Max Stassi joins Canadians at 11th hour

(Volcanoes Stadium - Keizer, OR) - Less than two days from watching OF/INF Conner Crumbliss get promoted to Kane County (A), the Athletics send highly touted 4th round draft pick C Max Stassi to join the Canadians on the road in Oregon on Sunday.

Arriving at Volcanoes Stadium at 2pm, Stassi had little time to get acclimatized to his new surroundings as the Yuba City, California product was issued his #37 jersey and was told he will likely be in the line-up on Monday as the C's prepare to face the Northwest League's top team, Salem-Keizer for three straight starting tonight (Sunday).

Stassi was drafted by the Oakland Athletics in the fourth round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft after a standout high school tenure at Yuba City High School in Yuba City, California.

The 18-year old Stassi hit .538 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI this year and was named the Tri-County Conference Co-Player of the Year in California.

The 5-10, 205-pound right-handed hitter finished his high school career with a .513 batting average.

Stassi was ranked 30th overall by Baseball America just days prior to the 2009 draft, and with the A's meeting his contract demands keeping him from attending UCLA on a scholarship, many baseball analysts are calling this signing one of the top steals in this year's draft.

Stassi will join catchers Ryan Ortiz and Gabriel Ortiz for the final 15 games of the 2009 regular season.