The A's might have one or two of their top pitching prospects with them when they break camp. Vin Mazzaro, Trevor Cahill and Brett Anderson all have been impressive this spring while competing for at least one and possibly two spots.
Mazzaro got his first Cactus League start on March 12, and he extended his spring scoreless streak to eight innings. Scouts have raved about Mazzaro all spring, and at 22, he is slightly older than Cahill and Anderson, who are both 21.
Mazzaro also has more experience at higher levels in the minors, having played at Triple-A last year during the regular season.
Another plus for Mazzaro is that he has been working on a new changeup that has been compared to Rich Harden's, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
He's using it with regularity and getting outs. Catcher Landon Powell told the newspaper that batters don't know what the pitch is, and when they have to ask the catcher, that's a good sign.
Anderson pitched for Sacramento in the playoffs, winning the deciding Pacific Coast League playoff game, and he is the only left-hander of the three.
Cahill hasn't pitched beyond Double-A, but he is thought to have the most upside of the three. He has a nasty sinker and excellent mound presence for such a young pitcher.
Non-roster right-hander Edgar Gonzalez also is in contention for one of the rotation spots. He could have an edge if the A's decide they would like a bit more experience, particularly if Justin Duchscherer is unavailable early in the season because of elbow discomfort.
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