roster include pitchers Seth Frankoff, Blake Hassebrock, and Jeff Urlaub.

Frankoff posted a 2.78 ERA in 74.1 innings pitched with the Ports. He ended the season with a 2-0 record with four saves in his 48 appearances and continued to create impressive numbers in the Arizona Fall League with a 0-0 record and 1.46 ERA in 12 appearances.

Hassebrock was promoted to the Double-A Midland RockHounds on July 20, posting a 2-6 record and 4.77 ERA between Stockton and Midland in 38 games and 77.1 innings pitched.

Urlaub went 2-2 in his 40 games and 46.2 innings pitched with Midland. He also posted 40 strikeouts and had one save on the year. He ended the 2013 Arizona Fall League with a 1-0 record and 2.77 ERA in 13 innings pitched with a 16 strikeouts.