Stockton Ports All-Decade Team (2010-19)

With the 2010s in the rear-view mirror and regular season baseball rapidly approaching, we at the Stockton Ports wanted to remember the last decade for the team.

The Ports finished the ‘10s with a 701-697 record to complete the decade slightly above the .500 mark. Carrying the torch for the decade were the 2014 and 2018 teams which won the North Division but failed to capture a California League championship.

As the Ports begin their 16th season as an affiliate of the Oakland Athletics, we felt it was appropriate to compile the all-decade Ports team. This list includes at least one player from every team from the past decade.

Let’s get started.

Catcher – Jonah Heim (’18) .292/.353/.433, 7 HR, 49 RBI, 80 Games

The switch-hitting Heim joined the Athletics organization after a trade from the Tampa Bay Rays ahead of the 2018 season. As the primary backstop for the Ports that season, he performed well on both sides of the ball posting an impressive slash line listed above.

Now at 24, Heim is in big league spring training with Oakland vying for his first shot at the big leagues. He’s currently on the Athletics 40-Man roster and will likely begin 2020 season in Triple-A Las Vegas unless he makes the team out of camp.

First Baseman – Max Muncy (’13) .285/.400/.507, 21 HR, 76 RBI, 93 games

Before he burst onto the Major League scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Muncy was a promising A’s prospect who made the most out of his time in Stockton. Starting back in A-ball the left-handed masher showed his impressive combination of plate discipline and power that made him difficult to retire.

Muncy made his first MLB All-Star team in 2019 during his first full big-league season. Entering the 2020 season, the former Port will help anchor a Dodgers’ lineup that features fellow stars Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger and Justin Turner.

Pitchers beware.

Second Baseman – Nate Mondou (’18) .291/.361/.448, 8 HR, 61 RBI, 88 games

Another member of the 2018 Ports joins the all-decade team with the sure handed middle infielder Mondou. Selected by Oakland in the 13th round out of Wake Forest in the 2016 MLB Amateur Draft, the second baseman spent two seasons in Stockton but stood out in his final go-around with the team.

Mondou has spent parts of the previous two seasons with Double-A Midland but has struggled to drive the ball at the next level posting a below average .333 slugging percentage last year. Now at 24-years old the left-handed hitter will look to advance to the next level with an improved approach at the plate.

Third Baseman – Stephen Parker (’10) .296/.392/.508, 21 HR, 98 RBI, 139 games

The left side of the infield on this all-decade team were teammates together all the way back at the beginning of the decade. Parker, the third baseman terrorized California League pitchers during his lone season as a Port. Even more impressively, he played in all but one regular season game the entire year.

Parker was selected by the A’s in the 5th round of the 2009 MLB Amateur Draft out of Brigham Young. Though his career didn’t take off past Triple-A Nashville, he made a lasting impact on Ports fans thanks to his strong season.

Shortstop – Grant Green (’10) .318/.363/520, 20 HR, 87 RBI, 131 games

While most Athletics fans will remember Green for playing only five games in green and gold, Ports fans will remember the excellence he displayed at Banner Island Ballpark in 2010. The former 13th overall selection in the 2009 MLB Draft entered the season as Baseball America’s No. 53 overall prospect and delivered on the hype.

Despite playing a very demanding defensive position Green found his power stroke with Stockton, hitting 39 doubles and six triples to go along with his 20 round trippers. Green was traded from Oakland to the Los Angeles Angels in 2013 and never found his footing in ‘The Show,’ but did spend parts of five seasons with the A’s, Angels, San Francisco Giants and Washington Nationals.

Though neither player panned out at the highest level, Ports fans will remember fondly how potent a duo Parker and Green were in 2010.

Left Fielder – Brett Siddal (’17) .300/.365/.495, 21 HR, 68 RBI, 117 games

The first foreign born player to make the list, the native Canadian Siddal enjoyed his first season as a Port driving the ball around the ballpark and playing strong corner outfield defense.

Drafted by Oakland in the 13th round out of Canisius College in the 2015 MLB Amateur Draft, Siddal posted his best professional season as a Port in 2017 but failed to take off after that season. He was released the following season after splitting the year between Double-A Midland and Stockton.

Center Fielder – Michael Choice (’11) .285/.376/.542, 30 HR, 82 RBI, 118 games

Most teams don’t have the luxury of starting a center fielder who’s elite defensively and with the bat. Usually teams prioritize their center field position with a glove-first player and appreciate any offense that they provide.

Choice excelled during his one season as a Port, and the former 10th overall selection out of the University of Texas Arlington skyrocketed up prospect rankings the following season. His time with the Athletics organization ended after the 2013 season when he was dealt to the Texas Rangers.

The power-hitting outfielder played a total of 96 big league games, the majority of which were for his hometown Rangers. Choice retired after the 2015 season but will always be remembered fondly in Stockton for his tenure with the Ports.

Right Fielder – Seth Brown (’17) .270/.340/.506, 30 HR, 109 RBI, 135 games

A recent Ports player and current Athletics outfielder enjoyed launching home runs all over Cal League ballparks during the 2017 season. Brown hit a total of 38 home runs during parts of two seasons with the Ports on his way to his first big league promotion last season.

Brown was a fairly unheralded prospect after being drafted in the 19th round of the 2015 MLB Draft out of small school Lewis-Clark State College. His bat has performed at every level and will likely split the 2020 season between Triple-A Las Vegas and the big leagues depending on the needs of the A’s.

Designated Hitter – Miles Head (’12) .382/.433/.715, 18 HR, 56 RBI, 67 games

The final position player on the list was an exception that needed to find a spot on this roster. While Head played mostly first base for the Ports, his primary role was dominating the Cal League and forcing the organization to move him up the ladder.

Originally drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the 26th round of the 2009 MLB Draft, Head joined the A’s organization as part of the Andrew Bailey trade that also brought outfielder Josh Reddick to Oakland. Head’s career stagnated in Double-A Midland and his professional career ended after the 2014 season.

But most Ports fans will remember his torrid summer at the plate in Stockton.

Starting Pitcher – RHP Matt Milburn (’18) 9-5, 3.41 ERA, 142 IP, 111 K’s, 1.24 WHIP

Turning our attention to the pitching staff, we begin with a recent Port who excelled in the hitter friendly Cal League. Millburn was drafted by the A’s in the 29th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Wofford College and has toiled around the minor leagues for the past four seasons.

Millburn exceled in his only season with Stockton as he made 27 starts for the team and helped the 2018 Ports finish in first place in the North Division. The right-hander enters the 2020 season likely headed to Triple-A Las Vegas after a solid 2019 season with Double-A Midland.

Starting Pitcher – RHP Dylan Covey (’15) 8-9, 3.59 ERA, 140.1 IP, 100 K’s, 1.27 WHIP

The first pitcher on this list to appear in a big-league rotation, Covey was selected by the Athletics in the 4th round of the 2013 MLB Draft following his collegiate career at the University of San Diego.

Covey shined in his second stint with the Ports posting his best season as a professional in 2015. His success caught the eye of the Chicago White Sox, who selected him in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft which fast-tracked him to the big leagues.

Following unimpressive results with the White Sox, Covey signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays this offseason as he tries to carve a roll in Tampa’s pitching staff.

Starting Pitcher – RHP Josh Bowman (’12) 6-10, 3.62 ERA, 146.2 IP, 127 K’s, 1.30 WHIP

Don’t let the win-loss record fool you; Bowman was one of the few bright spots on a 2012 Ports team that struggled. The right-hander pitched in three separate stints for the Ports, but found his most success during the 2012 season.

The A’s in the 2010 MLB Draft selected Bowman out of the University of Tampa in the 10th round. His pro career never advanced beyond Double-A and his final professional season came in 2014 when he appeared in 31 games and made 20 starts for the Ports.

Fun fact: Bowman was drafted twice by the Athletics, the first selection came in the 2007 MLB Draft, as he was selected in the 49th round out of high school.

Starting Pitcher – RHP Shawn Haviland (’10) 9-6, 3.65 ERA, 150.1 IP, 166 K’s, 1.30 WHIP

The vast majority of professional athletes don’t come from Ivy League schools, but the next entry on the list spent his college years at Harvard before becoming one of the smartest and most successful players in Ports history.

Haviland dazzled the Cal League during the beginning of the previous decade in his best season of professional baseball. He retired from pro ball after the 2017 season as a member of the Red Sox organization, but was hired by the team in 2019 to serve as pitching performance coordinator.

Starting Pitcher – LHP A.J. Puk (’17) 4-5, 3.69 ERA, 61 IP, 98 K’s, 1.00 WHIP

Rounding out the rotation is a familiar face ready to break out to the rest of the baseball world. Puk dominated in 2017 prior to tearing his UCL and had to wait more than year before reaching a professional mound again.

Now fully healthy, Puk factors to be a key contributor as the Athletics seek a third consecutive postseason berth. As Ports fans will remember the size and velocity of the young left-hander who now turns his attention to AL West opponents.

Closer – RHP Jose Guzman (’11) 2-5, 2.91 ERA, 20 Saves, 71 K’s, 1.12 WHIP

No pitcher recorded more saves in the last decade for the Ports than the next member of the pitching staff. Guzman spent parts of three seasons in Stockton and excelled in various late inning relief roles.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Guzman pitched parts of seven seasons in the Athletics organization and reaching as far as Double-A Midland. He elected free agency following the 2012 season and last pitched for The Toros del Este of the Dominican Winter League in 2013.

Relief Pitcher – LHP Cody Stull (’16) 3-2, 1.46 ERA, 6 Saves, 63 K’s, 1.06 WHIP

Every good bullpen needs at least one left-hander to get big outs. Stull excelled in two stints as a Port but was lights out in 2016 pitching in 36 games and allowing only two home runs in 55.2 innings of work.

The southpaw was selected by the A’s in the 29th round of the 2014 MLB Draft out of Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina. Stull reached Triple-A Las Vegas for the first time last season as he looks to carve out a roll in the bullpen moving up the organizational ladder.

Relief Pitcher – RHP Angel Duno (’18) 5-4, 2.62 ERA, 15 Saves, 66 K’s, 1.22 WHIP

A familiar name for Ports fans joins this bullpen after spending parts of the last three seasons as a Port. The right-hander put together his best season in 2018 as the team’s closer and appearing in 48 games for Stockton.

Duno was signed by Oakland out of his native Venezuela in 2011, but never advanced past High-A with the Ports. He elected to become a free agent following the conclusion of the 2019 season.

Relief Pitcher – LHP Trey Barham (’10) 3-2, 2.77 ERA, 11 Games Finished, 56 K’s, 1.26 WHIP

The second lefty in the bullpen for the Ports was a key part of the successful 2010 team. Barham pitched in 59 games and excelled at facing one batter as well as tossing multiple innings when needed.

He was selected in the 25th round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of the Virginia Military Institute and reached as far as Triple-A Sacramento. Barham last pitched in 2015 for the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs, an Independent team in the Atlantic League.

Relief Pitcher – RHP Seth Frankoff (’13) 2-0, 2.78 ERA, 4 Saves, 93 K’s, 1.08 WHIP

Another name that should be familiar to baseball fans, Frankoff has made one MLB appearance so far pitching two innings for the Chicago Cubs during the 2017 season. He thrived as a Port in his lone season with the team as he pitched strictly out of the bullpen but excelled at pitching multiple innings.

Frankoff was drafted by the Athletics in the 27th round of the 2010 MLB Draft out of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. The right-hander is now with the San Diego Padres organization and was invited to big league spring training to fight for a roster spot.

Relief Pitcher – RHP Seth Martinez (’19) 3-3, 3.35 ERA, 2 Saves, 41 K’s, 0.88 WHIP

Martinez is the lone member of the 2019 team on the list, but he proved to be a bright spot out of the Stockton bullpen in 2019. His microscopic WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) showed that he exceled at limiting base runners which is crucial pitching late in close games.

The righty was selected by the A’s in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Arizona State University. Martinez continued his strong season following a promotion to Double-A Midland where he posted a 1.26 ERA in 16 games with the Rockhounds.

Relief Pitcher – RHP Austin House (’14) 3-4, 3.46 ERA, 19 Saves, 79 K’s, 1.21 WHIP

While Austin House might be the last member on this list, he certainly won’t be forgotten for his time in Stockton. As the closer for the 2014 Ports that finished with an 85-55 record, House was instrumental in shutting the door for close games and finished 41 of the 46 games he pitched that season.

House was selected by Oakland in the 14th round of the 2012 MLB Draft out of the University of New Mexico, and last pitched during the 2018 season in Triple-A Albuquerque as a member of the Colorado Rockies organization.