Good Company: Offseason Report
The Ballers’ Offseason Report #2
by Nick Clementi
Our resident scout and analyst Nick Clementi continues his recap of the B’s offseason activity. Settle in for this holiday edition and make sure to check out his first installment here!
Jeter Ybarra is a San Jose, CA native who makes his Pioneer League debut after two years at Ohlone College, two years at the University of Washington, one year at the University of Michigan, and most recently 27 games with Brockton of the Frontier League. The Saint Francis High graduate played 3B and OF in the Frontier League, though he was primarily used at 1B at Washington and Michigan. He is coming off his best season in college, having slashed .283/.373/.460 in his lone year as a Wolverine. Standing at 6’4”, his lefty swing may remind the Oakland faithful of former Ballers Christian Almanza and Davis Drewek. While Ybarra has not quite unlocked some of his power potential, he showed the ability to get on base and did not strike out very often at the Div. I level. With Leehey back at 3B, I expect Ybarra to compete with Chenar Brown for playing time at 1B, with one of them ending up in the OF.
Chenar Brown is an Orlando, FL native who makes his professional debut in Oakland after playing for three different Div.1 programs in college. Let’s get beyond the headline here–yes, Brown is six-foot-seven and will be the tallest Baller in their short history. He excelled his freshman season at Jackson State before transferring to Louisiana-Monroe and seeing limited playing time in two years. Brown’s collegiate journey ended with a bang, however, having one of the most productive seasons in Grambling State history. The slugger hit .340, with a .442 OBP and 9 home runs in just 41 games last season. He was primarily at 1B at Grambling State, though he played some outfield in his other two stops and in the MLB Draft League this summer. As noted above, Brown should be competing with Ybarra for time at 1B and OF. The Grambling-to-Oakland pipeline has worked well thus far, with fellow traveler Cam Bufford hitting for a superb .349 average and 21 home runs for the B’s last season. Read our recent interview with Brown here.
Zion Bannister is a Nassau, Bahamas native who is the first Ballers signee this offseason to bring MiLB experience to the ballclub. The 24-year-old switch-hitting outfielder originally signed with the Texas Rangers as a 17-year-old shortstop and was in their organization from 2019 to 2023. Bannister spent the majority of that time in Single-A, where he stole 21 bases in 71 games. After being released by Texas in 2024, his most recent baseball experience came in the Australian Baseball League’s ‘23-’24 season. Bannister should have a chance to compete for a roster spot in the OF, albeit an outfield that is filling up quickly with the return of Esai Santos and T.J. McKenzie, and the signings of Damian Stone, Brown, and Ybarra. The last Ballers to have previous MiLB experience? Lou Helmig, Danny Harris, and Dillon Tatum. Pretty good company. Check out Bannister’s recent interview with Dispatches about his holiday plans here.
Aaron Calhoun is a right-handed pitcher from Pearland, TX and joins the Ballers after four seasons at the Div. I level. After being rated the #11 prospect in the state of Texas by Perfect Game, Calhoun attended the University of Oklahoma. In his time as a Sooner, he showed swing-and-miss potential as a reliever, striking out 14 batters in 14.1 innings in 2023. He transferred to UT-Arlington for his final two seasons, where he would transition to the bullpen and find success there. Calhoun appeared in 10 games in the MLB Draft League this summer, where he finished with a 3.86 ERA and 14 K’s in 14 innings. Given his experience in college, I think that a bullpen role is likely if he makes the roster.
Ryan Rissas is a San Ramon, CA native and California High graduate who will be making his Pioneer League debut after a very solid collegiate career. The 6’3” lefty had 4 seasons at UC San Diego, where he was utilized as one of the Tritons’ best relievers. His most impressive season at UCSD came in 2022, striking out 30 batters in 22 innings on his way to a 3.68 ERA. Following the 2024 season, Rissas would head to UCLA for his final year in college. Despite his walk numbers rising, he ultimately finished with a 3.50 ERA and more strikeouts than innings pitched. In the PBL, his stuff should play well, sitting around 93 MPH on his fastball and featuring a slider and changeup. I expect Rissas to be a legitimate weapon out of the bullpen, if not stretched out to start for Oakland this season. Listen to Assistant GM Tyler Petersen talk about Rissas on a recent episode of B’s Cast.
After signing 3B Norris McClure out of the University of Texas at San Antonio, the Ballers traded him to the New York Boulders of the Frontier League in exchange for right-handed pitcher Aidan Risse. Risse is a San Diego, CA native who is coming off his first season of professional baseball with the aforementioned Boulders. There were mixed results in New York for Risse, finishing the year with a 5.50 ERA and 1.51 WHIP in 11 starts and one relief appearance. He will be making his return to the Bay Area, having pitched his senior year at the University of San Francisco. He had similar results as a Don, compiling a 5.25 ERA in 13 starts. He pitched at Div. III Bard College the previous four seasons, with his best season coming in 2023 when he had a 3.33 ERA and 50 K’s to just 14 walks. There are open spots in the rotation behind Gabe Tanner and recently re-signed Dylan Matsuoka, and Risse has a chance to fill that void.
Nick Bautista is a City Terrace, CA native who will be entering his second season in the PBL after pitching for the Missoula Paddleheads last season. The 6’3” right-hander was drafted by the Texas Rangers in the 16th round of the 2022 MLB draft after two seasons at Cypress College. Bautista pitched in rookie ball for the Rangers before signing with the Mets and pitching in Single-A St. Lucie. After the Mets, he joined the Joliet Slammers of the Frontier League and make 16 appearances out of the bullpen in a relief role. Despite some impressive strikeout totals, he would find himself a free agent once again before getting signed by the Paddleheads in the middle of last season. An altitude-inflated ERA of 5.19 last year in Missoula was better than it sounds, considering the Coors Field-esque conditions and his ability to limit contact with his 20 strikeouts in 17.1 innings. According to Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, just two years ago Bautista sat between 94-97 on his fastball and showed a good slider. With his experience and whiff rates, I expect him to find himself a role in the Ballers’ bullpen.
Nick Clementi is an Oakland native and lifelong Oakland baseball fan. He enjoys long walks on the beach and summer nights at Raimondi Park. He’s a Scrappy enthusiast who doesn't believe in sacrifice bunts. Sports content moderator by day, Ballers beat writer by night.
