Prospect Watch with Grady, Farhan & Melvin
While soaking up plenty of Arizona sun during our spring training tour, we also wanted to make sure we got a little light shed on some of the A’s top prospects by folks in the know. So we took the opportunity to talk to three guys who really ought to know the score – Grady Fuson, Farhan Zaidi and Bob Melvin.
![gfDSC01787-1[2c]](http://athleticsfarm.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/gfdsc01787-12c.jpg?w=79&h=99)
Grady Fuson is a long-time baseball man who was formerly the A’s director of scouting. One of baseball’s most respected talent evaluators, he was also depicted as one of Moneyball‘s biggest bad guys, but he’s back with the A’s again as a special assistant to general manager Billy Beane.
In his fifth season as the A’s director of baseball operations, Farhan Zaidi is one of the game’s most forward-thinking front office executives. With a doctorate in economics from UC Berkeley, he is often known as the A’s “numbers guy” and readily admits to feeling somewhat naked without his computer.
Bob Melvin is the popular and affable manager of the A’s who, in 2012, led the team to its first division title since 2006. The former catcher spent 10 years playing in the major leagues and was named AL Manager of Year for his efforts with the A’s in 2012.
We asked this trio of talent evaluators to weigh in on some of the A’s top prospects, and what we heard left us feeling pretty good about the future!
On shortstop Addison Russell…
Bob Melvin: He left us with impressions when he came out and just took batting practice with us during the season. During spring, he certainly didn’t look like a 19-year-old kid. He has a great approach at the plate, a very good work ethic – great athlete. He’s got a chance to be a quick mover.
Grady Fuson: Big league camp didn’t phase him. He went in there and stood around like a veteran. He wasn’t nervous. He was aggressive. He played the same style of game that he’s played since the day we signed him. And I think everybody top to bottom’s been pleased…I think we all see all the tools. It’s not hard to know this guy’s really got some quickness and speed. He’s aggressive on ground balls. He’s got a knack for reading ground balls. He controlled the strike zone in big league camp, so it wasn’t like he was swinging at air or anything. He’s just got a very good awareness about the game for a young kid to go with all the tools he’s got…He’s a great kid. He comes to work every day – he’s quiet but he’s deadly…As he goes along, we’re going to keep an eye on his throwing. It has nothing to do with his arm strength. It’s more about building accuracy and pace and footwork into his game. Other than that, there’s really no holes to poke at offensively. The more he plays, the more he’s going to get comfortable with the strike zone a little bit – what he can hit, what he can’t hit – and that’ll come. But this kid really has no major flaws to really speak of. It’s nice every once in a while to have a player where you can go, “Hey, let’s just go play!”
On outfielder Michael Choice…
Grady Fuson: He’s ahead of the curve as far as when he left Midland last year. What little time we got with him in instructs (instructional league), something’s clicked. His whole approach is so much more balanced and connected. The first 5-6 at-bats I saw him, I kept waiting for him to kind of get out of sorts, but he hasn’t one time. I’m proud of him. He looked great in big league camp. He’s got another burst of energy to his game. He played center field in big league camp very well – 5 of those innings a day over there that sun’s right in your face. And the great thing is, since he’s come over to minor league camp, he’s had the same work ethic, same aggressiveness, same energy. He’s been great…It looks like he’s really figured some things out.
Bob Melvin: This is the first time we’ve been able to see him get a lot of bats and do the things that the organization expects of him. He’s a highly-touted prospect with power and speed. I think he came to this camp really wanting to show the big league staff what he’s all about – and he did that. I mean, it was a very impressive camp. He fell off a little bit – I think he took a couple of 0-fors at the end. But he and Shane Peterson have been terrific throughout the whole camp. And this is a guy who’s going to knock the door down and fight his way in at some point in time, whether it’s next year, whether it’s this year – a September call-up or an injury or something like that. He’s really close to being a big leaguer.
On outfielder Shane Peterson…
Bob Melvin: He’s the one guy here who’s played every single game (this spring). You usually ease your way into it, but he’s done anything but that. He continues to hit. He plays different positions. I haven’t even used him at first, which is probably his most comfortable position, but he’s looked like a true outfielder. You look at the numbers, and he’s had a spectacular camp.
On infielder Grant Green…
Grady Fuson: To some degree, offensively, he could be big-league ready – he’s close. He’s got great at-bats going. He’s doing what Grant Green does. He’s been through a year and a half to two year period where we’ve been working on getting him to be more aggressive on the inner half and feeling what it’s like to turn on some balls. It’s helped his power production. Once again, he’s kind of getting his feet wet at a new position, but it’s the one position that you’re really seeing him grow at defensively. He is getting better every day. So obviously he’ll go back to Sacramento and we’ll see how things go in the big leagues to start – but Grant is very, very close.
Farhan Zaidi: I think there’s a growing level of confidence that second base is his best position. And because it’s his best position, probably now and also in the long run, giving him time to develop there is a priority. But we have other guys who need to play that position, so he may not get as many reps there as we would like in a perfect world just because we have to work other guys in there. But from an organizational perspective, more and more people are feeling good about the progress he’s made over there. And he could actually be an asset over there in the long term once he gets more reps and gets more comfortable playing there.
On infielder Miles Head…
Grady Fuson: He didn’t get that much time in big league camp, so he’s kind of getting a late start playing every day here (in minor league camp). But he should be ready to go. Obviously, he can’t do what he did in Stockton – that was the most unreal half you’re ever going to see. But he’s been getting his knocks, he’s swinging aggressive, getting time at third and first – and that’s what we’ll expect when he goes out.
On pitcher Dan Straily…
Farhan Zaidi: I think he’s gotten a lot more comfortable in this camp, being in the big leagues, being around the big league team and staff. He’s had some things to work on this spring, just like most pitchers have. But you know, we sort of have this notion of building the starting pitching depth out 8 or 9 guys. And if you’re the 6th guy, it means we have a pretty high level of confidence – we know we’re going to need you at some point…He’s going to be a big factor in our season…He might not be in there for every turn of the 162 game season, but he’s going to play a big role for sure.
Bob Melvin: He just needs to be more consistent at times – and he knows it. He had a tough first inning the other day where he gave up 3 runs and then he pitched really well after that. It’s getting rid of that one inning, or getting through games a little bit more in the fashion that we think he can do it – and he’s probably not quite there yet. But he’s still a young guy, and we’ve had a lot of young guys perform well here. He was instrumental down the stretch with a few games for us last year. He has some experience pitching in a pennant race. But I know he probably looks at his performance this spring and thinks there’s a little bit more in the tank for him and wants to finish up strong.
Grady Fuson: He just seemed a hair out of sync (this spring). He wasn’t locating his fastball as well. And when he doesn’t locate his fastball well, then his sequences don’t come together. As far as his stuff, his stuff was still solid – 90-93mph, good breaker, slider got a little flat at times, good changeup – but he just wasn’t getting ahead of hitters enough as he’d done a year ago…You know, it’s his first big league camp – he knows he’s pressing to make a spot in that rotation.
On pitcher Sonny Gray…
Grady Fuson: His stuff is good. It’s all going to get down to location. If Sonny can improve on pounding the strike zone, he’s going to be a competitive kid. But he’s got to find a way to get ahead earlier in counts and work on the efficient side of being a starter versus the overpowering side of being a starter. He knows it. He’s trying to work through it. And right now, it comes and goes. So it’s a work in progress.
Farhan Zaidi: As much as we have invested in him, he’s a guy who we would want to only bring up when we really feel he’s ready, not sort of out of a sense of urgency for a guy. I think he just has to work on pitching more efficiently. If you’re in Triple-A and you’re throwing 100 pitches in a 6-inning stint, that’s not going to work at the big league level. The guys who have success moving from Double-A and Triple-A to the big leagues are the guys who pitch really efficiently at the minor league level and have short innings, don’t walk guys, all that kind of stuff. I think that’s going to be the biggest issue for him.
On pitcher Andrew Werner…
Grady Fuson: He’s kind of an under-the-radar lefty. He doesn’t throw overly hard. But he’s a locate guy. He’s got a real good changeup. He’s got a solid breaker. So he’s a lot like most lefties who throw 87-88mph who can pitch a little bit.
On pitcher Jesse Chavez…
Grady Fuson: Jesse Chavez has tremendous stuff. It’s just about him harnessing it, and he’s dominated in Triple-A. So it’s just about him getting used to playing in front of a second deck and the lights not blinding him a little bit. But we feel good about having him down there (at Sacramento).
On pitcher Michael Ynoa…
Grady Fuson: The progress continues to be nothing but ‘hang a star on it!’ He’s healthy. His velocity continues to climb. He’s been up to 95-96mph here. His breaking ball’s sharper because the velocity’s back. He’s been around the strike zone. You know, we’re still going to proceed with a little caution, but he’s been good.
Farhan Zaidi: His stuff has been really good. His fastball has been up to the mid-90s. He shows his other pitches. He’s a big presence on the mound. He just needs reps and he needs to get more consistent. If you haven’t pitched at that level, and things start unraveling – just getting out of jams, not letting innings totally get away from you. But the stuff has been fine…The stuff is where you were hoping it would progress to when we signed him – I mean, we thought he might be in the big leagues by now. So all the ingredients are there. It’s just about him getting out and pitching…I think he has the ability to make up for a lot of that lost time, so we’re looking forward to him pitching.
On infielder Daniel Robertson…
Grady Fuson: We’re still just being cautious with the knee. Little by little, he’s done more on the field, so he has not played in games. He feels great. We’re just taking it slow…In instructional league, his spike caught up on the mat hitting in BP and kind of tore a little meniscus in there. So the odds are he probably won’t break (camp). We’ll keep him down here a little bit and make sure it’s tested. But hopefully by the middle of the month, he’s good to go.
On first baseman Matt Olson…
Grady Fuson: Olson’s been great. He just picked up where he left off. He’s gotten a little bigger and stronger. He’s having a nice minor league camp. He’s ready to go.
Farhan Zaidi: The guys over there have been very excited about him. I think he’s hit a handful of homers in minor league games already. He has that kind of power…and that’s got people pretty excited.
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Knowing he’s always got an eye on the future, we took the opportunity to ask Farhan about the possible value of applying analytics to the subject of health and injuries in order to better anticipate the physical resilience of individual players, and here’s what he had to say…
Farhan Zaidi: There’s more and more of this stuff – either analyzing historic DL data or injury data, or also mechanics. I don’t know that there are a lot of great, or certain, answers at this point. But I think it’s a major next frontier for analysis. It started off with offense, then it moved to defense, measuring fielding, now I think this is the next frontier for analytics. We do a fair amount of that – it’s sort of an ongoing process…Even getting a little bit better at predicting players’ health going forward is really valuable. So that’s something that we’re working on and trying to get better at every year…Even if you improve your predictive power a little bit, that can be worth a lot in the long run.
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–GRADY’S GUYS TO WATCH–
We asked Grady to tip us off to three guys in the A’s system we ought to keep an eye on, and here’s what we got…
Left-Handed Hitting First Baseman
Age: 22 / Drafted 2012 – 5th Round
He was good last year after we signed him. He went to Burlington (Class-A) right out of the draft and held his own. This guy gets it. He knows how to play the game. He’s got a good swing. He’s very hitter-ish. He’s always had a little bit more power in the bat than his numbers show. And we’re working with him to take advantage of the shorter parts of the park – and it’s coming. He’s been a jewel in camp. He’s firmed his body up a little bit more. He’s a solid defender. Keep your eye on him!
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age: 22 / Drafted 2012 – 14th Round
He closed in Vermont last year. He threw from 25 different slots. In instructional league, we tried to calm him down, gave him one slot, and he went home all winter and worked on it. And he’s gotten so much cleaner now that we’re thinking about maybe starting him and pushing him with some innings. He’s got a good arm. He’s got a nasty changeup…He wiped guys out as a closer, but the more you can get on the mound, the more you’re going to learn.
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age: 21 / Drafted 2012 – 18th Round
Junior college kid – he only pitched 1/3 of an inning for us last year, so I didn’t even know who this guy was. The other day, he comes out here, he’s throwing 94mph with a nasty breaker – good body, good delivery. Today he goes 3 shutout innings, touching 95mph – I’m in!
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A’s Farm’s Consensus Top 10 Prospect List for 2013
Last year’s top prospect Jarrod Parker – who will be the next to make it big?
With the first A’s players set to report to spring training camp just days from now, it’s time to present A’s Farm’s Consensus Top 10 Prospect List for 2013. We’ve combined a total of eight different A’s prospect lists to come up with a consensus list that reflects the broadest base of wisdom where A’s prospects are concerned.
You can find the prospect lists that we used to compile our consensus list at the very end of this piece. Some of the eight lists we’ve selected are better known and some are lesser known, but they’ve all been selected because they represent intelligent and informed opinions about the A’s system. For the purposes of this list, we’ve looked at the top ten picks from each list and assigned points to each player as follows: 10 points for each first place finish, 9 points for second, 8 for third, all the way on down to 1 point for each tenth place finish.
It’s important to note that most prospect lists were compiled before pitching prospects A.J. Cole and Brad Peacock were dealt away. A few folks have updated their lists since then, but most have not. So rather than have the pair included on some older lists and not on some of the newer ones, we’ve chosen to use the original prospect lists that included them both for the sake of comparison.
Now that that’s clear, the other thing that’s clear is that the list breaks into a few clear groupings. The top group of vote-getters was comprised of young shortstop Addison Russell, right-handed hurler Dan Straily, outfielder Michael Choice and right-hander A.J. Cole, who was dealt back to the Nationals in the John Jaso trade – these four players were included in the top half of most lists. The next group was comprised of pitching prospects Sonny Gray and Brad Peacock along with hitting prospects Grant Green and Miles Head – and these four players were included in the bottom half of most lists.
After that, the selections start to get a little more unpredictable, with infielders Daniel Robertson and Renato Nunez clearly being the most popular vote-getters amongst the next group of players. And since Cole and Peacock are no longer with the organization, we’ve decided to include the next top two vote-getters – Nolan Sanburn at #11 and Chris Bostick at #12 – as bonus additions to the list.
So without any further ado, let’s take a look at A’s Farm’s Consensus Top 10 Prospect List for 2013…
A’S FARM’S CONSENSUS TOP 10 PROSPECT LIST (+2)
#1 – Addison Russell (SS) – 78 points / 8 lists
#2 – Dan Straily (SP) – 64 points / 8 lists
#3 – Michael Choice (OF) – 63 points / 8 lists
#4 – A.J. Cole (SP) – 61 points / 8 lists *
#5 – Sonny Gray (SP) – 41 points / 8 lists
#6 – Brad Peacock (SP) – 39 points / 8 lists *
#7 – Grant Green (IF-OF) – 32 points / 7 lists
#8 – Miles Head (3B) – 25 points / 8 lists
#9 – Daniel Robertson (SS-3B) – 18 points / 7 lists
#10 – Renato Nunez (3B) – 10 points / 4 lists
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#11 – Nolan Sanburn (SP) – 3 points / 2 lists
#12 – Chris Bostick (2B-SS) – 3 points / 1 list
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* No longer with organization
#1 (78 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Hitting Shortstop
Age On Opening Day: 19
Drafted 2012 – 1st Round
Making the top spot on 7 of our 8 lists, the A’s top pick in last year’s draft was not only the star of the A’s 2012 draft class but was also the star of the team’s entire minor league system. And it didn’t take long for Russell to quickly become a favorite amongst A’s fans who had their eyes on the future. The Florida native earned it by tearing through three levels of minor league ball at the age of 18, and he’s currently expected to start 2013 with the Stockton Ports in the High-A California League at the age of 19. In 217 at-bats in the Arizona League, the NY-Penn League and the Midwest League in 2012, Russell had 10 doubles, 9 triples, 7 home runs and 16 stolen bases with an impressive .369/.432/.594 slash line. He didn’t disappoint in the field either, showing nice range and a good arm. The bottom line is that Russell is very young, very talented and very hard-working, and there’s no reason that he shouldn’t rise as quickly as his performance demands.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Stockton Ports (A)
#2 DAN STRAILY
(64 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2009 – 24th Round
The former 24th-round draft pick started the season as a bit of an unknown quantity in the A’s system and didn’t make anyone’s top 10 list prior to the 2012 season. But Straily put himself on the map rather quickly last year and didn’t let up, starting the season at Double-A Midland and ending it in Oakland. The Oregon native led all A’s minor leaguers in strikeouts (190), ERA (2.78) and WHIP (1.00) in 152 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, and posted a 3.89 ERA in 7 late-season starts with the A’s. With five starters ahead of him on the team’s current depth chart, Straily’s expected to spend the early part of the season at Sacramento. But like most #6 starters, it likely won’t be long before his services are needed, and we can probably expect to be seeing the right-hander back at the big league level again before long in 2013.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
#3 (63 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2010 – 1st Round
Big things were expected this year from the A’s 2010 1st-round draft pick after Choice hit 30 home runs at High-A Stockton in 2011. But the right-handed slugger got off to a slow start in the first half at Double-A Midland, showing very little of the power that had garnered him so much attention in the first place. Then just when it looked like he might have been starting to come around, Choice suffered a broken hand when he was hit by a pitch, and that was the end of the outfielder’s season. He finished with 10 home runs and a .287/.356/.423 slash line in 359 at-bats. The A’s still believe in Choice though and currently plan on having him play center field for Sacramento in 2013 and letting him show what he’s capable of doing at Triple-A.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
#4 A.J. COLE
(61 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2010 – 4th Round
When he was acquired from the Nationals last year in the Gio Gonzalez deal, Cole was considered a highly prized prospect. But the big right-hander got off to a horrific start with High-A Stockton, going 0-7 with a 7.82 ERA in 8 starts, before being demoted to Class-A Burlington. He quickly turned it around in the Midwest League though, striking out 102 in 95 2/3 innings while posting a much more impressive 2.07 ERA. Cole’s rough start may have planted enough seeds of doubt in the minds of the A’s front office though that the team was willing to ship him back to Washington as part of the deal to get their mitts on catcher John Jaso.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Potomac Nationals (A-Washington)
#5 SONNY GRAY
(41 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2011 – 1st Round
Just like Michael Choice, Gray was a former A’s 1st-round draft pick whom the team was expecting big things from at Double-A Midland in 2012. And just like Choice, Gray got off to a bit of a shaky start. But the right-hander looked better as the season wore on and he seemed to gain greater command of his stuff. Gray finished up at Midland with a 4.14 ERA in 26 starts before getting one final start at Sacramento, where he’s expected to begin the season as the A’s top pitching prospect right behind fellow right-hander Dan Straily.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
#6 BRAD PEACOCK
(39 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2006 – 41st Round
Peacock came over from the Nationals last year as one of the three young pitchers the A’s received in the Gio Gonzalez deal. He ended up kicking off the season in Sacramento and was looking like he might be just about ready for the big leagues when he hit a horrible stretch for about a month and a half in the summer. Peacock was getting knocked around badly just about every time out, and the word was that his fastball command had completely deserted him. The right-hander seemed to get it back together again during the last month or so of the season, but he still finished the year with an ERA of 6.01 in 134 2/3 innings. Most of that damage to his ERA occurred during that rough month and a half in the summer, but it obviously was enough to make the A’s a little more comfortable including him in the package of players they shipped to the Astros in the Jed Lowrie trade.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Oklahoma City RedHawks (AAA-Houston)
#7 GRANT GREEN
(32 points / 7 lists)
Right-Handed Hitting Infielder/Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2009 – 1st Round
The fourth 1st-round draft pick to appear on our list, Green was originally selected by the A’s in 2009 as a shortstop but has since been tried at almost every other position on the diamond. Last year, Green started off playing center field before moving over to left. But he spent most of the second half bouncing around the infield, with 19 games at shortstop, 19 games at second base and 11 games at third base. The organization hasn’t felt totally comfortable with Green at any position in the field, but his newfound versatility could aid his chances of eventually making the roster. The southern California native had a bounce-back year at the plate in 2013 after seeing his numbers drop off a bit at Double-A Midland in 2011. Green finished 2012 with 15 home runs and a slash line of .296/.338/.458 in 524 at-bats at Sacramento. And he figures to start 2013 there again, waiting for an opening to finally find his way on to the big league roster.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Sacramento River Cats (AAA)
#8 MILES HEAD
(25 points / 8 lists)
Right-Handed Hitting Third Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2009 – 26th Round
Head was acquired, along with Josh Reddick and minor league pitcher Raul Alcantara, from Boston last year in the deal that sent Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney to the Red Sox. The big third baseman had an unbelievable first half at High-A Stockton, bashing 23 doubles and 18 home runs in just 267 at-bats while posting a truly impressive slash line of .382/.433/.715. The Georgia native spent the second half at Double-A Midland, where he put up a much more mortal .272/.338/.404 slash line in 234 at-bats. Head will likely get the chance to master the Texas League again in 2013. He played all but a handful of games at third base last year, and the team hopes that Head will stick at third, but it’s still quite possible that he could end up at first base before all is said and done.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Midland RockHounds (AA)
#9 (18 points / 7 lists)
Right-Handed Hitting Shortstop/Third Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 19
Drafted 2012 – 1st Round
Robertson was the A’s second overall draft pick last year, right behind fellow shortstop Addison Russell. And like Russell, Robertson got off to a solid start in rookie ball, posting a .297/.405/.554 slash line in 101 at-bats. He was pushed to third base while he and Russell were both on the squad but, once Robertson got to Class-A Vermont, he spent most of his time back at shortstop. Robertson had a little more trouble at the plate in the NY-Penn League though, putting up a .181/.238/.234 slash line and striking out about once every three at-bats. Robertson should start the season there again, where his innate talent will undoubtedly allow the 19-year-old to figure things out over the course of the year and do whatever he needs to do to get ready to advance to the next level.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Vermont Lake Monsters (A)
#10 RENATO NUNEZ
(10 points / 4 lists)
Right-Handed Hitting Third Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 19
Undrafted – Signed as International Free Agent
The A’s invested heavily in Nunez when the team reportedly gave the young Venezuelan slugger $2.2 million to sign back in 2010. And there’s no question that Nunez seems to have a pretty special bat. Last year in rookie ball, he put up a .325/.403/.550 slash line with 18 doubles in 160 at-bats. But in the field, Nunez made 7 errors in just 30 games at third base, botching 1 in every 10 chances at the hot corner. He’ll move up the chain as fast as his bat can carry him, but the A’s will obviously have to figure out how and where to make sense of him in the field.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Vermont Lake Monsters (A)
#11 NOLAN SANBURN
(3 points / 2 lists)
Right-Handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2012 – 2nd Round
The A’s fifth overall draft pick last year, Sanburn was the first pitcher selected by the A’s in the 2012 draft. A hard-throwing right-hander out of the University of Arkansas, Sanburn didn’t sign right away but got off to a good start last year while making it into 7 games with Class-A Vermont. Sanburn posted a 3.86 ERA while maintaining a 3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and the A’s hope that the 21-year-old has what it takes to move up the ladder quickly.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Beloit Snappers (A)
#12 CHRIS BOSTICK
(3 points / 1 list)
Right-Handed Hitting Second Baseman/Shortstop
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2011 – 44th Round
Bostick was hardly high on anyone’s radar when he was drafted in the 44th-round in 2011, but lots of folks seem to think he does a lot of things the right way – and baseball people like that. Bostick spent most of last season playing second base at Class-A Vermont but also spent a little time at shortstop. His .251/.325/.369 slash line wasn’t remarkable, but he was still just 19 last season. And if Bostick keeps playing the game the right way, he’ll continue to be given the chance to go out there and play and see how far his talents will take him.
Likely To Start 2013 With: Beloit Snappers (A)
Last Year’s Consensus Top 10 Prospect List
Baseball America’s Top A’s Prospects
Jonathan Mayo’s Top A’s Prospects
John Sickels’ Top A’s Prospects
Oakland Clubhouse’s Top A’s Prospects
Bleacher Report’s Top A’s Prospects
Bullpen Banter’s Top A’s Prospects
Prospect 361’s Top A’s Prospects
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
A’s Farm’s 2012 Post-Season Organizational All-Star Team!
A’s top prospect Addison Russell
With the 2012 minor league season now complete, it’s a good time to take a step back and determine who the true standouts on the field really were in the A’s system in 2012. And with that in mind, we’re naming A’s Farm’s 2012 Post-Season Organizational All-Star Team!
Below you’ll find the primary starting players at each position for Triple-A Sacramento, Double-A Midland, High-A Stockton, Class-A Burlington, Class-A Short-Season Vermont and the Rookie League Short-Season AZL A’s in 2012. Offensive starters were selected from the players who had the most games played at each position for each team, with notable players not leading in games played at a particular position listed in the designated hitter category. Starting pitchers were selected from hurlers who had at least 100 innings pitched for each club, while closers were selected from each team’s saves leader. The asterisks denote players with combined statistics from multiple minor league teams within the A’s system, and players’ major league statistics were not included.
Below the list of contenders, you’ll find A’s Farm’s selection of Organizational All-Stars at each position. The winners were determined based purely on performance, not potential. Remember, we’re not selecting the top prospects here, we’re choosing the top performers on the field this season. So take a good look at the candidates for yourself and feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and selections!
A’s Farm’s 2012 Post-Season Organizational All-Star Team – The Contenders
CATCHER
Sacto – Derek Norris (9 HR / .271 AVG / .329 OBP / .477 SLG / .806 OPS)
Midland – Ryan Lipkin (4 HR / .193 AVG / .222 OBP / .297 SLG / .519 OPS) *
Stockton – Max Stassi (15 HR / .268 AVG / .331 OBP / .468 SLG / .799 OPS)
Burlington – Nick Rickles (6 HR / .220 AVG / .257 OBP / .328 SLG / .584 OPS)
Vermont – Bruce Maxwell (0 HR / .277 AVG / .356 OBP / .349 SLG / .705 OPS) *
AZL A’s – Phil Pohl (3 HR / .292 AVG / .381 OBP / .450 SLG / .831 OPS) *
FIRST BASE
Sacto – Daric Barton (8 HR / .255 AVG / .411 OBP / .425 SLG / .835 OPS)
Midland – Anthony Aliotti (10 HR / .292 AVG / .385 OBP / .426 SLG / .811 OPS)
Stockton – A.J. Kirby-Jones (21 HR / .248 AVG / .382 OBP / .461 SLG / .843 OPS)
Burlington – Max Muncy (4 HR / .275 AVG / .383 OBP / .432 SLG / .816 OPS)
Vermont – Jacob Tanis (2 HR / .261 AVG / .333 OBP / .336 SLG / .670 OPS)
AZL A’s – Matt Olson (9 HR / .282 AVG / .352 OBP / .521 SLG / .873 OPS) *
SECOND BASE
Sacto – Eric Sogard (5 HR / .331 AVG / .417 OBP / .484 SLG / .901 OPS)
Midland – Tyler Ladendorf (9 HR / .240 AVG / .324 OBP / .358 SLG / .682 OPS)
Stockton – Ryan Pineda (5 HR / .241 AVG / .325 OBP / .367 SLG / .692 OPS) *
Burlington – Chih Fang Pan (2 HR / .243 AVG / .300 OBP / .324 SLG / .625 OPS)
Vermont – Chris Bostick (3 HR / .251 AVG / .325 OBP / .369 SLG / .694 OPS)
AZL A’s – Melvin Mercedes (0 HR / .381 AVG / .440 OBP / .495 SLG / .935 OPS)
SHORTSTOP
Sacto – Brandon Hicks (18 HR / .244 AVG / .350 OBP / .506 SLG / .856 OPS)
Midland – Dusty Coleman (15 HR / .201 AVG / .284 OBP / .363 SLG / .647 OPS)
Stockton – Michael Gilmartin (9 HR / .256 AVG / .339 OBP / .360 SLG / .699 OPS)
Burlington – Sean Jamieson (11 HR / .244 AVG / .354 OBP / .389 SLG / .743 OPS)
Vermont – Wilfredo Solano (1 HR / .217 AVG / .263 OBP / .286 SLG / .549 OPS)
AZL A’s – Addison Russell (7 HR / .369 AVG / .432 OBP / .594 SLG / 1.027 OPS) *
THIRD BASE
Sacto – Stephen Parker (7 HR / .256 AVG / .327 OBP / .390 SLG / .717 OPS)
Midland – Miles Head (23 HR / .333 AVG / .391 OBP / .577 SLG / .968 OPS) *
Stockton – B.A. Vollmuth (14 HR / .261 AVG / .336 OBP / .405 SLG / .741 OPS) *
Burlington – Wade Kirkland (8 HR / .237 AVG / .306 OBP / .398 SLG / .705 OPS)
Vermont – Chad Lewis (3 HR / .219 AVG / .271 OBP / .289 SLG / .559 OPS) *
AZL A’s – Renato Nunez (4 HR / .325 AVG / .403 OBP / .550 SLG / .953 OPS)
LEFT FIELD
Sacto – Grant Green (15 HR / .296 AVG / .338 OBP / .458 SLG / .796 OPS)
Midland – Conner Crumbliss (10 HR / .257 AVG / .414 OBP / .391 SLG / .805 OPS)
Stockton – Josh Whitaker (20 HR / .259 AVG / .325 OBP / .472 SLG / .796 OPS)
Burlington – Royce Consigli (5 HR / .211 AVG / .292 OBP / .336 SLG / .628 OPS)
Vermont – Austin Booker (0 HR / .253 AVG / .337 OBP / .300 SLG / .637 OPS)
AZL A’s – Herschel Powell (0 HR / .306 AVG / .383 OBP / .315 SLG / .698 OPS)
CENTER FIELD
Sacto – Jermaine Mitchell (6 HR / .252 AVG / .345 OBP / .386 SLG / .731 OPS)
Midland – Michael Choice (10 HR / .287 AVG / .356 OBP / .423 SLG / .779 OPS)
Stockton – Chad Oberacker (15 HR / .267 AVG / .336 OBP / .443 SLG / .779 OPS) *
Burlington – Aaron Shipman (0 HR / .206 AVG / .319 OBP / .261 SLG / .580 OPS)
Vermont – Brett Vertigan (1 HR / .266 AVG / .338 OBP / .375 SLG / .713 OPS)
AZL A’s – B.J. Boyd (1 HR / .301 AVG / .401 OBP / .434 SLG / .835 OPS)
RIGHT FIELD
Sacto – Michael Taylor (12 HR / .287 AVG / .405 OBP / .441 SLG / .846 OPS)
Midland – Jeremy Barfield (13 HR / .272 AVG / .322 OBP / .415 SLG / .737 OPS)
Stockton – Dusty Robinson (27 HR / .239 AVG / .310 OBP / .448 SLG / .758 OPS) *
Burlington – Bobby Crocker (6 HR / .268 AVG / .347 OBP / .369 SLG / .716 OPS)
Vermont – John Wooten (4 HR / .276 AVG / .316 OBP / .391 SLG / .706 OPS) *
AZL A’s – Vicmal De La Cruz (3 HR / .230 AVG / .291 OBP / .378 SLG / .668 OPS)
DESIGNATED HITTER
Sacto – Kila Ka’aihue (15 HR / .256 AVG / .367 OBP / .496 SLG / .863 OPS)
Midland – Josh Horton (9 HR / .280 AVG / .349 OBP / .414 SLG / .763 OPS) *
Stockton – Tony Thompson (11 HR / .276 AVG / .344 OBP / .442 SLG / .785 OPS)
Burlington – Douglas Landaeta (10 HR / .244 AVG / .283 OBP / .377 SLG / .660 OPS)
Vermont – Miguel Marte (3 HR / .230 AVG / .275 OBP / .331 SLG / .606 OPS)
AZL A’s – Daniel Robertson (5 HR / .241 AVG / .330 OBP / .400 SLG / .730 OPS) *
STARTING PITCHER
Sacto – Graham Godfrey (104 IP / 98 H / 38 ER / 26 BB / 60 K / 3.29 ERA / 1.19 WHIP)
Midland – Sonny Gray (152 IP / 158 H / 72 ER / 58 BB / 99 K / 4.26 ERA / 1.42 WHIP) *
Stockton – Josh Bowman (151 2/3 IP / 164 H / 62 ER / 35 BB / 130 K / 3.68 ERA / 1.31 WHIP) *
Burlington – Drew Granier (162 2/3 IP / 149 H / 58 ER / 53 BB / 167 K / 3.21 ERA / 1.24 WHIP)
Vermont – Andres Avila (66 IP / 68 H / 28 ER / 16 BB / 60 K / 3.82 ERA / 1.27 WHIP)
AZL A’s – Vince Voiro (37 1/3 IP / 35 H / 15 ER / 8 BB / 41 K / 3.62 ERA / 1.15 WHIP)
CLOSER
Sacto – Evan Scribner (35 2/3 IP / 26 H / 12 ER / 10 BB / 38 K / 3.03 ERA / 1.01 WHIP / 8 SV)
Midland – Jonathan Ortiz (62 1/3 IP / 58 H / 26 ER / 18 BB / 50 K / 3.75 ERA / 1.22 WHIP / 15 SV)
Stockton – Zach Thornton (53 2/3 IP / 57 H / 27 ER / 19 BB / 70 K / 4.53 ERA / 1.42 WHIP / 16 SV)
Burlington – Jonathan Joseph (93 2/3 IP / 93 H / 52 ER / 43 BB / 89 K / 5.00 ERA / 1.45 WHIP / 12 SV) *
Vermont – Austin House (28 1/3 IP / 15 H / 4 ER / 11 BB / 36 K / 1.27 ERA / 0.92 WHIP / 5 SV) *
AZL A’s – Dakota Bacus (30 IP / 12 H / 4 ER / 5 BB / 35 K / 1.20 ERA / 0.57 WHIP / 7 SV)
A’s Farm’s 2012 Post-Season Organizational All-Star Team – The Winners
CATCHER
AZL A’s / Vermont Lake Monsters
(3 HR / .292 AVG / .381 OBP / .450 SLG / .831 OPS) *
FIRST BASE
Sacramento River Cats
(8 HR / .255 AVG / .411 OBP / .425 SLG / .835 OPS)
SECOND BASE
AZL A’s
(0 HR / .381 AVG / .440 OBP / .495 SLG / .935 OPS)
SHORTSTOP
AZL A’s / Vermont Lake Monsters / Burlington Bees
(7 HR / .369 AVG / .432 OBP / .594 SLG / 1.027 OPS) *
THIRD BASE
Midland RockHounds / Stockton Ports
(23 HR / .333 AVG / .391 OBP / .577 SLG / .968 OPS) *
LEFT FIELD
Midland RockHounds
(10 HR / .257 AVG / .414 OBP / .391 SLG / .805 OPS)
CENTER FIELD
AZL A’s
(1 HR / .301 AVG / .401 OBP / .434 SLG / .835 OPS)
RIGHT FIELD
Sacramento River Cats
(12 HR / .287 AVG / .405 OBP / .441 SLG / .846 OPS)
DESIGNATED HITTER
Sacramento River Cats
(15 HR / .256 AVG / .367 OBP / .496 SLG / .863 OPS)
STARTING PITCHER
Burlington Bees
(162 2/3 IP / 149 H / 58 ER / 53 BB / 167 K / 3.21 ERA / 1.24 WHIP)
CLOSER
AZL A’s
(30 IP / 12 H / 4 ER / 5 BB / 35 K / 1.20 ERA / 0.57 WHIP / 7 SV)
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
A’s Top 20 Draft Picks Post-Season Progress Report
Top pick Addison Russell: Keepin’ his eye on the ball!
A few weeks ago, after almost 2 months of play, we offered a little progress report on the A’s top 20 draft picks of 2012. And now with the minor league regular season over, it’s time for a complete season-end recap of the progress of the A’s top 20.
The most improved player over the past few weeks since our last report has been the A’s 8th overall draft pick, first baseman Max Muncy, who has spent the entire season playing at as high a level as any of this year’s picks. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter got his on-base percentage at Class-A Burlington all the way up to .383 in just his first year of pro ball while playing against a lot of guys who already had a year or two under their belts. He was eventually joined at Burlington by the A’s top draft pick of 2012, shortstop Addison Russell, who continued to look solid despite facing a higher level of competition.
The player who took the biggest dip over the past few weeks since our last report has been the A’s 2nd overall draft pick, shortstop Daniel Robertson. After looking impressive in the Arizona League, the 18-year-old struggled after his promotion to Vermont. After hitting almost .300 in the Arizona League, the infielder hit under .200 at Vermont, and he went from striking out once every 7 at-bats to striking out once every 3 at-bats. But the good news is he’s still a teenager just a few months out of high school and, based on what he showed in rookie league ball, he’ll surely adjust with a little more time.
You’ll find the A’s top 20 draft picks of 2012 along with their vital stats through the end of the season listed below. All the teams they’ve played for so far this season are noted, with the team they’ve appeared in the most games for listed first and the team they ended the season with in bold. So without any further ado, the most promising seeds of the A’s 2012 farm crop in all their splendor…
#1
(1st Round – Age 18 – Shortstop – AZL A’s+Vermont+Burlington)
7 HR / 23 BB / 48 K / .369 AVG / .432 OBP / .594 SLG / 1.027 OPS
#2
(1st Round – Age 18 – Shortstop – AZL A’s+Vermont)
5 HR / 23 BB / 46 K / .241 AVG / .330 OBP / .400 SLG / .730 OPS
#3
(1st Round – Age 18 – First Baseman – AZL A’s+Vermont)
9 HR / 19 BB / 50 K / .282 AVG / .352 OBP / .521 SLG / .873 OPS
#4
(2nd Round – Age 21 – Catcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
0 HR / 31 BB / 38 K / .277 AVG / .356 OBP / .349 SLG / .705 OPS
#5
(2nd Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont)
18 2/3 IP / 23 H / 8 ER / 6 BB / 19 K / 3.86 ERA / 1.55 WHIP
#6
Kyle Twomey
(3rd Round – Age 18 – Pitcher)
UNSIGNED
#7
(4th Round – Age 19 – Outfielder – AZL A’s)
1 HR / 23 BB / 36 K / .301 AVG / .401 OBP / .434 SLG / .835 OPS
#8
(5th Round – Age 22 – First Baseman – Burlington)
4 HR / 41 BB / 37 K / .275 AVG / .383 OBP / .432 SLG / .816 OPS
#9
(6th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
37 1/3 IP / 27 H / 11 ER / 18 BB / 48 K / 2.65 ERA / 1.21 WHIP
#10
(7th Round – Age 19 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
21 1/3 IP / 18 H / 11 ER / 29 BB / 9 K / 4.64 ERA / 2.20 WHIP
#11
(8th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
29 1/3 IP / 18 H / 4 ER / 15 BB / 27 K / 1.23 ERA / 1.13 WHIP
#12
(9th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
30 IP / 12 H / 4 ER / 5 BB / 35 K / 1.20 ERA / 0.57 WHIP
#13
(10th Round – Age 22 – Outfielder – Vermont)
1 HR / 24 BB / 31 K / .266 AVG / .338 OBP / .375 SLG / .713 OPS
#14
Alex Gonzalez
(11th Round – Age 18 – Shortstop)
UNSIGNED
#15
John Caputo
(12th Round – Age 18 – Third Baseman)
UNSIGNED
#16
(13th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
33 1/3 IP / 21 H / 9 ER / 9 BB / 40 K / 2.43 ERA / 0.90 WHIP
#17
(14th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+Burlington)
28 1/3 IP / 15 H / 4 ER / 11 BB / 36 K / 1.27 ERA / 0.92 WHIP
#18
(15th Round – Age 22 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
37 1/3 IP / 35 H / 15 ER / 8 BB / 41 K / 3.62 ERA / 1.15 WHIP
#19
(16th Round – Age 20 – Second Baseman – AZL A’s)
0 HR / 10 BB / 15 K / .381 AVG / .440 OBP / .495 SLG / .935 OPS
#20
Tyler Olson
(17th Round – Age 22 – Pitcher)
UNSIGNED
TOP HITTERS
Addison Russell (1st Round – Age 18 – Shortstop – AZL A’s+Vermont+Burlington)
7 HR / 23 BB / 48 K / .369 AVG / .432 OBP / .594 SLG / 1.027 OPS
B.J. Boyd (4th Round – Age 19 – Outfielder – AZL A’s)
1 HR / 23 BB / 36 K / .301 AVG / .401 OBP / .434 SLG / .835 OPS
Matt Olson (1st Round – Age 18 – First Baseman – AZL A’s+Vermont)
9 HR / 19 BB / 50 K / .282 AVG / .352 OBP / .521 SLG / .873 OPS
Max Muncy (5th Round – Age 22 – First Baseman – Burlington)
4 HR / 41 BB / 37 K / .275 AVG / .383 OBP / .432 SLG / .816 OPS
TOP PITCHERS
Dakota Bacus (9th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
30 IP / 12 H / 4 ER / 5 BB / 35 K / 1.20 ERA / 0.57 WHIP
Austin House (14th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+Burlington)
28 1/3 IP / 15 H / 4 ER / 11 BB / 36 K / 1.27 ERA / 0.92 WHIP
Kris Hall (8th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
29 1/3 IP / 18 H / 4 ER / 15 BB / 27 K / 1.23 ERA / 1.13 WHIP
Stuart Pudenz (13th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
33 1/3 IP / 21 H / 9 ER / 9 BB / 40 K / 2.43 ERA / 0.90 WHIP
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
A’s Top 20 Draft Picks Mid-Season Progress Report
#1 pick Addison Russell: Which hand does this thing go on again?
Thanks to the loss of free agent outfielders Josh Willingham and David DeJesus, the A’s had a few more picks than usual in the upper ranks of this June’s amateur draft – 5 of the first 75 picks to be exact. And the team used a number of those picks to target high school players this year, something that’s been uncommon for the organization in the past.
Well, it’s now been about 8 weeks since most of those players began playing for either the A’s short-season rookie-ball Arizona League A’s or the Vermont Lake Monsters of the short-season Class-A NY-Penn League. One of the A’s draftees, 21-year-old first baseman Max Muncy out of Baylor, has actually started out playing for the A’s Class-A affiliate in the Midwest League, the Burlington Bees. And 4 of the A’s top 20 picks went unsigned – the most prominent being promising 3rd-round left-hander Kyle Twomey.
With most of the players who chose to sign having almost 2 months of play under their belts now, it seems like a good time to check in for a little progress report on the new kids down on the farm. And the good news is that most of them have been looking awfully good so far. #1 pick Addison Russell has been hitting for both average and power, #2 pick Daniel Robertson and #7 pick B.J. Boyd have both shown a knack for getting on base consistently and #3 pick Matt Olson has demonstrated the ability to hit for real power, while pitchers like Austin House and Dakota Bacus have shown the ability to strike out more than a batter per inning and keep runners off base.
You’ll find the A’s top 20 draft picks of 2012 along with their vital stats through August 15 listed below. All the teams they’ve played for so far this season are noted, with the team they’ve appeared in the most games for listed first and the team they’re currently with in bold. So without any further ado, we now present the A’s top 20 draft picks, the most promising seeds of our 2012 farm crop, in all their splendor…
#1
(1st Round – Age 18 – Shortstop – AZL A’s+Vermont)
7 HR / 18 BB / 33 K / .388 AVG / .456 OBP / .658 SLG / 1.114 OPS
#2
(1st Round – Age 18 – Third Baseman – AZL A’s+Vermont)
4 HR / 17 BB / 21 K / .292 AVG / .390 OBP / .525 SLG / .915 OPS
#3
(1st Round – Age 18 – First Baseman – AZL A’s)
6 HR / 13 BB / 39 K / .283 AVG / .344 OBP / .536 SLG / .880 OPS
#4
(2nd Round – Age 21 – Catcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
0 HR / 24 BB / 27 K / .311 AVG / .396 OBP / .401 SLG / .797 OPS
#5
(2nd Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont)
8 IP / 5 H / 2 ER / 2 BB / 8 K / 2.25 ERA / 0.88 WHIP
#6
Kyle Twomey
(3rd Round – Age 18 – Pitcher)
UNSIGNED
#7
(4th Round – Age 19 – Outfielder – AZL A’s)
1 HR / 19 BB / 31 K / .298 AVG / .393 OBP / .430 SLG / .823 OPS
#8
(5th Round – Age 21 – First Baseman – Burlington)
4 HR / 23 BB / 25 K / .251 AVG / .344 OBP / .407 SLG / .751 OPS
#9
(6th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
23 2/3 IP / 16 H / 9 ER / 11 BB / 32 K / 3.42 ERA / 1.14 WHIP
#10
(7th Round – Age 19 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
16 IP / 14 H / 5 ER / 21 BB / 7 K / 2.81 ERA / 2.19 WHIP
#11
(8th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
27 IP / 15 H / 3 ER / 13 BB / 26 K / 1.00 ERA / 1.04 WHIP
#12
(9th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
23 2/3 IP / 12 H / 4 ER / 4 BB / 24 K / 1.52 ERA / 0.68 WHIP
#13
(10th Round – Age 21 – Outfielder – Vermont)
0 HR / 20 BB / 21 K / .243 AVG / .326 OBP / .320 SLG / .646 OPS
#14
Alex Gonzalez
(11th Round – Age 18 – Shortstop)
UNSIGNED
#15
John Caputo
(12th Round – Age 18 – Third Baseman)
UNSIGNED
#16
(13th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
22 2/3 IP / 15 H / 8 ER / 6 BB / 26 K / 3.18 ERA / 0.93 WHIP
#17
(14th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont)
22 2/3 IP / 12 H / 3 ER / 8 BB / 29 K / 1.19 ERA / 0.88 WHIP
#18
(15th Round – Age 22 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
31 1/3 IP / 30 H / 13 ER / 8 BB / 34 K / 3.73 ERA / 1.21 WHIP
#19
(16th Round – Age 20 – Second Baseman – AZL A’s)
0 HR / 7 BB / 6 K / .371 AVG / .443 OBP / .484 SLG / .927 OPS
#20
Tyler Olson
(17th Round – Age 22 – Pitcher)
UNSIGNED
TOP HITTERS
Addison Russell (1st Round – Age 18 – Shortstop – AZL A’s+Vermont)
7 HR / 18 BB / 33 K / .388 AVG / .456 OBP / .658 SLG / 1.114 OPS
Daniel Robertson (1st Round – Age 18 – Third Baseman – AZL A’s+Vermont)
4 HR / 17 BB / 21 K / .292 AVG / .390 OBP / .525 SLG / .915 OPS
Matt Olson (1st Round – Age 18 – First Baseman – AZL A’s)
6 HR / 13 BB / 39 K / .283 AVG / .344 OBP / .536 SLG / .880 OPS
B.J. Boyd (4th Round – Age 19 – Outfielder – AZL A’s)
1 HR / 19 BB / 31 K / .298 AVG / .393 OBP / .430 SLG / .823 OPS
TOP PITCHERS
Kris Hall (8th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont+AZL A’s)
27 IP / 15 H / 3 ER / 13 BB / 26 K / 1.00 ERA / 1.04 WHIP
Austin House (14th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont)
22 2/3 IP / 12 H / 3 ER / 8 BB / 29 K / 1.19 ERA / 0.88 WHIP
Dakota Bacus (9th Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – AZL A’s)
23 2/3 IP / 12 H / 4 ER / 4 BB / 24 K / 1.52 ERA / 0.68 WHIP
Nolan Sanburn (2nd Round – Age 21 – Pitcher – Vermont)
8 IP / 5 H / 2 ER / 2 BB / 8 K / 2.25 ERA / 0.88 WHIP
Be sure to like A’s Farm’s page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @AthleticsFarm to keep up with all the news down on the farm!
A’s Farm’s Mid-Season Organizational All-Star Team!
Raley Field – Home of the Sacramento River Cats
With the California League and the Midwest League both in the midst of their All-Star breaks and minor league teams right around the halfway points of their seasons, it seems like the perfect time to take a step back and determine who the true standouts in the A’s system have been in the first half of 2012. And with that in mind, we’ve decided to name A’s Farm’s Organizational All-Star Team!
Below you’ll find the starting players at each position for Triple-A Sacramento, Double-A Midland, High-A Stockton, and Class-A Burlington. Offensive starters were determined based on games played at each position, with notable players not leading in games played at a particular position listed in the designated hitter category. Starting pitchers for each club were determined based purely on performance while closers were selected from each team’s saves leader. The asterisks denote the four players with combined statistics from two teams, Stockton and Burlington. And players currently on the major league roster were not included.
Below the list of contenders, you’ll find A’s Farm’s selection of Organizational All-Stars at each position. The winners were determined purely on performance, not potential. Remember, we’re not selecting the top prospects here, we’re choosing the top performers on the field so far this season. Take a good look at the candidates for yourself and feel free to chime in with your own thoughts and selections. Is it true that numbers don’t lie? You tell me!
A’s Farm’s Organizational All-Star Team – The Contenders
CATCHER
Sacto – Derek Norris (8 HR / .273 AVG / .331 OBP / .474 SLG / .804 OPS)
Midland – Ryan Ortiz (2 HR / .168 AVG / .300 OBP / .272 SLG / .572 OPS)
Stockton – Max Stassi (5 HR / .272 AVG / .323 OBP / .442 SLG / .766 OPS)
Burlington – Nick Rickles (4 HR / .229 AVG / .277 OBP / .349 SLG / .626 OPS)
FIRST BASE
Sacto – Chris Carter (11 HR / .275 AVG / .358 OBP / .488 SLG / .846 OPS)
Midland – Anthony Aliotti (5 HR / .291 AVG / .401 OBP / .417 SLG / .818 OPS)
Stockton – A.J. Kirby-Jones (13 HR / .297 AVG / .414 OBP / .543 SLG / .957 OPS)
Burlington – Douglas Landaeta (7 HR / .245 AVG / .293 OBP / .403 SLG / .696 OPS)
SECOND BASE
Sacto – Brandon Hicks (11 HR / .266 AVG / .364 OBP / .524 SLG / .888 OPS)
Midland – Tyler Ladendorf (4 HR / .298 AVG / .378 OBP / .440 SLG / .819 OPS)
Stockton – Nick Leyja (2 HR / .211 AVG / .278 OBP / .304 SLG / .583 OPS)
Burlington – Chih Fang Pan (2 HR / .280 AVG / .338 OBP / .383 SLG / .721 OPS)
SHORTSTOP
Sacto – Adam Rosales (3 HR / .282 AVG / .320 OBP / .451 SLG / .771 OPS)
Midland – Dusty Coleman (6 HR / .210 AVG / .273 OBP / .324 SLG / .597 OPS)
Stockton – Michael Gilmartin (2 HR / .202 AVG / .281 OBP / .271 SLG / .552 OPS)
Burlington – Sean Jamieson (4 HR / .246 AVG / .371 OBP / .366 SLG / .737 OPS)
THIRD BASE
Sacto – Stephen Parker (4 HR / .258 AVG / .338 OBP / .390 SLG / .728 OPS)
Midland – Josh Horton (6 HR / .251 AVG / .338 OBP / .416 SLG / .754 OPS)
Stockton – Miles Head (18 HR / .382 AVG / .433 OBP / .715 SLG / 1.149 OPS)
Burlington – B.A. Vollmuth (7 HR / .260 AVG / .334 OBP / .412 SLG / .747 OPS)
LEFT FIELD
Sacto – Grant Green (8 HR / .297 AVG / .341 OBP / .461 SLG / .802 OPS)
Midland – Conner Crumbliss (4 HR / .269 AVG / .408 OBP / .395 SLG / .803 OPS)
Stockton – Chad Oberacker (7 HR / .304 AVG / .372 OBP / .483 SLG / .856 OPS) *
Burlington – Royce Consigli (5 HR / .250 AVG / .342 OBP / .444 SLG / .786 OPS)
CENTER FIELD
Sacto – Jermaine Mitchell (3 HR / .224 AVG / .338 OBP / .357 SLG / .695 OPS)
Midland – Michael Choice (6 HR / .260 AVG / .334 OBP / .372 SLG / .706 OPS)
Stockton – Myrio Richard (0 HR / .249 AVG / .297 OBP / .324 SLG / .621 OPS)
Burlington – Aaron Shipman (0 HR / .217 AVG / .323 OBP / .265 SLG / .588 OPS)
RIGHT FIELD
Sacto – Michael Taylor (4 HR / .316 AVG / .421 OBP / .460 SLG / .881 OPS)
Midland – Jeremy Barfield (7 HR / .291 AVG / .338 OBP / .439 SLG / .777 OPS)
Stockton – Josh Whitaker (7 HR / .263 AVG / .336 OBP / .404 SLG / .739 OPS)
Burlington – Bobby Crocker (5 HR / .274 AVG / .355 OBP / .423 SLG / .778 OPS)
DESIGNATED HITTER
Sacto – Wes Timmons (2 HR / .222 AVG / .333 OBP / .303 SLG / .636 OPS)
Midland – Shane Peterson (2 HR / .285 AVG / .449 OBP / .437 SLG / .886 OPS)
Stockton – Dusty Robinson (16 HR / .252 AVG / .346 OBP / .520 SLG / .867 OPS) *
Burlington – Eliezer Mesa (2 HR / .271 AVG / .286 OBP / .378 SLG / .664 OPS) *
STARTING PITCHER
Sacto – Graham Godfrey (59 1/3 IP / 50 H / 8 ER / 10 BB / 43 K / 1.21 ERA / 1.01 WHIP)
Midland – Daniel Straily (85 1/3 IP / 70 H / 32 ER / 23 BB / 108 K / 3.38 ERA / 1.09 WHIP)
Stockton – Sean Murphy (82 1/3 IP / 57 H / 21 ER / 22 BB / 86 K / 2.30 ERA / 0.96 WHIP) *
Burlington – Drew Granier (83 1/3 IP / 82 H / 28 ER / 25 BB / 76 K / 3.02 ERA / 1.28 WHIP)
CLOSER
Sacto – Evan Scribner (33 2/3 IP / 24 H / 12 ER / 9 BB / 36 K / 3.21 ERA / 0.98 WHIP / 7 SV)
Midland – Jonathan Ortiz (27 1/3 IP / 24 H / 12 ER / 11 BB / 22 K / 3.95 ERA / 1.28 WHIP / 9 SV)
Stockton – Zach Thornton (26 1/3 IP / 29 H / 14 ER / 6 BB / 37 K / 4.78 ERA / 1.33 WHIP / 6 SV)
Burlington – Drew Tyson (25 2/3 IP / 28 H / 11 ER / 8 BB / 12 K / 3.86 ERA / 1.40 WHIP / 4 SV)
A’s Farm’s Organizational All-Star Team – The Winners
CATCHER
Sacramento River Cats
(8 HR / .273 AVG / .331 OBP / .474 SLG / .804 OPS)
FIRST BASE
Stockton Ports
(13 HR / .297 AVG / .414 OBP / .543 SLG / .957 OPS)
SECOND BASE
Sacramento River Cats
(11 HR / .266 AVG / .364 OBP / .524 SLG / .888 OPS)
SHORTSTOP
Sacramento River Cats
(3 HR / .282 AVG / .320 OBP / .451 SLG / .771 OPS)
THIRD BASE
Stockton Ports
(18 HR / .382 AVG / .433 OBP / .715 SLG / 1.149 OPS)
LEFT FIELD
Stockton Ports
(7 HR / .304 AVG / .372 OBP / .483 SLG / .856 OPS) *
CENTER FIELD
Midland RockHounds
(6 HR / .260 AVG / .334 OBP / .372 SLG / .706 OPS)
RIGHT FIELD
Sacramento River Cats
(4 HR / .316 AVG / .421 OBP / .460 SLG / .881 OPS)
DESIGNATED HITTER
Midland RockHounds
(2 HR / .285 AVG / .449 OBP / .437 SLG / .886 OPS)
STARTING PITCHER
Sacramento River Cats
(59 1/3 IP / 50 H / 8 ER / 10 BB / 43 K / 1.21 ERA / 1.01 WHIP)
CLOSER
Sacramento River Cats
(33 2/3 IP / 24 H / 12 ER / 9 BB / 36 K / 3.21 ERA / 0.98 WHIP / 7 SV)
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A’s Farm’s Consensus Top 10 Prospect List for 2012
Former top prospect Jemile Weeks - who will be the next to make it big? (photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
It seems like there’s a new top prospect list popping up from someone everyday for A’s fans to chew over and debate. There are usually certain similarities amongst them that you can count on, like Jarrod Parker and Michael Choice being somewhere in the top tier. Each of them usually has its own particular peculiarities though, like slotting someone in the top 10 whom no one else even bothers to mention.
So it occurred to me to take a look at a sampling of credible top prospect lists and construct a consensus top ten prospect list for the A’s. I’ve chosen to include half a dozen lists from sources that seem credible to me, including Jonathan Mayo/MLB.com, Baseball America, Oakland Clubhouse/Scout.com, John Sickels, Baseball Prospectus, and Top Prospect Alert. All of them have been updated in the last month to include all the prospects acquired in the deals with the Diamondbacks, Nationals and Red Sox.
For the purposes of this list, I’ve looked at the top ten picks from each list and assigned points to each player as follows: 10 points for each first place finish, 9 points for second, 8 for third, all the way on down to 1 point for each tenth place finish.
You’ll notice that half of the consensus top ten prospects are pitchers, including four of the top five prospects. Half the list is also made up of new players acquired in the deals with the Diamondbacks, Nationals and Red Sox, showing just how much these deals served to rejuvenate the A’s minor league system.
Interestingly enough, all four of the prospects acquired in the Gio Gonzalez deal with the Nationals made the consensus top ten, showing that no matter how reluctant some A’s fans were to accept life without Gio, his trade could really end up forming the basis of a highly effective A’s starting rotation for many years to come.
Since some of these players also appeared in a recent “new prospects” roundup on this blog earlier in the week, some of these player profiles might seem a little familiar to you. But hey, you might as well start getting familiar with these guys ‘cause, with any luck, you’ll be looking at them for a long time to come! So without any further ado, let’s take a look at the A’s consensus top ten prospect list…
#1 Jarrod Parker (photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(58 points / 6 lists)
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2007 – 1st Round
Arizona’s first-round draft pick in 2007, Parker missed all of the 2010 season due to Tommy John surgery, but came back in 2011 to post a 3.79 ERA with 112 strikeouts in 130 2/3 innings at Double-A Mobile. Acquired in the Trevor Cahill trade, the 23-year-old clearly has the stuff to eventually end up as a top-of-the-rotation starter for the A’s, but he could still benefit from a little more seasoning. There’s no need for the team to rush him, but it’d be a surprise if Parker didn’t lay claim to his spot in the A’s rotation by 2013.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Sacramento Rivercats
#2 Michael Choice (photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(46 points / 6 lists)
Right-handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 22
Drafted 2010 – 1st Round
The A’s first-round draft pick in 2010, Choice has done little to disappoint since his signing. The 22-year-old hit 30 homers and posted a .285/.376/.542 slash line while playing center field for Class-A Stockton last year. His 134 strikeouts provide the only potential cause for concern. But he’s worked to shorten his swing and, as the best pure power hitter in the organization, the slugging outfielder should be able to quickly move up through an A’s system that’s not currently clogged with power-hitting outfielders.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Midland Rockhounds
#3 Brad Peacock (photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)
#3 BRAD PEACOCK
(45 points / 6 lists)
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2006 – 41st Round
The lowest draft pick on the A’s consensus top ten prospect list, Peacock was selected straight out of high school by the Nationals in the 41st round in 2006. But he’s definitely found a way to turn heads, posting a stellar 2.39 ERA and striking out 177 in 146 2/3 innings between Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg in 2011. Any pitcher who manages to go from the 41st round to the top three prospects of any organization obviously has a pretty good idea what he’s doing out there on the mound, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Peacock in the A’s rotation before the 2012 season is through.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Sacramento Rivercats
#4 A.J. Cole
#4 A.J. COLE
(42 points / 6 lists)
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2010 – 4th Round
Another high-school draft pick, the lanky, 6’4” Cole appears to be all arms and legs. But his right arm seems to have the power mesmerize mortal men, striking out batters at a rate of 10.9 per 9 innings over his short minor league career. Acquired from the Nationals in the Gio Gonzalez trade, the Florida native could turn out to be the gem of the deal. Like most 20-year-old pitching prospects, Cole still has a few things to work on. But at his young age, he’s got plenty of upside and plenty of time to maximize it.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Stockton Ports
#5 Sonny Gray (photo by Michael Zagaris/Getty Images)
#5 SONNY GRAY
(37 points / 5 lists)
Right-handed Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 22
Drafted 2011 – 1st Round
The A’s first-round draft pick in 2011, Gray has already managed to log 5 starts at Double-A Midland, giving up just 1 run in 20 innings while striking out 18. The 5’11” right-hander has been compared to Tim Hudson in that while he’s not all that physically impressive, his confident, gritty and fearless attitude sets him apart from the competition. With a good fastball and curve, it shouldn’t take long for the tough 22-year-old to fight his way into the A’s starting rotation.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Midland Rockhounds
#6 Grant Green
#6 GRANT GREEN
(34 points / 6 lists)
Right-handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2009 – 1st Round
The fourth first-round draft pick on the A’s consensus top ten prospect list, Green was selected by the A’s in 2009 as a shortstop but has since been moved to the outfield. Midway through the 2011 season, Green took over in center field for Double-A Midland, where he turned in a .291/.343/.408 slash line. But his home run numbers dipped from 20 at Class-A Stockton in the 2010 season down to just 9 last year. His plate discipline has been an issue too, as he’s struck out three times as often as he’s walked in his minor league career. Still, he hits the ball hard and Green could earn a shot in the A’s outfield before long.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Sacramento Rivercats
#7 Derek Norris (photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
#7 DEREK NORRIS
(27 points / 6 lists)
Right-handed Hitting Catcher
Age On Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2007 – 4th Round
The only hitter the A’s picked up in the Gio Gonzalez deal with the Nationals, Norris certainly fits the A’s mold in that he’s a power hitter who has a propensity for drawing walks. His career minor league OBP of .403 no doubt got the A’s attention. But while he slugged 20 home runs at Double-A Harrisburg last season, he managed to hit only .210. If he can just keep his average above the Mendoza line, Norris could serve to bridge the gap between Kurt Suzuki and young catching prospect Max Stassi.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Midland Rockhounds
#8 Chris Carter
#8 CHRIS CARTER
(16 points / 5 lists)
Right-handed Hitting First Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2005 – 15th Round
Acquired in the Dan Haren deal with the Diamondbacks, it was originally hoped that the slugging first baseman would be anchoring the heart of the A’s lineup by now. He’s put up big power numbers in the minors, clubbing 31 home runs at Triple-A Sacramento in 2010 and posting a career minor league slugging percentage of .540. Carter could finally have a legitimate shot at showing what he can do in the majors at either first base or designated hitter for the A’s in 2012.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Oakland A’s
#9 Tom Milone (photo by Ed Wolfstein/Icon SMI)
#9 TOM MILONE
(6 points / 3 lists)
Left-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2008 – 10th Round
The oldest and most experienced pitcher on the A’s consensus top ten prospect list, Milone is probably the most ready to step into the A’s major league rotation in 2012. The left-hander was acquired in the Gio Gonzalez deal with the Nationals after he posted a 3.22 ERA in 148 1/3 innings while walking a paltry 16 batters at Triple-A Syracuse last season. Milone won’t blow anyone away with his stuff, but he’s a smart lefty who knows how to make the most of what he’s got, and he should get a shot to show the A’s what he can do in 2012.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Oakland A’s
#10 Michael Taylor (photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
#10 MICHAEL TAYLOR
(4 points / 2 lists)
Right-handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 26
Drafted 2007 – 5th Round
Along with Carter, Taylor had lots of expectations thrust upon him as soon as the A’s managed to pry him away from Philadelphia. And while the 6’5” outfielder put up stellar numbers in the Phillies system, his progress has stagnated a bit since coming to the A’s. But Taylor does still have a .296/.371/.476 career minor league slash line along with some good tools. At 26 though, 2012 may be his last real opportunity to show the A’s just what’s he’s capable of.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Sacramento Rivercats
Honorable Mentions: Collin Cowgill (OF) 3 pts. / Jermaine Mitchell (OF) 3 pts. / Yordy Cabrera (SS) 3 pts. / Aaron Shipman (OF) 2 pts. / Renato Nunez (3B) 1 pt. / Ian Krol (SP) 1 pt. / Raul Alcantara (SP) 1 pt. / B.A. Vollmuth (3B) 1 pt.
Looking at this list, if the A’s are able to move into a new stadium in 2015, the team could be looking at an extremely talented starting rotation consisting of Jarrod Parker, Brad Peacock, Tom Milone, Sonny Gray and A.J. Cole, along with a promising outfield made up of Grant Green in left, Michael Choice in right and either Josh Reddick or Collin Cowgill in center. And if things go according to plan, that seems like a pretty good plan to me!
A’S CONSENSUS TOP 10 PROSPECT LIST
#1 – Jarrod Parker (SP) – 58 points / 6 lists
#2 – Michael Choice (OF) – 46 points / 6 lists
#3 – Brad Peacock (SP) – 45 points / 6 lists
#4 – A.J. Cole (SP) – 42 points / 6 lists
#5 – Sonny Gray (SP) – 37 points / 5 lists
#6 – Grant Green (OF) – 34 points / 6 lists
#7 – Derek Norris (C) – 27 points / 6 lists
#8 – Chris Carter (1B) – 16 points / 5 lists
#9 – Tom Milone (SP) – 6 points / 3 lists
#10 – Michael Taylor (OF) – 4 points / 2 lists
Jonathan Mayo’s Top A’s Prospects
Baseball America’s Top A’s Prospects
Oakland Clubhouse’s Top A’s Prospects
John Sickels’ Top A’s Prospects
Baseball Prospectus’ Top A’s Prospects
Top Prospect Alert’s Top A’s Prospects
The Kids Are Alright! – The Low-Down On The A’s Hot New Prospects
As every A’s fan who doesn’t spend the winter hibernating already knows, the A’s acquired a major haul of young prospects in this off-season’s deals that sent away popular players Gio Gonzalez, Trevor Cahill, Andrew Bailey and Ryan Sweeney. In return, the A’s restocked their organization with six young pitchers and four young hitters, not a one over the age of 25.
But who are these talented youngsters that the A’s are pinning their future hopes and dreams on, and where will they end up in the coming year? Well, wonder no more! Without any further ado, let’s meet this year’s freshly-minted Athletics…
Crafty lefty Tom Milone (photo by Ed Wolfstein/Icon SMI)
Left-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2008 – 10th Round
The oldest and most experienced of the A’s young pitching acquisitions, Milone had a 3.22 ERA in 24 starts at Triple-A Syracuse and a 3.81 ERA in 5 major league starts for the Nationals in 2011. A master of control, the California native walked a paltry 16 batters in his 148 1/3 Triple-A innings last year. At this point, he’s probably the most ready to step into the A’s major league rotation. The talented Mr. Milone is certainly not going to blow anyone away with his stuff, but he’s a smart lefty who knows how to pitch. And how many guys have had a very long career with that kind of profile? Paging Mr. Jamie Moyer, please pick up the crafty lefty courtesy phone!
Likely To Start 2012 With: Oakland A’s
Strikeout machine Brad Peacock (photo by Christopher Pasatieri/Getty Images)
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2006 – 41st Round
Of all the young hurlers the A’s acquired who pitched above Single-A last year, Peacock had the lowest ERA and the best strikeout rate of them all, turning in a stellar 2.39 ERA and striking out 177 in 146 2/3 innings between Triple-A Syracuse and Double-A Harrisburg last year. He earned a late-season call-up with the Nationals and gave up only 1 run in 12 innings of major league action. The lowest draft pick of the bunch, the Florida native seems to be another smart pitcher who’s figured out how to put it all together. And it’d be surprising if he didn’t get a chance to be pitching in the majors before the season’s through.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Sacramento Rivercats
Future star Jarrod Parker (photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2007 – 1st Round
Probably the most talented of all the A’s young pitching acquisitions, Parker was a first-round draft pick in 2007 who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009 and ended up missing all of the 2010 season. He returned to Double-A Mobile in 2011 and turned in a 3.79 ERA in 26 starts, striking out 112 in 130 2/3 innings. After earning a late-season call-up with the Diamondbacks, he gave up no runs in his only major league start. Parker should eventually end up as a top-of-the-rotation pitcher for the A’s, but he could probably benefit from a little more seasoning. And if the A’s are going to treat any of their new young pitching prospects with kid gloves, it’ll probably be Parker.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Sacramento Rivercats
Young stud A.J. Cole
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2010 – 4th Round
Along with Parker, Cole is considered one of the best raw pitching talents in the A’s off-season prospect haul. At 6’4”, the young right-hander appears to be all arms and legs. But his right arm seems to have the ability to mesmerize mortal men, striking out batters at a rate of 10.9 per 9 innings over his short minor league career. Like most 20-year-old pitching prospects, he needs to work on developing his secondary pitches. But the lanky right-hander has tremendous potential and, at his young age, plenty of time to achieve it.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Stockton Ports
International man of mystery Raul Alcantara
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 19
Signed As International Free Agent
The youngest of all the A’s new pitching prospects, the team was reportedly willing to include Ryan Sweeney in the Andrew Bailey deal in order to get their mitts on this talented youngster, who checks in at just 19 (let’s hope his Dominican birth certificate checks out!). Alcantara’s shown impeccable control for his age, walking just 20 batters in 125 2/3 minor league innings. Like Cole, he needs to work on his secondary pitches. But he’s another hurler with tremendous upside and plenty of time to get where he needs to go.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Burlington Bees
Man in the middle Ryan Cook (photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Right-handed Relief Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2008 – 27th Round
The only reliever the A’s grabbed in their off-season prospect haul, Cook turned in a nifty 2.21 ERA while striking out 62 batters in 61 innings between Triple-A Reno and Double-A Mobile last season. The Fresno-area native struggled a bit in his brief audition in the Diamondbacks bullpen last year, giving up 6 runs in his 12 appearances. But Cook did manage to strike out 7 major league batters over 7 2/3 innings. He throws hard and could ultimately prove to be an effective set up man behind future A’s closer Fautino De Los Santos.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Oakland A’s
Hustler Josh Reddick (photo by Kelly O'Connor/SittingStill.net)
Left-handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2006 – 17th Round
The key piece of the Bailey deal with Boston, Reddick compiled a .280 batting average while playing in 87 games for the Red Sox last year, primarily as a right fielder. Reddick has shown good power in the minors, clubbing 14 homers in just 191 at bats at Triple-A Pawtucket last season. And he did manage to hit 18 doubles in a part-time role with the Sox last year, so he could be counted on to chalk up a few more two-baggers in the slightly more spacious Coliseum. He does tend to strike out a lot more than he walks though. The Georgia native has been characterized as a gritty, go-go, Eric Byrnes type of player, as well as a colorful character – and he does seem to be slightly fond of crazy hair! Reddick will be given the first shot at spending the 2012 season as the A’s primary right fielder, so he should get a chance to win over the A’s faithful and show the A’s brass just what he’s capable of.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Oakland A’s
Over-achiever Collin Cowgill (photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Right-handed Hitting Outfielder
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2008 – 5th Round
A speedy right-handed hitting outfielder who throws with his left hand? Could it be the second coming of Rickey? Probably not. But Cowgill could end up finding a spot in the A’s outfield this season, even if it’s just as the A’s fifth outfielder. The team has had their eye on Cowgill for quite a while, attempting to draft him and trying to trade for him once before. He hits for average, steals bases and has shown surprising pop for his 5’9” / 185 lb. stature. Cowgill hit .354, stole 30 bases and hit 13 home runs for Triple-A Reno last season. And the good news is his numbers have improved each of the last few years as he has moved up the ladder from South Bend to Visalia to Mobile to Reno, his OPS rising from .705 to .819 to .825 to .984 last year at Triple-A. He got 100 at bats in the Diamondbacks outfield last season, turning in a .239 batting average in his time with Arizona. Cowgill should get a chance to come to the plate more often for the A’s in 2012, most likely serving as the fifth outfielder and getting some starts in right field behind Josh Reddick.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Oakland A’s
Walk machine Derek Norris (photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Right-handed Hitting Catcher
Age On Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2007 – 4th Round
Norris certainly fits the A’s mold in that he’s a power hitter who has a propensity for drawing walks. He has a career minor league OBP of .403, which no doubt got the A’s attention. But while he clubbed 20 home runs at Double-A Harrisburg last season, he managed to hit only .210. The previous year in the Single-A Carolina League, he hit just .235. In each of the last two seasons though, Norris managed to chalk up more walks than hits, so he’s found his way on base one way or another. Expect him to try to improve on his batting average at Double-A Midland this year. If Norris can just keep his power numbers up and manage to get on base enough, he could serve to bridge the gap between current A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki and the A’s even younger catching prospect, Max Stassi.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Midland Rockhounds
Young slugger Miles Head (photo by John Sullivan/Daily News)
Right-handed Hitting Third Baseman/First Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2009 – 26th Round
Head is a talented, but still very young, hitter whom the A’s decided to target in the Bailey trade with Boston. Last year while playing in Single-A, he opened eyes by hitting .299 with 37 doubles and 22 HRs to go along with an .887 OPS. Originally drafted as a third baseman, he’s spent most of his time in the Red Sox system playing first base, but the A’s are planning to return him to third. Some are skeptical about the 6-foot / 215-pounder’s ability to stick at third, but it can’t hurt to give it the ol’ college try! Just 20, Head’s still a few years away from making an impact at the major league level, but if he continues to hit, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be able to move up through the A’s system pretty quickly regardless of his ultimate position.
Likely To Start 2012 With: Stockton Ports
