2014 A's Top 20 Prospects

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2014 A's Top 20 Prospects

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Vacek has shown me what I'm going to do with my couple of hours to kill until game time. Thanks Buddy!

1. Xander Bogaerts - SS Boston
We all saw what Xander did and he's a consensus top 5 prospect in baseball. Not so interesting for me to write about him here

2. Jackie Bradley Jr - CF Boston
Same for Bradley, with top 50 replacing top 10

3. Dan Vogelbach - 1B Chicago Cubs
Ah, someone I haven't talked about in awhile. Vogelbach went .284/.364/.450 in Low A as a 20 year old, then hit .280/.455/.440 in A+. This is a kid who just hits. I've seen enough video on him to be annoyed when people just refer to him as a 20 defender and a 300 pounder, the kid actually lost a lot of weight, has decent athleticism for his size (a mere 250 :D), and all of the reports from people who have actually seen him praise his makeup. That being said, it's the bat that's going to have to carry him. The good news is that he has an awesome approach, good bat speed and is said to be truly dedicated to becoming an elite hitter; the bad news is that plus plus raw power has not really translated into in game power yet. For Vogelbach to be a guy at the major league level he needs to be a 30 home run hitter. This is a guy who hit a 500 foot home run with a wood bat in a showcase coming out of high school, so there's no question he can hit it when he gets to it, but he hasn't translated that to game power yet. This year will really be make or break, but I believe.

4. Chris Anderson - RHP LA Dodgers
Ya'll read my draft writeup, not so much new to report except that I'm with KLaw that he has a higher ceiling than people are giving him credit for, I believe he could be a #2.

5. Andrew Chafin - LHP Arizona
Really hard to figure out what to make of Chafin's season, the 2011 supplemental 1st rounder made his full season debut in the Cal League in 2012 and showed electric stuff, recording 150 Ks and only 112 hits in 122 innings, but also really shaky command, as those 150Ks came with 69 walks, and he was even demoted to the bullpen at one point after one shaky outing too many. This past year he started at Visalia again, and again was striking out more than a batter per inning and again walks were a problem. For whatever reason, however, they promoted him to AA and his results changed dramatically. In 21 starts Chafin pitched to a 2.85 ERA, and 3.38 FIP while bringing his walk rate down dramatically (2.92 BB/9), but the K rate also dropped. Several sources say that he was more consciously trying to pitch to contact in the Southern League, so we'll see how he handles the PCL. He'll be in the mix for some spot starts with the big club this year, and if he can maintain the command while bringing his K rate back up he could have a nice career.

6. Felix Jorge - RHP Minnesota
Here's the first guy many of you haven't heard of, but expect to hear a lot more about him this year. I grabbed Jorge when I was trying to dump Barry Zito in 2012, and Jorge was basically a flier. The 6'2 170lb right hander had pitched to a 2.34 ERA in the GCL with a 37/12 K/BB, and he was only 18. That kind of command at that age gets my attention. He had something of a breakout in the Appy League this year (BA ranked him the 14th best prospect in the league), with a 72/18 K/BB and a 2.95 ERA in 61 IP. Next year will be the big test for Jorge as he should make his full season debut at 20. He gets lost in the shuffle behind higher ceiling arms in the Twins system, but this is a guy who could really make some noise in the next couple of years.

7. Rafael Devers - 3B Boston
You guys read the draft commentary, not much to say about this kid, can't wait to see him stateside. Obviously the next Robinson Cano.

8. Travis Harrison - 3B Minnesota
Another bat first guy, signed late after being drafted in 2011, didn't debut until 2012 in the Appy league, hit .301/.383/.461 there as a 20 year old. Started really fast in the MWL league this year before falling off at the end of the season in his full season debut, finishing up with a .253/.366/.416 line at age 21. Differing reports about whether he can stay at 3B, obviously he'll have to hit better if he moves across the diamond. Next year will be big for him, but if Sano can't handle 3B in the long run this guy has a pretty good chance at taking that job.

9. Zach Eflin - RHP San Diego
After a brutal April (6.06 ERA, 25 baserunners in 16 innings), Eflin was absolutely lights out for Fort Wayne in the MWL. He finished the season with a 2.73 ERA (including a stellar 2.01 over his last 5 starts), and he backed that up with a 3.43 FIP and 1.19 WHIP. And oh yeah, this guy doesn't turn 20 until April. That's the good news, the bad news is that the strikeout numbers weren't there, as he posted only a 6.52 K/9. Apparently the story is that his fastball and changeup are solid, and he's still working on the breaking ball (which would explain the good command but low K numbers), and he's a bit of a fly ball guy which is fine for San Diego (and for O.Co when he's ready for me) but could be a challenge next year in the Cal League.

10. Dylan Covey - RHP Oakland
Another guy whose draft report you guys read. BA has him as #7 in the A's system, while BP considers him a guy on the rise. He has a chance to have a long career in the middle of someone's rotation, with the first few years in Oakland and the rest somewhere else after he's been traded for prospects during his arbitration years.

11. Chris Kohler - LHP Oakland
Like I said in the writeups, I was really between Kohler and Covey with my 3rd rounder, so I was happy to see Kohler hanging out there in the 4th (though I was thinking strongly about Aledmys Diaz, if he ends up being a stud and Kohler washes out I'll be pretty bummed, yes I am bitter Brett!). Kohler is a projectable lefty who was pretty nuts in the AZL, 32 K in 23 innings but also with a few too many walks squeezed in. He's a guy who didn't pitch much (on purpose) so he's got a fresh arm and is already in the low 90's with a chance for more in the tank. Fun guy to dream on, chance he makes his debut in full season ball next year but more likely we'll have to wait for Short Season A to see what he can do.

12. Japhet Amador - FAT Houston
Amador rulzzzzzzz!!!!!

13. Jamie Callahan - RHP Red Sox
We're getting to the interchangeable portion of our list here, Callahan is up here for upside. Young for his class, Callahan will pitch almost all of next year at 19, likely in full season ball. He sported a 54/17 K/BB ratio in Lowell, with a 1.09 WHIP. Really solid command for another kid who didn't pitch much before signing. He runs his fastball up to the mid 90s, with a 12/6 curve and a changeup that are both works in progress. He's also supposedly working on a cutter. The delivery is a work in progress but the reports are positive, and if he continues to make strides at the pace he made them last year he could be on the fast track to Boston in a couple of years as the Sox replace Peavy, Lackey, Dempster, et al. Right now he's just fun to dream on, with #2 starter upside.


14. Joan Gregorio - RHP Giants
My love for Giants prospects probably cost me Jorge Alfaro too cheap, but Gregorio is a guy who really might explode this year in San Jose. The 6'7 righty pitched all year in Augusta at age 21, dealing with injuries but when he was on he was on, with an 84/17 K/BB in 69 innings. There's a lot to dream about here, I think this kid has a lot more upside than some of the more heralded Giants pitchers, and he could be on the top 5 of this list next year, or he could be in the free agent pool.

15. Chris Stratton RHP Giants
Bummer man. Really down year for Stratton, who put up OK numbers but couldn't get out of Low A. Reports were that his arm slowed down some, and thus his fastball just wasn't exciting. My big concern for Stratton is that this is lingering stuff from taking a liner to the face during his debut season, but we're hoping this was just a hiccup and he'll look like the guy we expected him to in San Jose this year.

16. Jeff Ames - RHP Rays
Ames just keeps plugging away on that Rays year by year plan, throwing a full season in Bowling Green last year after pitching in A- in 2012 and debuting in the GCL in 2011 out of community college. Ames calling card is control, and with the exception of a small hiccup in June he did a great job of limiting walks. Unfortunately, his K rate slowed a bit this year, which is shutting down excitement about top of the rotation upside, but if he can continue to be a command/control guy he could be a nice mid rotation pitcher. Next year in A+ will be his big test.

17. Sergio Gomez - RHP Red Sox
Really good results but really fighting the perceptions about skinny right handers. Gomez is listed at 6'3 155, and people say the 155 may be generous. His arsenal is maturing, and after posting a 1.60 ERA in the NYP with 55/14 K/BB in 50 innings he was bumped up to Greeneville where he pitched to 25/10 K/BB in 27 innings to end the year, including a 12 inning scoreless streak between his last two starts (both 6 shutout innings). There's a good chance he gets lost in the shuffle here, but he might benefit from being pushed up the Carolina League as the Sox try to find room for their draft picks in Greeneville. If he can put on any weight the fastball should jump into the low 90's and suddenly he becomes a lot more interesting. I think he could follow the Felix Doubront path, unheralded, no one cares, suddenly explodes and is really interesting for a couple of years.

18. Anthony Alford OF Blue Jays
This is just a question of whether Alford wants to play baseball, as after a failed stint as a QB at Southern Miss he's competing for a starting safety spot at Old Miss. Obviously, holy smokes the athleticism, as he's trying to do the minor league baseball/college football thing. If he ever chooses to focus on baseball the guy could be a real stud, he showed up for a week in the GCL last year and popped an .823 OPS, but obviously it's a question of whether he wants to commit or not. As long as I've got draft roster eligibility for him I'll hang on and see if he's ready to go, the fact that he's given up playing quarterback I think makes a baseball commitment more likely, but we'll have to see. He'd be top 10 (and maybe top 5) if he were 100% in on baseball

19. LB Dantzler 1B Blue Jays

.302/.385/.504 for Vancouver in the NWL. He's a 14th round pick senior sign who's limited to first base, but .302/.385/.504. Will get a chance in full season ball to prove this was for real, and given his age he'll move quickly if he can handle it. If not, oh well. 6th round pick :D

20. Walker Weickel RHP Padres
I thought he'd make a nice compliment to Eflin, and traded Brandon Maurer for him and Jeff Ames immediately after the draft last year. Ames was nice, Weickel a lot less so. A lot of ups and downs Weickel last year as his monthly ERAs looked like this (yes I know SSS and all but it tells a story): 4.41 6.46 3.05 7.50 3.75. Ultimately, he didn't strike out enough guys, walked a few too many, and was at the mercy of BABIP. He still has some upside, but time is running short for him.
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Re: 2014 A's Top 20 Prospects

Post by Giants »

Update after trade:
Out 3. Vogelbach 6. Jorge 9. Eflin
In 3. Escobar 10. Delgado 15. Allie
1. Xander Bogaerts - SS Boston
We all saw what Xander did and he's a consensus top 5 prospect in baseball. Not so interesting for me to write about him here

2. Jackie Bradley Jr - CF Boston
Same for Bradley, with top 50 replacing top 10

3. Edwin Escobar - LHP San Francisco Giants
I was hoping this would be Chris Stratton by now, but I do have the consensus #2 Giants prospect. Escobar broke out as a 21 year old, stymieing the California League to the tune of a 1.98 FIP in 16 games before being promoted to AA. The awesomeness continued as Escobar pitched to a 2.51 FIP, striking out a batter an inning and generally looking awesome. He probably doesn't have an ace ceiling, but a guy who doesn't walk anybody pitching in AT&T park (or the virtual O.co) could have a very nice career, and I expect him to be a rotation fixture for me for the next decade or so.

4. Chris Anderson - RHP LA Dodgers
Ya'll read my draft writeup, not so much new to report except that I'm with KLaw that he has a higher ceiling than people are giving him credit for, I believe he could be a #2.

5. Andrew Chafin - LHP Arizona
Really hard to figure out what to make of Chafin's season, the 2011 supplemental 1st rounder made his full season debut in the Cal League in 2012 and showed electric stuff, recording 150 Ks and only 112 hits in 122 innings, but also really shaky command, as those 150Ks came with 69 walks, and he was even demoted to the bullpen at one point after one shaky outing too many. This past year he started at Visalia again, and again was striking out more than a batter per inning and again walks were a problem. For whatever reason, however, they promoted him to AA and his results changed dramatically. In 21 starts Chafin pitched to a 2.85 ERA, and 3.38 FIP while bringing his walk rate down dramatically (2.92 BB/9), but the K rate also dropped. Several sources say that he was more consciously trying to pitch to contact in the Southern League, so we'll see how he handles the PCL. He'll be in the mix for some spot starts with the big club this year, and if he can maintain the command while bringing his K rate back up he could have a nice career.


6. Rafael Devers - 3B Boston
You guys read the draft commentary, not much to say about this kid, can't wait to see him stateside. Obviously the next Robinson Cano.

7. Travis Harrison - 3B Minnesota
Another bat first guy, signed late after being drafted in 2011, didn't debut until 2012 in the Appy league, hit .301/.383/.461 there as a 20 year old. Started really fast in the MWL league this year before falling off at the end of the season in his full season debut, finishing up with a .253/.366/.416 line at age 21. Differing reports about whether he can stay at 3B, obviously he'll have to hit better if he moves across the diamond. Next year will be big for him, but if Sano can't handle 3B in the long run this guy has a pretty good chance at taking that job.

8. Dylan Covey - RHP Oakland
Another guy whose draft report you guys read. BA has him as #7 in the A's system, while BP considers him a guy on the rise. He has a chance to have a long career in the middle of someone's rotation, with the first few years in Oakland and the rest somewhere else after he's been traded for prospects during his arbitration years.

9. Chris Kohler - LHP Oakland
Like I said in the writeups, I was really between Kohler and Covey with my 3rd rounder, so I was happy to see Kohler hanging out there in the 4th (though I was thinking strongly about Aledmys Diaz, if he ends up being a stud and Kohler washes out I'll be pretty bummed, yes I am bitter Brett!). Kohler is a projectable lefty who was pretty nuts in the AZL, 32 K in 23 innings but also with a few too many walks squeezed in. He's a guy who didn't pitch much (on purpose) so he's got a fresh arm and is already in the low 90's with a chance for more in the tank. Fun guy to dream on, chance he makes his debut in full season ball next year but more likely we'll have to wait for Short Season A to see what he can do.

10. Natanael Delgado - RF - Angels
A 2012 July 2 signing, the Angels skipped Delgado right over the Dominican Leagues and he made his debut in the AZL last year. The plan was for him to spend most of the year in XST, but the team was so impressed he ended up playing the full season in the AZL and held his own at 17, leading the team in ABs and posting a 103 wRC+. I love the smooth left handed swing, I think he's going to add more pop as he fills out, and the reports I read are that the kid lives in the weight room and the batting cages. He'll play this full season at 18, and while I expect the Angels send him to the Pioneer league it's not out of the realm of possibility that he gets a shot at full season ball at some point.

11. Japhet Amador - FAT Houston
Amador rulzzzzzzz!!!!!

12. Jamie Callahan - RHP Red Sox
We're getting to the interchangeable portion of our list here, Callahan is up here for upside. Young for his class, Callahan will pitch almost all of next year at 19, likely in full season ball. He sported a 54/17 K/BB ratio in Lowell, with a 1.09 WHIP. Really solid command for another kid who didn't pitch much before signing. He runs his fastball up to the mid 90s, with a 12/6 curve and a changeup that are both works in progress. He's also supposedly working on a cutter. The delivery is a work in progress but the reports are positive, and if he continues to make strides at the pace he made them last year he could be on the fast track to Boston in a couple of years as the Sox replace Peavy, Lackey, Dempster, et al. Right now he's just fun to dream on, with #2 starter upside.


13. Joan Gregorio - RHP Giants
My love for Giants prospects probably cost me Jorge Alfaro too cheap, but Gregorio is a guy who really might explode this year in San Jose. The 6'7 righty pitched all year in Augusta at age 21, dealing with injuries but when he was on he was on, with an 84/17 K/BB in 69 innings. There's a lot to dream about here, I think this kid has a lot more upside than some of the more heralded Giants pitchers, and he could be on the top 5 of this list next year, or he could be in the free agent pool.

14. Chris Stratton - RHP Giants
Bummer man. Really down year for Stratton, who put up OK numbers but couldn't get out of Low A. Reports were that his arm slowed down some, and thus his fastball just wasn't exciting. My big concern for Stratton is that this is lingering stuff from taking a liner to the face during his debut season, but we're hoping this was just a hiccup and he'll look like the guy we expected him to in San Jose this year.

15. Stetson Allie - 1B Pirates
The converted reliever hit the ball really hard in West Virginia in his first full season as a hitter. He then got to the FSL and hit not so good. Lots of swing and miss, lot's of power, probably limited to 1B though with his arm strength a conversion to the outfield once he's comfortable hitting is not out of the question. Complete lottery ticket who feels like he's been around forever, but he's only going to be 23 this season and if he can handle the FSL a late season AA promotion is not out of the question, at which point he'd be right on a solid developmental track. The Pirates aren't exactly bursting at the seams with awesome 1B either.

16. Jeff Ames - RHP Rays
Ames just keeps plugging away on that Rays year by year plan, throwing a full season in Bowling Green last year after pitching in A- in 2012 and debuting in the GCL in 2011 out of community college. Ames calling card is control, and with the exception of a small hiccup in June he did a great job of limiting walks. Unfortunately, his K rate slowed a bit this year, which is shutting down excitement about top of the rotation upside, but if he can continue to be a command/control guy he could be a nice mid rotation pitcher. Next year in A+ will be his big test.

17. Sergio Gomez - RHP Red Sox
Really good results but really fighting the perceptions about skinny right handers. Gomez is listed at 6'3 155, and people say the 155 may be generous. His arsenal is maturing, and after posting a 1.60 ERA in the NYP with 55/14 K/BB in 50 innings he was bumped up to Greeneville where he pitched to 25/10 K/BB in 27 innings to end the year, including a 12 inning scoreless streak between his last two starts (both 6 shutout innings). There's a good chance he gets lost in the shuffle here, but he might benefit from being pushed up the Carolina League as the Sox try to find room for their draft picks in Greeneville. If he can put on any weight the fastball should jump into the low 90's and suddenly he becomes a lot more interesting. I think he could follow the Felix Doubront path, unheralded, no one cares, suddenly explodes and is really interesting for a couple of years.

18. Anthony Alford OF Blue Jays
This is just a question of whether Alford wants to play baseball, as after a failed stint as a QB at Southern Miss he's competing for a starting safety spot at Old Miss. Obviously, holy smokes the athleticism, as he's trying to do the minor league baseball/college football thing. If he ever chooses to focus on baseball the guy could be a real stud, he showed up for a week in the GCL last year and popped an .823 OPS, but obviously it's a question of whether he wants to commit or not. As long as I've got draft roster eligibility for him I'll hang on and see if he's ready to go, the fact that he's given up playing quarterback I think makes a baseball commitment more likely, but we'll have to see. He'd be top 10 (and maybe top 5) if he were 100% in on baseball

19. LB Dantzler 1B Blue Jays

.302/.385/.504 for Vancouver in the NWL. He's a 14th round pick senior sign who's limited to first base, but .302/.385/.504. Will get a chance in full season ball to prove this was for real, and given his age he'll move quickly if he can handle it. If not, oh well. 6th round pick :D

20. Walker Weickel RHP Padres
I thought he'd make a nice compliment to Eflin, and traded Brandon Maurer for him and Jeff Ames immediately after the draft last year. Ames was nice, Weickel a lot less so. A lot of ups and downs Weickel last year as his monthly ERAs looked like this (yes I know SSS and all but it tells a story): 4.41 6.46 3.05 7.50 3.75. Ultimately, he didn't strike out enough guys, walked a few too many, and was at the mercy of BABIP. He still has some upside, but time is running short for him.[/quote]
Your REIGNING AND DEFENDING #evenyear IBC CHAMPION

2015- #torture #evenyears 179-145
2006-2014 Gritty Gutty A's 828-631
2005 Texas Rangers 65-97
Total: 1072-873 .551
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