[農場][JS] Oakland Athletics Top 20 Prospects
http://www.minorleagueball.com/2015/3/6/8163517/oakland-athletics-top-20-prospects-for-2015
Oakland Athletics Top 20 Prospects for 2015
By John Sickels on Mar 6, 2015, 3:53p
The key here is roster turnover: 40 percent of Oakland's top prospects
including three of the top five played 2014 in other systems.
1) Franklin Barreto, SS, Grade B+/Borderline B: Age 19, hit .311/.384/.481 with
29 steals in the Northwest League in Blue Jays system,
acquired in Josh Donaldson trade. Fast, athletic, has
some pop, strike zone judgment decent for his age, needs
polish on defense but has the tools to stick in my view
with more experience. Projects as a regular.
2) Matt Olson, 1B, Grade B+/Borderline B: Turns 21 this month, hit .262/.404/
.543 with 37 homers, 117 walks, 137 strikeouts in 512 at-bats in
the Cal League. Yes it is the Cal League but there seems little
doubt about his power/discipline combination. Don’t expect a
batting champ.
3) Renato Nunez, 3B, Grade B/Borderline B+: Age 20, hit .279/.336/.517 with 29
homers, 34 walks, 113 strikeouts in 509 at-bats in the Cal
League. Made good progress on defense, power is real, not
nearly as disciplined as Olson.
4) Kendall Graveman, RHP, Grade B-: Age 24, went 14-6, 1.83 with 115/31 K/BB in
167 innings at four levels and got 4.2 big league innings
with the Blue Jays just one year out of college. Low-90s
sinker, cutter, slider, change-up, throws strikes, great
feel.
5) Sean Nolin, LHP, Grade B-: Age 25, another part of Donaldson deal, 3.43 ERA
with 88/39 K/BB in 97 innings in Jays system mostly in Triple-A.
Typical fourth starter profile with average stuff, effective
enough when his command is on.
6) Matt Chapman, 3B, Grade B-/Borderline C+: Age 21, drafted in first round out
of Cal State Fullerton, hit just .237/.282/.389 in 190 at-bats
in Midwest League, 7/46 BB/K. Looked very advanced in college
but MWL observers less sanguine as approach was not as
polished as anticipated. Very good glove at third base.
Excellent arm.
7) Yairo Munoz, SS, Grade B-/Borderline C+: Age 19, hit .298/.319/.448 with
five homers, 14 steals, seven walks, 42 strikeouts in 252 at-
bats in New York-Penn League. NYP liked his pop/speed
combination and good chance to stick at shortstop, needs better
feel for the strike zone. High ceiling.
8) R.J. Alvarez, RHP, Grade B-/Borderline C+: Age 23, posted 1.25 ERA with
61/13 K/BB in 43 innings, just 29 hits in Double-A in Angels
and Padres systems (he was in Huston Street trade). Now with
Athletics after Derek Norris deal. Ranking relief prospects is
problematic but he is one of the better ones around, mid-90s,
good slider, no question about the stuff. 1.13 ERA in 10 game,
eight inning big league debut. I think he can close if command
holds.
9) Raul Alcantara RHP, Grade C+: Age 22, posted 2.29 ERA with 10/5 K/BB in 20
innings in Double-A before going down with Tommy John
surgery. 95 MPH heater, good change-up, breaking stuff coming
along before he got hurt. Mid-rotation potential if healthy.
10) Daniel Gossett, RHP, Grade C+: Age 22, posted 2.25 ERA with 25/1 (not a
typo) K/BB in 24 innings in NY-P, second round pick out of
Clemson. Relieved in pros due to workload but started in
college, low-90s fastball with full secondary assortment
and good feel for the craft. Durability will determine his
role.
ANALYST NOTE: I am firm on the top 10 but below this it gets very murky, slots
11-18 are virtually interchangeable.
11) Dillon Overton, LHP, Grade C+: Age 23, posted 1.95 ERA with 53/4 K/BB in 37
innings recovering from Tommy John surgery. Velocity was
down into the 80s after hitting 95 in college, if the
velocity comes back stock will rise accordingly. Even with
reduced fastball his feel for pitching is so good he is
still an intriguing prospect. Somehow this slot feels too
low but the logic is reasonable.
12) Chad Pinder, INF, Grade C+: Age 22, hit .288/.336/.489 with 13 homers, 12
steals, 22 walks, 99 strikeouts in 403 at-bats in Cal League.
Steady glove at shortstop and second base, can play third too,
some pop in the bat, strike zone judgment needs work.
13) Max Muncy, 1B-3B, Grade C+: Age 24, hit .264/.385/.379 with 87 walks, 92
strikeouts in 435 at-bats in Double-A. Impressive strike zone
judgment but hasn’t shown much power outside of Cal League,
very skilled defender at first base and not terrible at third.
He grows on you the more you watch him play.
14) Mark Canha, 1B, Grade C+: Age 26, older prospect taken in Rule 5 draft from
Marlins system, consistent above-average producer at every
level including .303/.384/.505 last year in Triple-A, yes it
was the PCL but results were in line with his entire career.
Should be good solid role bat.
15) Rangel Ravelo, 1B, Grade C+: Age 22, hit .309/.386/.473 with 11 homers, 37
doubles, 56 walks, 77 strikeouts in 476 at-bats in Double-A
in White Sox system, came over to Athletics in Jeff
Samardzija trade. Tough profile: he hits for average and
makes contact but lacks classic first base home run power
and doesn’t run well enough to work at other positions.
More slack on the age curve than Muncy and Canha.
16) Chris Bassitt, RHP, Grade C+: Age 26, posted 1.56 ERA with 36/14 K/BB in 35
innings in DoubleA, 3.94 ERA with 21/13 K/BB in 30 innings
in the majors with the White Sox, now here as part of
Samardzija trade. Stereotype fourth/fifth starter, low-90s
heat, solid change-up, mediocre breaking stuff.
17) Bobby Wahl, RHP, Grade C+: Age 22, posted 4.89 ERA with 62/25 K/BB in 53
innings in A-ball, fastball/slider type hasn’t lived up to
expectations since being a projected first-rounder in 2013. He
ended up going in the fifth round after junior year blister
trouble. Picks up strikeouts but command needs work and long-
term role unclear.
18) Joe Wendle, 2B, Grade C+: Age 24, hit .253/.311/.411 with eight homers, 26
walks, 56 strikeouts in 336 at-bats in Indians system, came to
Oakland for Brandon Moss over the winter. Former small college
star at West Chester University has been sleeper prospect as a
pro, lacks great tools but has some pop, reliable fielder.
19) Brett Graves, RHP, Grade C+: Age 22, third round pick from University of
Missouri last year, 19/7 K/BB but 24 hits and 6.55 ERA in 22
pro innings so far at lower levels. Hits mid-90s,good slider,
change-up needs work, college track record erratic, could be
solid starter with more development or slot into bullpen.
20) Dustin Driver, RHP, Grade C: Age 20, missed 2014 with a back injury but
should be healthy for ’15, seventh round pick in 2013 draft
hits 94-98 with potential for two strong secondary pitches.
Durability, role, command all unclear but one of the better
arms in system.
OTHERS: B.J. Boyd, OF; Jaycob Brugman, OF; Billy Burns, OF; Dylan Covey, RHP;
Ryan Doolittle, RHP; Ryan Dull, RHP; Heath Fillmyer, RHP; Seth Frankoff, RHP;
Ryon Healy, 1B-3B; Chris Kohler, LHP; Tyler Ladendorf, INF-OF; Arnold Leon,
RHP; Bruce Maxwell, C; Tanner Peters, RHP; Jake Sanchez, RHP; Aaron Shipman,
OF; Chad Smith, RHP; Pat Venditte, L/RHP
There has been a great deal of roster turnover in this system with all the
wheeling and dealing. The list reflects that with eight of 20 players,
including three of the top five, having spent 2014 with another organization.
The impact talent is on the positional side: Barreto, Nunez, Olson, Chapman,
and Munoz all have big league regular potential with Barreto possessing the
broadest array of skills and tools. The Grade C guys look like role players and
I don’t mean that as an insult: you need role players. There is bunching at
the corners with Canha, Muncy, Ravelo, and Ryon Healy all vying for at-bats
this year in the high reaches of the system. Outfield is a weak spot which will
look better if Cal League thumper Jaycob Brugman can bring his game forward to
Double-A, if Aaron Shipman can stay healthy, if B.J. Boyd can put his tools to
use, if Billy Burns can show a bit more pop. Lots of ifs.
Pitching features a large group of Grade C+ type prospects, inning-eaters and
relief arms. Josh Donaldson trade participants Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin
are the most advanced and R.J. Alvarez looks like the best of the relief group
to me. Much rides on the full recovery of Raul Alcantara. Even with reduced
stuff Dillon Overton is a good pitcher, but if he gets the 95 back he will rise
in a hurry. There are a bunch of guys who could slot as bullpen fodder:
Doolittle, Dull, Frankoff, Leon, Smith could all see innings and do something
good under the right circumstances.
The most interesting of the bullpen-Cs is Pat Venditte, the 29-year-old
switch-pitcher signed as a free agent after a long and successful career in the
Yankees system. It is easy to dismiss him as a novelty act but that would be a
mistake: he has been effective at every level of the minors including Triple-A.
There are no flaws in the stats (2.46 career ERA, 431/103 K/BB in 385 innings,
310 hits). His strength (the switch-pitching and deceptive approach) is also
his weakness: if he were just a left-handed pitcher he would have received a
LOOGY trial by now, and if he were just a right-handed pitcher he would have
received at least a cup of coffee given his performance over the years. But
since he is weird, I think it has been more difficult for him to get even a
brief shot because nobody wants to look dumb if it doesn’t work.
Just forget about the switch-pitching thing if you can and concentrate on the
fact that this guy has nothing left to prove in the minors at all. He has
successfully met every challenge presented to him. If baseball is truly a
meritocracy Venditte deserves at least a brief look, at least to handle some
mop-up garbage innings.
Maybe it won’t work. But what if it does?
--
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