Weems, who is part of the group of players reporting to the Oakland Coliseum portion of the Athletics' summer camp, could carve out a role on the Opening Day roster, Alex Coffey of The Athletic reports.
The 27-year-old took a circuitous route to the Athletics and pitching in general, considering he was a catcher in the Red Sox organization for seven professional seasons before heading to the mound in 2016. Weems boasts a fastball that typically averages between 94 mph and 97 mph, a blistering power pitch he complements with a slider and changeup. Control has been an issue, but Weems impressed over six Cactus League appearances this spring by hurling six shutout innings and recording seven strikeouts. Factoring in rosters will accommodate 30 players for the first two weeks of the regular season and Weems has been invited to the camp location that will house players with the best chance of making the Opening Day roster, the right-hander seemingly has a chance to garner a spot with an impressive ramp-up period.