Here are the whereabouts of some former Cougars stars

It was just two weeks ago Oakland Athletics pitching coach Curt Young was saying how former Kane County Cougars pitcher Dallas Braden could be called up from Triple-A Sacramento at any time.

After all, Braden, who pitched for the Cougars in 2004, made his major-league debut with the A's last April, so a comeback was very possible.

Thanks to several A's pitchers on and off the disabled list this year, Braden is back with the A's after going 1-8 in 2007.

Braden, along with several other former Cougars, was on the 40-man roster until he got the call from the A's on April 22. He pitched a no-decision against Seattle on Sunday in his first appearance in 2008.

"Dallas got a pretty good shot last year and made quite a few starts which was good to see," said Young, whose team was in Chicago two weeks ago to play the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field. "At times, he showed good stuff and kept us competitive."

The other former Cougars pitchers, Jeff Gray and Henry Rodriguez, are still on the 40-man roster of the Athletics, the major-league affiliate of Class A Kane County.

Perhaps these two may be next? Gray is currently in Triple A, and Rodriguez in Double A with the Midland Rock Hounds.

"Great arm, good stuff," Young said of Gray. "He's gaining experience now. He's a right-hander with a power arm and breaking stuff. He's a guy who is definitely in our future."

Gray was with the Cougars in 2006, and Rodriguez was in Kane County last year. Both spent time as starters.

Rodriguez is listed at No. 8 in the organization's top 10 prospects.

"He was impressive in spring training," Young said of Rodriguez. "That stuff, that arm, maturity coming into play now, the ability to move the baseball around with the stuff he has. He can be (with the A's) real quick if he keeps going."

There are four more former Cougars on the 40-main roster -- infielders, Kevin Melillo and Gregorio Petit, and outfielders Javier Hererra and Richie Robnett.

Melillo and Petit were both on the Cougars in 2005 and both are now in Sacramento.

Hererra is in Midland. Robnett played with Sacramento last year, but is currently not on any of the A's minor-league rosters.

Hererra was an all-star in Kane County in 2005 and Robnett in 2004.

Current Cougars manager Aaron Nieckula was the team's hitting coach for two seasons before getting promoted to the manager's post in 2006.

Nieckula recalled his time with these former infielders and outfielders.

"Every single one of those guys were a pleasure to be around," Nieckula said. "It made my job easier as hitting coach. Any one of those guys can go up and fill in for an injury (to any of the A's)."

Travis Buck thinks so as well. The former Cougar (2005) and current outfielder on the A's has played with some of these players in the past and thinks most of them will get their shot soon.

"That's something about this organization," said Buck, who is on the Athletics' disabled list with shin splints. "If you show and prove you can play, they aren't afraid to move you up, no matter what the jump is. I'm sure within the next year or two, we'll see more guys."

cbolin@dailyherald.com