Athletics top prospect Ryan Lasko was hospitalized after a scary collision in the outfield with his teammate Devin Taylor.
Lasko, who played center field for Double-A Midland Tuesday, collided with Taylor after both players attempted to dive for a ball hit in the gap. Lasko was down for about 10 minutes before he was carted off the field and transported to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano.
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Lasko is in stable condition after undergoing spinal decompression and stabilization surgery, which resulted from a C6-C7 vertebra fracture. He currently has no feeling in the lower half of his body.
“The positive in the statement from the doctor is that there is not a definitive statement saying he’s not going to regain feeling in his lower half,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said, who provided the comment ahead of the team’s series finale against the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday.
“We send prayers to him, to his family, to his teammate, and the team, really. This is a trying and emotional time for them. We need to be there to support them, and I know we are. [A’s director of player development] Ed Sprague flew down [to Texas] this morning. Lasko’s family was with him there. All the teammates are going to go visit him at some point and show support.”
The 24-year-old was a second-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Rutgers University. Lasko spent time with the big league team in camp this spring, where Kotsay and the A’s coaching staff were impressed by the outfielder’s defense.
