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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – One of Alabaster’s own has made it to The Show as Drew Avans is set to make his major league debut.

Avans was called up by the Athletics from the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on Tuesday, May 27.

Avans earned his chance in the big leagues after the Athletics placed first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hip flexor retroactive to May 25.

The 28-year-old center fielder has been on a tear at the Triple-A level in 2025 and ranks among the best hitters in the minor leagues. He leads every minor league player in hits this season with 62 and has scored the most runs in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League with 41.

In addition, Avans ranks second in the league in stolen bases with 16, fourth in batting average at .326 and fifth in on-base percentage at .414. He is tied for seventh in RBI with 34, tied for eighth in walks with 30 and has four home runs on the season.

He gives the Athletics a versatile option in the outfield. In his 45 starts in Triple-A this season, he started in left field 21 times, center field 20 times and right field four times.

The call-up ends a long and winding road to the major leagues for Avans. He was first drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 33rd round of the 2018 MLB Draft but eventually made his way to the A’s organization by signing a minor league deal on Nov. 20, 2024.

Avans was then a non-roster invitee to spring training in 2025 where he made his name known to the major league coaches ahead of his first call-up to the MLB.

Across his seven-year minor league career, Avans batted .277 with 55 home runs, 315 RBI and 177 stolen bases alongside a .370 on-base percentage.

Avans was a 2013 All-County selection as a junior and went on to play four years of college baseball at Southeastern Louisiana before being drafted by the Dodgers.

Avans will have a chance to take the field for the first time when the Athletics travel to the Daikin Park to face the Houston Astros on Tuesday, May 27 at 7:10 p.m. central time. The game will stream on MLB.tv.