Results tagged ‘ Starting pitcher ’
Preview: Cole, Krol, Head & Stassi to Star for Stockton in 2012
Banner Island Ballpark in Stockton
The opening day roster for the A’s Class-A affiliate in the California League, the Stockton Ports, was announced on Monday. The most intriguing prospects playing for the Ports this season will include left-handed pitching prospect Ian Krol, right-handed flame-thrower A.J. Cole, acquired from the Nationals in the Gio Gonzalez deal, catching prospect Max Stassi, and slugging third baseman Miles Head, acquired from the Red Sox in the Andrew Bailey trade.
Other notable players on the Ports’ roster this season include right-handed pitching prospect Blake Hassebrock, who posted an impressive 2.64 ERA at Class-A Burlington last year, and former first-round draft pick Sean Doolittle, who’s attempting to convert to pitching after suffering a string of injuries while serving as a first baseman and outfielder.
You’ll find the Stockton Ports’ complete roster, along with profiles of some of the teams’ top players, below.
A.J. Cole
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2010 – 4th Round
A top high school draft pick in 2010, 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. Just 20 years old, Cole has plenty of upside and will be working to make the most of it at Stockton in 2012.
Ian Krol
Left-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2009 – 7th Round
A coveted high school pitching prospect, Krol really opened some eyes in 2010 when he posted a 2.80 ERA while walking only 28 batters between Class-A Kane County and Stockton. Between injuries and a suspension due to inappropriate tweeting, 2011 ended up being a complete washout for Krol. But he’s now set to rebound at Stockton, where he finished off his impressive 2010 campaign.
Blake Hassebrock
Right-handed Starting Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 22
Drafted 2010 – 8th Round
An eighth-round draft pick out the University of North Carolina in 2010, Hassebrock was named a Midwest League All-Star in his first full year of pro ball. He posted an impressive 2.64 ERA while striking out 110 batters in 139 2/3 innings for Class-A Burlington, and the organization has high hopes of Hassebrock replicating his 2011 performance at Stockton in 2012.
Sean Doolittle
Left-handed Pitcher
Age On Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2007 – 1st Round
Originally drafted by the A’s as a first baseman in the first round of the 2007 draft, injuries have limited his mobility and kept him completely off the field for the past two seasons, but he’s now looking to make his mark on the mound as a hard-throwing lefty. Doolittle was a successful college pitcher, so the pitcher’s mound isn’t completely new to him. And after throwing well in spring training, he’s looking to take the next step this season at Stockton.
Miles Head
Right-handed Hitting Third Baseman
Age On Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2009 – 26th Round
Head is a talented young hitter whom the A’s targeted in the Bailey trade with Boston. Last year while playing in Class-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. And if he continues to hit at Stockton, there’s no reason Head shouldn’t be able to move up through the A’s system pretty quickly.
Max Stassi
Right-handed Hitting Catcher
Age On Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2009 – 4th Round
A top high school catching prospect, Stassi was viewed as an eventual replacement for Kurt Suzuki as soon as he was drafted by the A’s. Injuries have slowed his progress though and, since being drafted in June of 2009, Stassi’s accumulated fewer than 600 at bats in the A’s system. But the native northern Californian will have every chance to show what he can do both at the plate and behind the plate for Stockton in 2012.
-STOCKTON PORTS 2012 ROSTER-
PITCHERS
Josh Bowman
Jacob Brown
A.J. Cole
Sean Doolittle
Jose Guzman
Blake Hassebrock
Connor Hoehn
Ian Krol
ArnoldLeon
Nate Long
Zack Thornton
Blake Treinen
T.J. Walz
CATCHERS
Petey Paramore
Max Stassi
INFIELDERS
Michael Gilmartin
Miles Head
A.J. Kirby-Jones
Nino Leyja
Ryan Pineda
Tony Thompson
OUTFIELDERS
Rashun Dixon
Eliezer Mesa
Myrio Richard
Josh Whitaker
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
