by Bill Moriarity / A’s Farm Editor
March 15, 2024
Now that spring training is well underway and the season is nigh, it’s time to present A’s Farm’s 2024 Top 10 Prospects List.
This year’s list includes six position players and four pitchers, and three of them – Jacob Wilson, Max Muncy and Daniel Susac – are former 1st-round picks. Seven of this year’s top prospects began their careers with the A’s, while three – Darell Hernaiz, Joe Boyle and Joey Estes – were acquired in deals with other organizations.
Four prospects from last year’s list – Mason Miller, Denzel Clarke, Max Muncy and Daniel Susac – are appearing on our list for the second straight year, while six players from last year’s list – Tyler Soderstrom, Zack Gelof, Ken Waldichuk, Kyle Muller, Esteury Ruiz and Jordan Diaz – received enough big league playing time last season to graduate from prospect eligibility this year.
Three players on our list – pitchers Mason Miller, Joe Boyle and Joey Estes – have officially maintained their prospect status despite having had the opportunity to make their big league debuts for the A’s last year. And it’ll be interesting to see which other prospects might end up getting the opportunity to break on through to the big leagues in 2024. So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at A’s Farm’s 2024 Top 10 Prospects List…
A’S FARM’S 2024 TOP 10 PROSPECTS LIST
#1 – Mason Miller (RHP)
#2 – Denzel Clarke (OF)
#3 – Jacob Wilson (SS)
#4 – Max Muncy (SS)
#5 – Darell Hernaiz (SS)
#6 – Daniel Susac (C)
#7 – Luis Morales (RHP)
#8 – Joe Boyle (RHP)
#9 – Joey Estes (RHP)
#10 – Brett Harris (3B)
Honorable Mentions: Henry Bolte (OF), Myles Naylor (IF), Steven Echavarria (RHP), Jack Perkins (RHP), Royber Salinas (RHP)
#1 MASON MILLER
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2021 – 3rd Round
The A’s 3rd-round draft pick in 2021 tops our list this year after ranking number five last year. Miller’s enormous talent and unlimited potential are clear almost any time he takes the mound. Unfortunately, due to injuries, since being drafted in 2021, Miller has managed to throw fewer than 90 innings in his pro career between the minors and the majors. When he has taken the mound though, he’s looked absolutely electric. With a 100+ mph fastball and a solid slider, Miller averaged 15.8 K/9 in his minor league career and 10.3 K/9 in 33 1/3 innings for Oakland last season. The A’s plan to have Miller pitch out of the bullpen this year, where he should be a potent presence and could possibly become quite an effective closer if given the chance. If he can manage to stay healthy, it’s also possible that the big righty could end up getting a shot at being a starter again at some point. But given his injury history, Miller may be best-suited to making his mark as a potentially dominant closer.
#2 Right-Handed-Hitting Outfielder
Age on Opening Day: 23
Drafted 2021 – 4th Round
Oakland’s 4th-round draft pick in 2021 has been considered to be one of the toolsiest prospects in the A’s system ever since he was drafted. In his first full season of pro ball in 2022, the 6-foot-5 outfielder showed plenty of power and speed by notching the second-most stolen bases and the fourth-most extra hits among all A’s minor leaguers. And last season at Double-A Midland, he got off to a great start by slashing .261/.381/.496 in 234 at-bats before a shoulder injury ended his season in July. Clarke ended up having shoulder surgery. But despite missing a good portion of the season, Clarke’s 12 home runs were the second-most for Midland, and his 11 stolen bases were the third-most on the team, while he put up the best slugging percentage among all RockHounds with at least 200 at-bats last season. On defense, Clarke has shown a strong arm, and his speed allows him to play center field, where he has made the vast majority of his starts. And if he can come back strong from his shoulder surgery, he could end up in the A’s outfield before long. Clarke is ranked as the top hitter on this year’s list because he clearly has the greatest offensive upside of any of the A’s top hitting prospects.
#3 JACOB WILSON
Right-Handed-Hitting Shortstop
Age on Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2023 – 1st Round
The sixth overall pick in last year’s draft, the A’s decided to make Wilson their top pick in 2023 after he put up a .361/.419/.558 slash line over his three years of college ball at Grand Canyon University. In his pro debut last summer, Wilson slashed .318/.378/.455 with just 10 strikeouts in 88 at-bats for High-A Lansing. Wilson’s bat-to-ball skills are so solid that he rarely whiffs. On the other hand, the lanky infielder doesn’t have a history of hitting the ball especially hard, but the A’s are working to build up his strength and increase his ability to make hard contact. With his keen eye at the plate, if he can just add a little more pop to his offensive profile, Wilson could turn out to be a very difficult out. The son of former big league shortstop Jack Wilson, he seems to have a natural feel for the position, and his strong arm makes him look like a lock to stick as a true shortstop. And as long as his hitting abilities continue to develop as they should, then Wilson could have a fairly short route to the big leagues.
#4 MAX MUNCY
Right-Handed-Hitting Shortstop
Age on Opening Day: 21
Drafted 2021 – 1st Round
At five months younger than Wilson, the A’s 1st-round draft pick in 2021 is the youngest position player to make our list for the second year in a row. Still a teenager through most of his first full season of pro ball in 2022, Muncy showed plenty of power and speed by hitting 19 home runs and notching 19 stolen bases over the course of 472 at-bats with Stockton and Lansing. He then got off to a rather tepid start with Lansing last season, putting up a .712 OPS through 72 games. But Muncy kicked things up a notch after his promotion to Midland in July, posting an .833 OPS in 53 games for the RockHounds, and his 35 doubles on the season were the second-most among all A’s minor leaguers last year. Muncy’s pitch selection improved noticeably and his strikeout rate decreased significantly after his elevation to Double-A, and it looks like he may have turned a corner in terms of his approach at the plate. Whether he stays at shortstop or possibly ends up moving to third base, Muncy looks like a solid young infielder with some pop who may not be too far away from the big leagues at this point.
#5 Right-Handed-Hitting Shortstop
Age on Opening Day: 22
Drafted 2019 – 5th Round
As a 17-year-old high school infielder, Hernaiz was drafted by Baltimore in the 5th round back in 2019 before the A’s acquired him from the Orioles in exchange for lefty Cole Irvin and minor league righty Kyle Virbitsky in January of 2023. In his first season in the A’s organization last year, Hernaiz hit .338 in 71 games with Double-A Midland before batting an even .300 in 60 games with Triple-A Las Vegas. On the season, his .321 batting average was the best in the system, while his 160 hits were the most among all A’s minor leaguers and his 32 doubles were the third-most. Hernaiz clearly has the ability to put the bat on the ball. There’s some question as to how much power he’ll be able to generate against big league pitching, but the 22-year-old still seems to be getting bigger and stronger. There’s also been some question about the young infielder’s arm and his ability to stick at shortstop, but he seemed to make some real strides in his defensive game last season. Hernaiz could remain at shortstop but, with a plethora of promising shortstops in the system, Hernaiz’s best opportunity may be at the hot corner in the long term – and that opportunity could be coming sooner rather than later.
#6 DANIEL SUSAC
Right-Handed-Hitting Catcher
Age on Opening Day: 22
Drafted 2022 – 1st Round
The A’s made Susac their top draft pick with the 19th overall selection in 2022 after the 6-foot-4 catcher clubbed 24 home runs and 43 doubles in 515 at-bats during his two seasons at the University of Arizona. The Sacramento-area native’s older brother, Andrew, was a big league catcher for parts of six seasons, so catching is in his blood, and the big backstop is known for his strong arm behind the plate. In his first full season of pro ball in 2023, Susac hit a solid .301 while putting up a .365 on-base percentage over 99 games for High-A Lansing and 13 games for Double-A Midland. The A’s believe there’s more power potential for Susac to tap into. A’s scouting director Eric Kubota told A’s Farm back in 2022, “We really like the bat, and we definitely like the power potential.” He added, “We see upside both in the defense and the offense for Daniel. And we think there’s a chance for a plus defender. We really think it’s a chance for an all-around package behind the plate.” Susac should start this season at Double-A Midland working to tap into that power potential and refine his skills behind the plate.
#7 LUIS MORALES
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 21
Signed as International Free Agent
The 21-year-old hurler is the youngest pitcher to make this year’s list, and he’s also the only international signee on the list. In January of 2023, the A’s signed the Cuban defector, who was widely considered to be the top pitching prospect of the 2023 international class, for a reported $3 million bonus. He saw a limited amount of action last year, but when he was on the mound, he looked impressive. Morales started out by appearing in 4 games in the Dominican Summer League before throwing in 3 games in the Arizona Complex League. He then appeared in 5 games for Stockton before finishing up the season by throwing in 2 games for Lansing. In 44 innings overall, the young righty posted a 2.86 ERA while averaging 10.8 K/9. His fastball typically sits in the mid-to-upper 90s, and he flashes a solid slider as well. When he was signed, there was some concern about his control, but he was able to throw with fairly effective command last season. Morales is still rather young and has a good way to go to prove himself, but he appears to have a bit more potential upside than any other starting pitcher currently in the A’s system.
#8 JOE BOYLE
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 24
Drafted 2020 – 5th Round
One of the older players on this year’s list, Boyle was drafted by Cincinnati in the 5th round back in 2020 before the A’s acquired him from the Reds in exchange for lefty Sam Moll at last season’s trade deadline. There was never any question about the big righty’s stuff, but his control was another matter entirely. Throughout his minor league career, Boyle averaged 13.7 K/9, but he also averaged 7.2 BB/9. Surprisingly, his persistent control issues suddenly seemed to evaporate when he made his big league debut with the A’s last year. Boyle struck out 15 and issued just 5 walks while throwing 16 innings over 3 games for Oakland. Boyle’s fastball can frequently hit 100+ mph, which he combines with an effective slider, to blow away batters. With Luis Medina’s injury, he should have the opportunity to break into the A’s rotation this season. And as long as he can keep his control issues in check, we could have a chance to make a mark as an impact pitcher in the big leagues.
#9 JOEY ESTES
Right-Handed Pitcher
Age on Opening Day: 22
Drafted 2019 – 16th Round
Acquired from Atlanta in the Matt Olson trade two years ago, Estes was selected later in the draft than any other player on this year’s list. The young righty was taken by the Braves in the 16th round in 2019 as a 17-year-old out of high school, but he’s been one of the A’s top-performing pitching prospects since joining the organization. Last season, Estes was one of the most solid and reliable starting pitchers in the system, and he ended up throwing more innings than any other A’s minor league hurler. He also turned in the best ERA (3.74) and WHIP (1.16) among A’s minor leaguers with at least 75 innings pitched while appearing in 20 games for Double-A Midland and 7 games for Triple-A Las Vegas last year. At just 21, Estes made his big league debut for the A’s last September, and he’ll still be just 22 throughout the entirety of the 2024 season. As a control artist who throws strikes with a fastball that reaches the mid-90s, Estes possesses a promising mix of qualities. And at a relativity young age, Estes seems almost ready to make his mark in the majors. He’ll likely start the season in the Las Vegas rotation and could be one of the first names called if and when an opportunity opens up on the big league staff.
#10 BRETT HARRIS
Right-Handed-Hitting Third Baseman
Age on Opening Day: 25
Drafted 2021 – 7th Round
Despite not possessing big-time tools, Harris has always been considered a solid all-around ballplayer who has a high baseball IQ and just knows how to do things right. He shows great plate discipline, draws plenty of walks and keeps his strikeouts to a minimum. Harris compiled an excellent on-base percentage of .383 between 69 games at Double-A Midland and 36 games at Triple-A Las Vegas last season, which ranked in the top five among A’s minor leaguers with at least 350 at-bats. After clubbing 17 home runs in 2022, he notched just 9 last year. It’d be helpful if his power stroke were to make a return in 2024, and starting the season playing in Las Vegas should help. He’s considered a high-quality defender at third base and has seen a little time at second base and shortstop as well. Harris is the fourth prospect on this list who primarily plays on the left side of the infield, so he might face some competition for big league opportunities in the future. But if Harris can continue to play well and increase his versatility a bit, then opportunity could very well find him.
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