Oakland's Desme Quits Baseball

Grant Desme, a 23-year-old outfielder coming off a strong season in the A's system, has apparently retired to go become a priest. That's the most shocking prospect news I've heard in a while. Desme swatted 31 homers and stole 40 bases between Low A and High A in 2009. The 2007 draftee from Cal Poly had major contact issues to address (26.8 K%), but he was still a decent prospect (I ranked him 7th in the organization).

The best takes on the situation: "Well, somebody's church softball team is gonna get WAY WAY better soon" --Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus. "I know he was hoping to get the call, but I don't think this is what the A's had in mind" --Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com.