PERKINS IS HIM: Schofield-Sam is Mashing & Basso Lurks

Brady Basso's journey back to the mound is more than a recovery—it's a masterclass in grit, patience, and unwavering belief. Today we are doing a deep dive into how this 27 year old lefty is clawing his way into the big leagues—and why his story is a lesson in mental toughness. That is a bit later. Meanwhile, over in Lansing, T.J. Schofield-Sam is reminding the world why you never bet against the late bloomer. Once a 12th-round flier out of high school, he’s transformed into a Midwest League menace — barreling baseballs, getting on base by any means necessary, and quietly putting together one of the best offensive stretches in the system. He’s hitting over .350, racking up extra-base hits. He’s played everywhere on the field, done everything asked of him, and kept grinding through years of being overlooked. Now, he’s making it impossible to ignore. The bat is loud. The growth is real. And a jump to Double-A feels inevitable. We will talk about Schofield Sam right after we talk about the fire-breathing arsenal of Jack Perkins, who’s flat-out dominating Triple-A hitters with a fastball that explodes at 97 and a sweeper that disappears like a magic trick. He’s got a 0.79 ERA over his last two starts and hasn’t struck out fewer than seven batters in his last six. He’s not just close to the A’s — he’s ready. Every outing is a statement: the A’s don’t need to look elsewhere. They’ve already got their guy. This episode is about more than numbers. It’s about what it means to believe in the grind. Jack Perkins was overlooked, doubted, injured — and he came back throwing harder, sharper, meaner. Schofield-Sam kept showing up, year after year, reshaping his game and his mindset until the results finally exploded off the stat sheet. By all accounts, Brady Basso wasn’t supposed to be here—not again. Not after the surgeries. Not after the setbacks. Well, look who is knocking on the door? These aren’t just “organizational guys.” They’re next up. And if you’re paying attention, you know the future of the A’s is already taking shape — one pitch, one swing, one earned opportunity at a time. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.