jl666200cJesus Luzardo (LHP)

(8/18) Since being acquired from Washington last summer along with closer Blake Treinen and minor league infielder Sheldon Neuse in the Ryan Madson/Sean Doolittle deal, Luzardo has quickly climbed to the top of the A’s prospect list. The young lefty was just beginning to make his way back from Tommy John surgery at the time of the deal and only threw a total of 43 1/3 frames in the low minors last year. The A’s have been cautious with the 20-year-old this season, placing an innings limit on him that’s had him throwing just five innings in most of his starts. After allowing just two runs and striking out 25 over his first three starts for Stockton this season, Luzardo was promoted from the Ports to Double-A Midland, where he compiled an ERA of 2.29 while striking out 9.8/9 over 16 starts. Then, in the first week of August, the southpaw was promoted to Triple-A Nashville, where he finally faced more challenging competition. Luzardo threw five scoreless frames to earn the win in his first start for Nashville, but he allowed four runs in just 3 1/3 innings in his second start for the Sounds. He then gave up one run and struck out six over 4 2/3 frames in his third start, but he suffered his worst outing of the season, surrendering 8 runs in just 3 innings of work in his last start for the Sounds. The lefty throws a two-seam and a four-seam fastball, a changeup and a curve. He commands them all fairly well and exhibits a maturity beyond his years on the mound. Luzardo’s likely to pick up where he left off in Triple-A next season and, if all goes as expected, he should be getting the chance to show what he can do for Oakland by sometime next summer.

 

pd670161Parker Dunshee (RHP)

(8/18) Since being taken by the A’s in the 7th round of last year’s draft, Dunshee has done nothing but impress, compiling a 2.05 ERA in 36 games since joining the A’s system. The righty made a great first impression when he failed to allow a run in 38 1/3 frames for Vermont last season. Dunshee started this season with Stockton, where he notched 82 strikeouts in 70 innings of work while posting a 2.70 ERA for the Ports. The 23-year-old has been even better since his promotion to Double-A Midland in June, putting up an ERA of 2.20 while issuing just 13 walks over his first 73 2/3 innings for the RockHounds. Dunshee currently leads all A’s minor leaguers with 157 strikeouts this season, and he’s consistently demonstrated excellent control, compiling a 5.4/1 K/BB ratio over his minor league career. Equally impressive, he’s allowed just 13 home runs over 184 minor league innings. Dunshee has the ability to really command his fastball, has a solid breaking ball and isn’t at all afraid to throw strikes. He should join Luzardo in next year’s Triple-A rotation, where he’ll be just one step away from showing what he can do for the A’s.

 

bh641709Brian Howard (RHP)

(8/18) Selected just after Dunshee with the A’s 8th-round pick in last year’s draft, Howard and Dunshee have formed an impressive tandem as they’ve quickly made their way through the A’s system. The 6-foot-9 righty compiled a 1.15 ERA in 31 1/3 frames for Vermont in his debut season last year. He then got off to a great start this season with Stockton, striking out 77 and walking just 14 over 72 innings of work while posting an impressive 2.38 ERA in the hitter-friendly California League. In June, the 23-year-old was promoted to Double-A Midland, where he’s notched 52 strikeouts in his first 55 1/3 frames while putting up a 3.74 ERA for the RockHounds. Like Dunshee, Howard has consistently demonstrated excellent control, compiling a 4.6/1 K/BB ratio while averaging a strikeout per inning over his minor league career. And also like Dunshee, he has the ability to command his fastball, has solid breaking stuff and isn’t afraid to throw strikes. Look for Howard to join Luzardo and Dunshee in next year’s Triple-A rotation, where the trio will form the next crop of promising pitching prospects poised to pitch their way into the big league rotation, most likely sooner rather than later.

 

ap640462dA.J. Puk (LHP)

(3/18) Oakland’s top pick in 2016, the 6’7″ southpaw was selected by the A’s with the sixth overall pick in that year’s amateur draft. It’s always been clear that Puk possesses top-of the-rotation potential, but there had been some concern about the lanky lefty’s mechanics, since it’s often a tough task for tall hurlers to learn to repeat their motion, which is key to developing consistent command. But his first full season in pro ball went a long way towards allaying any potential concerns. In 2017, Puk led all A’s minor leaguers with 184 strikeouts while compiling a reasonable walk rate of 3.5 BB/9 and limiting opposing batters to just 3 home runs over 125 innings of work for High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland. His fastball touches the high-90s and pairs nicely with an effective slider to help him baffle batters. Puk has been one of the A’s most impressive pitchers in the early going this spring, and it’s likely that he’ll wind up as the ace of the A’s staff at some point in the future. It’s possible that Puk could be capable of holding his own in the major leagues right now, but there’s no need to rush him. He’s yet to throw a pitch above the Double-A level and appears set to start the season with Triple-A Nashville, where he’ll have the chance to fine tune his command and work on developing the consistency that he’ll need to be able to dominate at the major league level.

 

gh656550Grant Holmes (RHP)

(3/18) Acquired from the Dodgers in the Josh Reddick/Rich Hill deal in 2016, Holmes was a highly-regarded high school pitcher whom the Dodgers made their 1st-round pick back in 2014. He got off to a good start in the Dodgers system, compiling a 3.32 ERA and averaging 10.4 K/9 over his first two seasons in the minors. As one of the youngest pitchers in the Double-A Texas League last season, Holmes averaged 9.1 K/9, and his 150 strikeouts last year were second only to A.J. Puk among A’s minor leaguers. The South Carolina native got off to a bit of a bumpy start in 2017 though, putting up an ERA of 5.45 in the first half before settling in and posting a 3.72 ERA in the second half. Holmes is a big, strong kid with lots of upside who thrives off a sinking fastball that touches the mid-90s and pairs nicely with an effective curveball to keep hitters off balance. His command isn’t always as sharp or consistent as it could be though, and gaining greater mastery of his pitches will be Holmes’ biggest challenge as he takes on Triple-A hitters at Nashville this season.

 

jk621076James Kaprielian (RHP)

(3/18) Acquired from the Yankees last summer in the Sonny Gray deal, Kaprielian was a highly-coveted college pitcher whom the Yankees made their 1st-round pick in 2015. He’s one of two hurlers on this year’s list to have undergone Tommy John surgery, and he also happens to be the oldest prospect on our list this year. But thanks to injury, the 24-year-old has only thrown 56 1/3 innings since joining pro ball, including a stint in the Arizona Fall League in 2016. Kaprielian underwent Tommy John surgery last spring and is still making his way back. Before being sidelined though, the southern California native boasted an impressive array of pitches, which included a fastball that could touch the high-90s as well as a solid curveball, slider and changeup. And with his repertoire, if he can return to form, Kaprielian has the potential to be a fast riser. But at this point, he and the A’s are just focused on getting him back to full health. Once he is ready to pitch though, it’s anybody’s guess where Kaprielian will make his debut in the A’s system, but it seems reasonable to guess that he might make his first appearance in the Arizona League this June under the watchful eyes of the A’s minor league staff.