by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
Now that spring training has officially gotten underway, it’s time to present A’s Farm’s 2019 Top 10 Prospects List.
Unfortunately, with Kyler Murray’s decision to forego America’s pastime and pursue his fortunes on the football field, Mr. Murray has officially removed himself from consideration for this year’s prospects list. And after lots of new additions to last year’s list, it’s worth noting that eight players from last year’s list have made a return to this year’s list.
Infielder Franklin Barreto and outfielder Dustin Fowler, who both graced last year’s prospects list, each ended up spending some significant time with the A’s last season. And replacing them on this year’s list are outfielder Jameson Hannah and pitcher Parker Dunshee. Lefty Jesus Luzardo and catcher Sean Murphy made the most significant moves up the list this year, while shortstop Jorge Mateo took the deepest dive down.
This year’s list is evenly split between five pitchers and five position players. Six of this year’s top prospects began their careers with the A’s, while four were acquired in deals with other organizations. And four players on this year’s list are former 1st-round draft picks, while three on the list have undergone Tommy John surgery.
None of these talented players has yet had the chance to make his major league debut, and it’ll be interesting to see which of them will end up getting the opportunity to spend some time with the A’s before the 2019 season is through. So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at A’s Farm’s 2019 Top 10 Prospects List…
A’S FARM’S 2019 TOP 10 PROSPECTS LIST
#1 – Jesus Luzardo (LHP)
#2 – A.J. Puk (LHP)
#3 – Sean Murphy (C)
#4 – Lazaro Armenteros (OF)
#5 – Austin Beck (OF)
#6 – Jorge Mateo (SS)
#7 – Jameson Hannah (OF)
#8 – Grant Holmes (RHP)
#9 – James Kaprielian (RHP)
#10 – Parker Dunshee (RHP)
Left-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2016 – 3rd Round
Not only is Luzardo the top pitcher on this year’s prospects list but, for the second straight year, he’s the youngest hurler to make our list. Luzardo is also one of three pitchers in this year’s top 10 to have undergone Tommy John surgery before making it to the majors. The teenager had the procedure in his senior year of high school in 2016, but that didn’t stop Washington from making him their 3rd-round pick in the 2016 draft. The Nationals ended up dealing the young lefty to the A’s in the summer of 2017, along with infield prospect Sheldon Neuse and All-Star closer Blake Treinen, in return for relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson in what’s looking like a real steal for the A’s. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline both rank Luzardo as the top left-handed pitching prospect in the game. What makes him so good? Well, his fastball touches the high-90s, he has an excellent changeup that can really fool batters, and he has a solid curveball as well. But what really sets him apart is his poise and maturity on the mound. He never seems to get rattled. Luzardo himself recently told me, “People tell me I look cool and calm, but deep inside, I’m a very competitive person.” The southpaw also possesses outstanding control and impressive command of all his pitches. And over the course of last season, he walked just 30 batters in his 23 starts. In his first year of full-season ball in 2018, Luzardo blew threw three levels – dominating at High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland before making four starts at Triple-A late in the season. The A’s starting rotation isn’t looking overpowering heading into the season, so Luzardo is expected to compete for a rotation spot this spring. But with the recent signings of free agent starters Marco Estrada and Brett Anderson, it looks like the A’s may be looking to buy Luzardo some time to gain a little more experience at the Triple-A level. About the talented young lefty, A’s manager Bob Melvin recently told me, “You look at the stuff and you’d say he’s probably ready right now. But we’re the custodians of his career too, so we want to make sure…we don’t throw too much at him.” It’s quite likely though that, after a couple of months spent honing his skills in Las Vegas, Luzardo should be more than ready to make his major league debut in the A’s rotation by this summer. And once he settles in and adjusts to the big leagues, Luzardo should be a dominant force atop the A’s rotation for years to come. When asked about the scintillating southpaw, A’s analyst Dallas Braden recently said, “There’s a confidence about him. And we’re gonna watch that coal turn into a diamond right before our very eyes.”
Likely To Start 2019 With: Las Vegas Aviators (AAA)
#2 A.J. PUK
Left-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2016 – 1st Round
Despite undergoing Tommy John surgery last spring, the A’s top pick from the 2016 draft is still ranked by Baseball America as the second-best left-handed pitching prospect in the game, right behind Jesus Luzardo. The 23-year-old last pitched in 2017, which was his first full season in pro ball. While splitting time between High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland, the 6’7” southpaw was a strikeout machine. The lanky lefty led all A’s minor leaguers with 184 strikeouts while averaging 13.2 K/9 and limiting opposing batters to just three home runs over 125 innings of work. Puk’s fastball has been clocked as high as 99 mph, and he also flashes a wicked slider. After his surgery last spring, Puk began working out five days a week at the A’s training complex in Arizona, and he finally had the opportunity to throw off the mound again in training camp this February. Puk is expected to be limited to throwing bullpen sessions this spring. And if everything goes as planned, he should be ready to return to competitive action once the Arizona League gets underway in June, under the watchful eyes of the A’s development staff. But once Puk proves that he’s healthy in Arizona, then it’s likely that he’ll be shipped out to Stockton, where the A’s training staff can keep a close eye on him. His health and performance will determine where he goes from there, but the A’s will be careful, seeing no reason to rush their prized prospect. Though many are eager to see Puk make his major league debut in 2019, it’s important to remember that he’s yet to throw a pitch above the Double-A level and it will take some time for him to get his groove back after not pitching for over a year. With that in mind, it’s probably more likely that Puk makes his major league debut sometime during the 2020 season, when he could represent one-third of an all-lefty big three, including fellow southpaws Jesus Luzardo and Sean Manaea, that could give the A’s a dominant starting rotation for years to come.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Arizona League A’s (Rookie)
#3 SEAN MURPHY
Right-Handed-Hitting Catcher
Age on Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2016 – 3rd Round
The A’s were fortunate to be able to grab Murphy in the 3rd round of the 2016 draft. The backstop has always been known for his strong defensive work behind the plate and, as A’s catching instructor Marcus Jensen recently told me, “He’s got an electric arm – it’s a cannon!” Last year, Murphy missed a little more than a month and a half of the season due to a broken hamate bone, but he still managed to make impressive offensive strides at the plate. Murphy put up a slugging percentage of .498 and an on-base percentage of .358 in 68 games for Double-A Midland before making into three games at Triple-A Nashville in September. The A’s haven’t invested much in their major league catching corps this year, knowing that Murphy is on the way. Oakland heads into the season with Nick Hundley, Chris Herrmann and Josh Phegley as its top-line catchers, and it looks like the team is hoping that, after a few months in the minors, Murphy may be ready to take over the starting catching job at the major league level sometime in the second half of the season. And with Murphy’s solid plate discipline, his power potential and his impressive defense behind the dish, the A’s could be able to count on having a potential All-Star behind the plate for many years.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Las Vegas Aviators (AAA)
#4 Right-Handed-Hitting Outfielder
Age on Opening Day: 19
Signed as International Free Agent
The A’s signed the toolsy Cuban teenager for a reported $3 million bonus in the summer of 2016. Armenteros impressed scouts with his bat speed as well as a potent combo of speed and power potential. He’s also shown a surprising ability to draw a decent number of walks, which has allowed him to maintain an impressive on-base percentage. Unfortunately, Armenteros does tend to rack up plenty of strikeouts as well. And while his speed allows him to cover ground in the outfield, his rather weak arm will probably limit him to duty in left field. After making his U.S. debut in the Arizona League in 2017, last season, Lazaro began play in May once the weather in Beloit heated up a bit. He missed most of June with a quad injury, but the talented teen ended up leading Beloit with a .374 on-base percentage and a .774 OPS. Armenteros is still just 19 and is still learning some of the finer points of the game, but he’s performed fairly well at very young age. If he can just manage to cut down on the strikeouts, there’s no reason he shouldn’t have enough speed, power, on-base ability and bat speed to be a productive major league player. And Armenteros should get the chance to see what he can do as one of the youngest players in the California League in 2019.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Stockton Ports (A+)
#5 AUSTIN BECK
Right-Handed-Hitting Outfielder
Age on Opening Day: 20
Drafted 2017 – 1st Round
The A’s top draft pick in 2017, Beck wowed A’s brass in a pre-draft workout at the Coliseum, and scouts were uniformly impressed by his speed, his power potential, his strong arm and his solid defensive abilities while also raving about his bat speed. Beck got off a bit of a rough start in his pro debut in the Arizona League in 2017, where he struggled with contact issues while facing more talented pitching than he’d been accustomed to in high school. Last year, the A’s sent the North Carolina native to Beloit to begin the season in the chilly climes of the Midwest League. Beck’s bat started out a little cold in April and May, but he worked on improving his stance and his swing and ended up batting .341 in August and September. And when the season finally came to a close, Beck wound up boasting Beloit’s best batting average at .296 while also leading the league with 146 hits. Beck could still stand to boost his walk rate, as he worked just 30 free passes in 534 plate appearances last season. It was also a bit surprising to see a prospect whose power potential was his calling card hit just two home runs over the course of a full season last year. But A’s scouting director Eric Kubota told me last summer, “We have no concern about Austin’s power potential.” He added, “We’re really happy with where Austin is in his development. He’s gone to a very, very notoriously bad hitter’s league and performed at a high level. For him to do that is a testament to his hitting ability, and everything he’s done has just kind of validated what we believed about him.” On the defensive side of things, Beck has played exclusively in center field and has demonstrated his ability to stick there, although his strong arm could also make him an option in right. And Beck should have a great opportunity to finally tap his power potential when he joins Stockton in the hitter-friendly California League in 2019.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Stockton Ports (A+)
#6 JORGE MATEO
Right-Handed-Hitting Shortstop
Age on Opening Day: 23
Signed as International Free Agent
Acquired from the Yankees in the Sonny Gray deal in the summer of 2017, Mateo quickly made a positive impression upon joining the A’s organization, slashing .292/.333/.518 while swiping 13 bases in just 30 games for Double-A Midland. The A’s felt confident enough in Mateo’s talents to send him to Triple-A Nashville for the 2018 season, but he struggled mightily in his first taste of Triple-A. Mateo put up a rather uninspiring slash line of .230/.280/.353 while striking out 139 times and drawing just 29 walks for the Sounds, though he did lead the team with 16 triples and 25 stolen bases. His blazing speed is clearly his most eye-popping tool, but he also possesses a strong arm and good range that should enable him to stick at short, though he’s also seen some time at second base and in center field. If Mateo can just manage to be a little less of a free swinger and learn to exercise a little discipline at the plate so that he can take a few more walks and get on base, then he’ll be able to put his speed to work for him a lot more effectively. The good news is that Mateo himself recognizes this. He recently told me, “I have to focus more…I have to get better at everything I do.” He then added, “I’m looking forward to showing what I can do in spring training.” Focus and consistency will be key if Mateo is to make the most his tools and realize his true potential in his second season at Triple-A in 2019.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Las Vegas Aviators (AAA)
#7 Left-Handed-Hitting Outfielder
Age on Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2018 – 2nd Round
With last year’s top pick Kyler Murray seemingly out of the picture, Hannah is the only selection from last year’s draft to make this year’s list. The 2nd-round pick is a speedy contact hitter who can cover a lot of ground in center field. Hannah is primarily known for his smooth swing and his solid plate discipline, but he also showed his speed by successfully swiping 28 bases in 30 attempts in his college career. In 2018, the Texas native led his college team in both doubles and triples while notching just as many walks as strikeouts with 35 of each. Although he doesn’t appear to have much real home run power, Hannah does have good power to the gaps, and his efficient swing should enable him to hit for a high average. His speed not only makes him an effective base stealer but also allows him to get a good break on balls in the field. A stint on the DL limited Hannah to just 23 games with Vermont in his pro debut last summer, but he hit .279, posted a .347 on-base percentage and managed to swipe six bases in six attempts for the Lake Monsters. A’s scouting director Eric Kubota extolled Hannah’s hitting abilities in an interview with A’s Farm last summer: “We think Jameson’s just a natural-born hitter. He’s just got those hitter’s hands, and his approach is advanced. This is a kid we think can just flat-out hit.” And the 21-year-old should have the chance to show what he can do in the hitter-friendly California League in 2019.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Stockton Ports (A+)
#8 GRANT HOLMES
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2014 – 1st Round
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. The South Carolina native is a big, strong hurler who has a sinking fastball that touches the mid-90s and pairs nicely with an effective curveball to keep hitters off balance. As one of the youngest pitchers in the Double-A Texas League at Midland in 2017, Holmes averaged 9.1 K/9, and his 150 strikeouts were second only to A.J. Puk among A’s minor leaguers that season. He was set to join the Triple-A rotation at Nashville last year, but a sore shoulder sidelined him for most of the season. A couple of platelet-rich plasma injections eventually helped Holmes get back on the mound to make a few late-season appearances for Stockton last year. He was set to make up for lost time by playing in the Arizona Fall League, but that pesky shoulder started to act up again and the organization once again decided to shut him down. The big righty has begun throwing again, but the A’s are planning to be careful with him. Holmes recently told me that he believes he’ll be limited to four or five innings each time out for the first month or two of the season until it’s entirely clear that his shoulder is sound again. He could start out at Triple-A Las Vegas but, considering the team’s caution with him and the possible innings limitation early on, it seems more likely that the organization may choose to start him off slowly at Stockton, where he ended the season and where the A’s training staff can keep a little closer eye on him, before sending him any further up the ladder.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Stockton Ports (A+)
#9 Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2015 – 1st Round
Acquired from the Yankees 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 three hurlers on this year’s list to have undergone Tommy John surgery, and he also happens to be the oldest prospect on our list for the second straight year. After working his way back from Tommy John, Kaprielian was expected to return to action last summer, but a sore shoulder sidelined him once again. He made a brief appearance on the mound at the end of instructs last fall, but Kaprielian missed all of the 2017 and 2018 seasons and hasn’t pitched competitively since a stint in the Arizona Fall League in 2016. Besides that, the righty has only thrown 29 1/3 innings in the minors in his pro career, topping out with three starts at High-A Tampa in 2016. So, given his lack of action, what merits making Kaprielian a top prospect pick at this point? Well, before the injury bug bit, 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, all of which graded as above average. So, if he can just manage to get healthy and stay healthy, then the talented Mr. Kaprielian could eventually be a big piece in the A’s pitching puzzle. Unfortunately, a lat injury delayed Kaprielian’s start this spring, but hopefully he’ll be ready to go when the season begins. And, if so, he’s likely to start the year with High-A Stockton, where the A’s training staff can keep an eye on him as he returns to competitive action for the first time in two and a half years.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Stockton Ports (A+)
#10 PARKER DUNSHEE
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2017 – 7th Round
Dunshee is the only American-born player on this year’s list to be selected after the third round. But ever since he was drafted, he’s been one of the top-performing starters in the A’s system. Dunshee got off to a solid start by throwing 38 1/3 scoreless innings for Vermont in 2017, and he picked up right where he left off in 2018. Dunshee dominated at both High-A Stockton and Double-A Midland and ended up leading all A’s minor league starters with a 2.33 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP while also leading the system in strikeouts with 163 over 150 2/3 innings of work in 2018. He boasts a career ERA of 1.98 over 191 minor league innings while also averaging 9.9 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9. Dunshee isn’t overpowering, but he has good control, solid command of his pitches, throws strikes, changes speeds well and just seems to know how to pitch. It’s a mix that has led to plenty of success in his first couple of seasons in pro ball. And the righty should get the opportunity to see if he can keep his success going at Triple-A Las Vegas in 2019.
Likely To Start 2019 With: Las Vegas Aviators (AAA)
Last Year’s Top 10 Prospects List
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