The odds of two 20-somethings from a town of 9,000 both making the big leagues are probably pretty long.
But what are the odds of those two guys from the same town also playing for the same big-league team, in the same infield? Well, it hasn’t happened yet but the A’s trade of Matt Holliday to the Cardinals on Friday brought them highly touted third baseman Brett Wallace, the organization’s second high-level prospect from Sonoma.
Wallace, a Sonoma native who went to Justin-Siena High in Napa, has joined Sonoma’s Tommy Everidge at Triple-A Sacremento. Everidge, a third baseman, went to Sonoma Valley High and Sonoma State.
Could the pair man the corner infield positions in Oakland one day? At this point, it certainly seems possible.
Wallace, 22, who went to Arizona State, was the 13th overall pick in the 2008 MLB Draft and is considered one of the top minor-league prospects in baseball. Everidge, 26, is hitting .366 with seven homers and 28 RBIs in 161 at-bats since being called up from Double-A Midland on June 9.
Everidge, a 6-foot, 244-pound slugger who has 22 homers and 115 RBIs at Midland last year, was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week on Tuesday.
Speaking of Everidge, A’s general manager Billy Beane told the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday, “Hopefully, he keeps hitting like he’s hitting and we’ll figure out something.”
By the way, I’m planning to write a story on Everidge that will run at some point next week. I know. I better hurry. He might get called up in the next 30 minutes.