by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
June 27, 2022
Now that we’re about halfway through the minor league season, it’s a good time to take a look at some of the A’s organizational statistical leaders. It’s one thing to put up solid numbers that appear impressive in the abstract, but it’s another thing to actually outpace all your peers. So, it’s worth taking a quick look at who’s been performing well above the competition this season.
All stats listed are through games of Sunday, June 26. A minimum of 125 at-bats are required for hitters to qualify, and a minimum of 50 innings pitched are required for pitchers to qualify.
OF Las Vegas Aviators
OPS (.998), SLG (.585), Triples (4)
Picked up by the A’s in the minor league portion of the Rule-5 draft in the offseason, Fernandez has been one of the most surprising performers in the system and has also been one of the most productive hitters for Las Vegas this season. The 26-year-old Livermore native is sporting the best slugging percentage (.585) and OPS (.998) among all A’s minor leaguers, boasts the second-best on-base percentage (.413), and is tied for the organizational lead in triples (4) with Las Vegas outfielder Luis Barrera.
OF-2B Max Schuemann
Midland RockHounds
OBP (.459), AVG (.333), Runs (52), SB (18), HBP (16)
Schuemann clearly has been one of the best hitters in the A’s system this season. The A’s 20th-round draft pick in 2018 boasts the best on-base percentage (.459) and batting average (.333) among all A’s minor leaguers while also sporting the second-best OPS (.970). Las Vegas infielder Vimael Machin’s .321 batting average is second-best in the system. Schuemann leads the organization in runs (52) and stolen bases (18) and has only been caught stealing 4 times. Lansing outfielder Denzel Clarke’s 17 stolen bases are second-most in the system. Schuemann has also shown a propensity for getting plunked. The 25-year-old has already been hit by a pitch 16 times, which is twice as often as any other player in the system. Schuemann also has the second-most hits (73) and walks (38) among all A’s minor leaguers.
1B Jordan Diaz
Midland RockHounds
Doubles (23), Extra-Base Hits (35), Total Bases (130)
Diaz has been one of the most productive hitters in the A’s system this season. The 21-year-old Colombian infielder leads all A’s minor leaguers in doubles (23), extra-base hits (35) and total bases (130). His .537 slugging percentage is second-best in the system, and his 12 home runs are second only to Las Vegas catcher Shea Langeliers’ and Stockton shortstop Max Muncy’s 13. Las Vegas infielder Vimael Machin boasts the second-most total bases (115), and Machin and Lansing outfielder Denzel Clarke are tied for the second-most doubles (16) among all A’s minor leaguers.
SS Max Muncy
Stockton Ports
HR (13), Walks (43)
Last year’s top draft pick for the A’s has gotten off to as good a start this season as one could hope. The 19-year-old infielder leads the organization with 43 walks, and his 13 home runs are tied with Las Vegas catcher Shea Langeliers for most among A’s minor leaguers. Muncy has also collected 13 doubles, and his 27 extra-base hits are tied for the second-most in the system with Lansing outfielder Denzel Clarke. His 87 strikeouts are also tied for the second-most in the system, but his .363 on-base percentage and .461 slugging percentage have made him a productive hitter for Stockton this season.
C Las Vegas Aviators
HR (13)
Acquired from Atlanta in the Matt Olson trade, Langeliers has been one of the Aviators’ best hitters this season. His 13 home runs tie him with Stockton shortstop Max Muncy for most among A’s minor leaguers. The former 1st-round draft pick, who’s always been known for his defensive prowess behind the plate, leads Las Vegas with 43 runs, while his 32 walks tie him for the team lead with infielder Vimael Machin, and his 62 hits and 34 RBIs are both second-most on the squad.
LHP Jared Koenig
Las Vegas Aviators
ERA (2.21), WHIP (1.02)
Prior to his promotion to Oakland, Koenig clearly was having the best season of any A’s minor league pitcher. His 2.21 ERA and 1.02 WHIP were both bests among all A’s minor leaguers, as were his 6.6 H/9 and his 0.7 HR/9, which says an awful lot for someone pitching in Las Vegas. Koenig’s struggles at the big-league level have landed him back in Las Vegas, so we’ll see if he can pick up where he left off. Meanwhile, Midland RHP Jeff Criswell’s 3.60 ERA is second-best among all A’s minor league hurlers.
RHP Blake Beers
Lansing Lugnuts/Stockton Ports
Strikeouts (80)
Beers has been one of the biggest surprises among A’s minor league pitching prospects this season. Last year’s 19th-round draft pick for Oakland leads all A’s minor leaguers with 80 strikeouts, while his 1.18 WHIP, his 10.5 K/9 and his 4.44 K/BB ratio are all second-best in the system. The 23-year-old compiled a 4.08 ERA in 39 2/3 innings for Stockton, but has put up an even better 3.10 ERA in 29 innings for Lansing. Meanwhile, Las Vegas RHP Adrian Martinez has notched the second-most strikeouts (73) among all A’s minor leaguer pitchers.
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