A’s Farm Report: Top-Performing Hitting Prospects

by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
June 13, 2022

 

LAS VEGAS AVIATORS (AAA)

Record: 34-25

Team OPS: .775 / Team ERA: 5.23

Jonah Bride has been the best hitter in the A’s minor league system through the first couple of months of the season. The 26-year-old began the season with Double-A Midland, putting up a 1.005 OPS in 73 at-bats for the RockHounds, before being promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas, where he’s posted an even better OPS of 1.049 in 51 at-bats for the Aviators. And The Athletic reports that Bride, who primarily played third base in his career before recently beginning to log some time behind the plate as a backstop, is set to be rewarded with a promotion to Oakland this week. Catcher Shea Langeliers, acquired from Atlanta in the Matt Olson trade, has really opened some eyes at Las Vegas this season. The Braves’ former 1^st-round draft pick has always been known for his solid work behind the plate, but he currently leads the Aviators with 11 home runs while also sporting a slugging percentage of .500. A lesser-known name, outfielder Vince Fernandez, has been one of the Aviators’ best hitters this season. The 26-year-old, who was acquired in the minor league portion of the Rule-5 draft in the offseason, has put up a .297/.403/.542 slash line in 118 at-bats while primarily playing right field for Las Vegas. And Billy McKinney has been performing much better at Triple-A than he did for the A’s before his demotion. The A’s former 1^st-round pick has compiled an OPS of an even 1.000 through 65 at-bats while starting a number of games in center field for Las Vegas.

 

MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS (AA)

Record: 26-31

Team OPS: .808 / Team ERA: 5.76

With Jonah Bride’s promotion, 25-year-old Max Schuemann remains as the RockHounds’ best hitter this season. The 25-year-old, who’s primarily played center field and second base this season, boasts the best on-base percentage (.449) among all A’s minor leaguers with at least 100 at-bats while also notching the most hits (65), walks (33), runs (48) and stolen bases (16) in the system. Third baseman Brett Harris, who was recently promoted from High-A Lansing, has been a revelation this season. Last year’s 7^th-round draft pick for the A’s put up a .993 OPS in 102 at-bats for the Lugnuts before being promoted to Midland, where he’s posted an OPS of .874 in 55 at-bats for the RockHounds. Last year’s 2^nd-round draft pick for the A’s, Zack Gelof, who’s split time between second and third base this season, wasted no time in showing that he could handle the bat at the higher levels, compiling the third-best batting average (.316) in the system among hitters with at least 100-at bats before being sidelined with a shoulder injury in late May. Meanwhile, Jordan Diaz, who’s moved over to first base from the hot corner this season, has continued to demonstrate his power potential for Midland. The 21-year-old Colombian basher boasts the second-best slugging percentage (.550) among A’s minor leaguers with at least 100-at bats while also leading the system with 21 doubles, 30 extra-base hits and 110 total bases. And catcher Kyle McCann has made big improvements at the plate in his second season with Midland. The A’s 4^th-round draft pick in 2019 is currently sporting an OPS of .826 in 141 at-bats for the RockHounds.

 

LANSING LUGNUTS (A+)

Record: 22-35

Team OPS: .698 / Team ERA: 5.16

With the exception of Brett Harris, who was recently promoted to the RockHounds, there haven’t been an awful lot of top-notch hitting stars in Lansing this season. 23-year-old Cuban outfielder Lazaro Armenteros has been showing some pop and is boasting the best slugging percentage (.494) and OPS (.876) among all current Lugnuts while also posting a .382 on-base percentage and hitting 7 home runs and drawing 21 walks in 33 games for Lansing. 23-year-old Brazilian outfielder Gabriel Maciel, who was picked up in the minor league portion of the Rule-5 draft, leads current Lugnuts hitters with a .324 batting average and a .410 on-base percentage. Former 1^st-round pick Tyler Soderstrom, who’s been splitting time between catcher and first base this season, leads the squad in home runs (11), doubles (11) and RBIs (36) while also sporting the second-best slugging percentage (.448) among current Lugnuts. 21-year-old Lawrence Butler, who’s primarily been starting in right field this season, leads the Lugnuts with 27 walks and 31 runs and is second on the team in hits, doubles, RBIs and stolen bases. Former 1^st-round pick Austin Beck’s 8 home runs are second only to Soderstrom’s on the squad, while catcher Jared McDonald has been a solid contributor for Lansing this season and is currently slashing .295/.340/.442 for the Lugnuts.

 

STOCKTON PORTS (A)

Record: 21-36

Team OPS: .691 / Team ERA: 5.69

Last year’s 4^th-round draft pick for the A’s, outfielder Denzel Clarke, has proven to be one of the best all-around hitters in the A’s system so far this season. The 22-year-old has done it all for Stockton. He boasts the team’s best batting average (.295), on-base percentage (.420) and slugging percentage (.545) while also leading the squad in both doubles (14) and stolen bases (14), and his .965 OPS is second-best among all A’s minor leaguers with at least 100 at-bats. Last year’s top pick for the A’s, shortstop Max Muncy, has performed extremely well with his first full-season squad. The 19-year-old leads the team in hits (47), home runs (11), extra-base hits (25) and walks (32), and his 40 RBIs are tops among all A’s minor leaguers. Dominican outfielder Kevin Richards has also been among Stockton’s top offensive contributors this season. The 22-year-old’s .292 batting average and .494 slugging percentage are both second-best on the squad. Meanwhile, catchers CJ Rodriguez and Shane McGuire have both done a good job of getting on base for the Ports. The 21-year-old Rodriguez has posted an on-base percentage of .385 through 38 games, while the 23-year-old McGuire has put up a .407 on-base percentage in 20 games for the Ports.

(Top Photo: Jonah Bride / Tim Fischer/Midland Reporter-Telegram)

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