Ex-Aviators catcher ready for starting role with Athletics

Oakland Athletics designated hitter Shea Langeliers (23) takes an at bat with Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) catching throughout the very first inning of a baseball video game throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) establishes behind Cincinnati Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson (37) throughout the first inning of a baseball game throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics designated player Shea Langeliers (23) heats up in the on deck circle during the very first inning of a baseball game versus the Cincinnati Reds during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics designated hitter Shea Langeliers (23) strolls in the dugout prior to the 3rd inning of a baseball video game during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics designated player Shea Langeliers (23) walks in the dugout prior to the 3rd inning of a baseball game during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics designated player Shea Langeliers (23) meets with teammates in the dugout throughout the 3rd inning of a baseball video game against the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) leaves the dugout before a baseball video game versus the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics first baseman Kevin Cron (16 ), outfielder Ernie Clement (44 ), designated hitter Seth Brown (16) and short stop Max Muncy (81 ), heat up before a baseball video game versus the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics center fielder Lawrence Butler (77) works with shortstop Max Muncy (81) before a baseball game versus the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics center fielder Cristian Pache (20) makes a catch on the caution track as Oakland Athletics center fielder Lawrence Butler (77) looks on during the first inning of a baseball video game during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics center fielder Cristian Pache (20) makes a catch on the caution track as Oakland Athletics center fielder Lawrence Butler (77) looks on during the very first inning of a baseball video game during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangFans enjoy the very first inning of a baseball game in between the Oakland Athletics and the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics beginning pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) throws a pitch during the first inning of a baseball video game against the Cincinnati Reds during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics center fielder Cristian Pache (20) makes a throw throughout the first inning of a baseball video game against the Cincinnati Reds during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics beginning pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) is alleviated during the 2nd inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn (58) strolls back to the dugout after being eliminated throughout the second inning of a baseball video game during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics pitcher Jake Fishman tosses during the second inning of a baseball video game against the Cincinnati Reds during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics center fielder Cristian Pache (20) makes a throw throughout the 2nd inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics see the team play the Cincinnati Reds from the dugout throughout the third inning of a baseball game during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangAn introduction of the Las Vegas Ballpark prior to a baseball video game between the Oakland Athletics and the Cincinnati Reds during Big League Weekend on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics shortstop Max Muncy (81) signs an item for 11-year-old Ethan Gonzales of Las Vegas prior to a baseball video game against the Cincinnati Reds during Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics shortstop Max Muncy (81) indications autographs for Josh Mosier of North Las Vegas before a baseball game versus the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFangOakland Athletics 2nd baseman Zach Gelof takes the field prior to a baseball game versus the Cincinnati Reds throughout Big League Weekend at the Las Vegas Ballpark on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Las Vegas. (Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal) @HeidiFang
The Oakland Athletics sent a message about their belief in among their leading potential customers when they traded budding star catcher Sean Murphy on Dec. 12.

Shea Langeliers, called the organization's 2022 Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America for his impressive deal with the Aviators, is prepared for prime-time show as the group's regular catcher.

" He's a huge leaguer," A's supervisor Mark Kotsay stated after his group finished up a two-game exhibition series with a 12-4 loss to the Reds in front of 8,024 on Sunday at Las Vegas Ballpark.

Langeliers, a first-round pick of the Braves out of Baylor in 2019, struck.283 with 19 crowning achievement and 56 RBIs in 92 games last season for the Aviators prior to making his MLB debut Aug. 16 and playing 40 video games for Oakland.

" He's a fantastic student, and he's got an enthusiasm for the game and a passion for the position, which is what it requires fantastic at that position," Kotsay stated. "He's young. He'll have some lack of experience things that occur this season, but I've been impressed with the constant development we've seen because he came to the major leagues."

The 25-year-old revealed enough to enable the A's to trade Murphy, who subsequently signed a six-year, $73 million deal in Atlanta.

" The past couple years have been a whirlwind, and that was part of it," Langeliers stated of finding out about the trade. I was blessed to be working behind him last year and viewing how he managed himself and how he prepared, how he handled the pitchers and his relationship with them.

It has been a consistent ascension for Langeliers, who spent the rest of 2019 in Single A after the draft. He didn't play a minor league game in the 2020 COVID season and was appointed to Double A in 2021, ending up the season with one series in Triple A before he was traded to the Athletics' organization. Oakland kept him in Triple A for less than a complete season with the Aviators before he got the call.

Langeliers had 6 home runs and 22 RBIs in 142 at-bats for Oakland, but his focus constantly has actually been on defense regardless of his plus-bat.

" If I can get to know the pitchers and make them feel as comfortable as possible, that's one thing I'm looking to do," Langeliers said. My focus is definitely dealing and catching with the pitchers."

That's one of the reasons he captured the first 2 innings Sunday in spite of a heavy workload Saturday. All-Star Paul Blackburn got the start for the Athletics, and Kotsay wished to see him throw to Langeliers because the pitcher suffered a season-ending finger injury right before Langeliers got contacted.

" This was the first time I ever tossed to him (in a video game), stated Blackburn, who battled through 10 batters and enabled 6 runs on 5 hits. He can strike, he can throw. Calls a great game.

Langeliers, who started out in his only plate look Sunday and is 5-for-12 with a crowning achievement and 3 RBIs this spring, reflects on his partial season with the Aviators fondly and was pleased to be back for the weekend. He also thinks his time in Las Vegas playing every day in a notoriously hitter-friendly league helped him improve as a catcher.

" You have to be more on top of your tactical plan here and more aware of what players are attempting to do," he said. "It truly assists you focus more on game-planning and taking that part of your video game to the next level."

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.