Athletics' Seth Brown: Makes big-league roster

Brown was named to the Athletics' Opening Day roster Thursday as a fifth outfielder that can also fill in at first base, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.

Scott Bair of NBC Sports Bay Area notes Brown was kept over a third catcher, which is partly explained by the fact the team's three-man taxi squad will be obligated to carry a backstop per MLB rules. Meanwhile, Brown, who slashed a solid .293/.361/.453 across his first 26 big-league games in 2019, is capable of offering some left-handed power off the bench following a pair of 30-homer campaigns at two different minor-league stops in the organization. He also has experience playing all three outfield spots and logged 203 starts at first base in the minors, making him a valuable asset defensively as well.