For A’s fans, life has been tough recently. The lack of financial support has resulted in Oakland finishing as one of the worst teams in baseball for the last few seasons. Despite the poor decisions of the higher-ups, Athletics fans are some of the most passionate in all of baseball. The Major League team has been disappointing but several prospects will have an impact during the 2024 season. Mason Miller headlines the top 20 Athletics prospects fantasy baseball managers need to know.
Top A’s Prospects
The Top Tier
1) Mason Miller – SP, 25 YO
2023 MiLB Stats (A/AA/AAA): 19.1 IP | 1.86 ERA | 50.0 K% | 7.1 BB%
2023 MLB Stats: 33.1 IP | 3.78 ERA | 27.3 K% | 11.5 BB%
Entering the 2023 season, Mason Miller had thrown a total of 20 professional innings. Drafted in the third round of the 2021 draft, Miller was forced to miss a significant portion of the 2022 season due to a scapula strain. Even with the extremely small sample size, the Athletics were not oblivious to the oozing talent in Millers’ arm. He deploys a fastball that sits comfortably around 98 mph and can easily touch triple-digits. His slider comes with outstanding movement diving down and away from right-handed batters. His slider generated a whiff rate of over 47% against major league hitters.
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Mason Miller lights up the radar for his first career strikeout 👏 pic.twitter.com/S72UiohwpL
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 19, 2023
The issue with Miller boils down to durability. The 49 total innings that Miller threw in 2023 represent a career high and it is difficult to envision him ever being able to handle a starter’s workload. There are already talks of him being moved into a closer role as early as 2024. The pure stuff in Miller’s arsenal is impressive and represents significant fantasy upside. Even with relief risk, Miller could still profile to be a dominant closer.
2) Darell Hernaiz – SS, 22 YO
2023 Stats (AA/AAA): .321 AVG | .386 OBP | .456 SLG | 9 HR | 13 SB | 13.4 K% | 8.9 BB%
Oakland is not frequently praised for their savvy analytical moves. However, prior to the start of the 2023 season, they acquired Hernaiz from Baltimore for Cole Irvin. Hernaiz joined Baltimore’s organization as a fifth-round pick in 2019 but was buried on the depth chart behind higher-profile names. He deploys a contact first with a swing designed to drive balls into the gaps. He puts a higher emphasis on using the entire field and posting high batting averages than he does on hitting home runs.
Hernaiz did not let switching organizations slow him down in his pursuit of the major leagues and is now knocking on the door. From a fantasy perspective, Hernaiz is likely to hit for strong averages, but that is about it. He profiles as a prospect with a high floor, but a low ceiling compared to others.
3) Henry Bolte – OF, 20 YO
2023 Stats (A): .257 AVG | .356 SLG | .421 OBP | 14 HR | 32 SB | 33.4 K% | 12.6 BB%
The Athletics selected Bolte with their second-round pick in the 2022 draft out of a California high school. Standing at 6’3″, Bolte’s raw athleticism jumps off the screen. He is an excellent outfielder with a strong arm and quick instincts. His plus-plus speed also helps him in the field and on the base paths. Even as Bolte has continued to fill out his frame, he still profiles to be a 30+ steal threat at the Major League level. His large frame generates plenty of power and when he connects, the balls easily carry out of the yard. There is the potential for five-category upside with Bolte.
The biggest issue has been Bolte’s inconsistent contact skills. He struck out over 33% of the time last season and struggles with off-speed pitches. The other issue is the inability to tap into more game power. Bolte’s swing gets a bit choppy at times which leads to high ground ball rates limiting his home run output. If everything clicks, Bolte has the potential to soar up prospect rankings eventually landing inside of the top ten. There is also a chance he never hits enough to make it to the Major Leagues.
4) Luis Morales – SP, 21 YO
2023 Stats (DSL/CPX/A/A+): 44 IP | 2.86 ERA | 29.4 K% | 8.3 BB%
The A’s landed Morales for $3 million during the latest international signing period. A bit older for an international signing (Morales had to defect from Cuba), the A’s wasted no time getting him into professional baseball. The pried signing seemed unfazed as he dominated the DSL and Complex League before being promoted two more times. Morales’ lanky 6’3″ frame provides him with a solid base for a pitcher and he will likely continue to add muscle as he matures.
Morales’ early domination primarily came early on in his professional career. His strikeout rate lowered with each promotion and his control appeared shaky against hitters in full-season ball. At this point, Morales is comfortable throwing two pitches. He relies heavily on his fastball and slider both of which profile as plus pitches. He currently lacks a true secondary offering that he is comfortable with to attack lefties. This is part of the reason his strikeout-to-walk ratio was significantly worse against lefties. With two plus offerings already, Morales has a solid base with number-three starter upside. There is also relief risk if a third pitch never develops.
5) Jacob Wilson – SS/3B, 21 YO
2023 Stats (CPX/A+): .333 AVG | .391 OBP | .475 SLG | 1 HR | 4 SB | 9.9 K% | 5.4 BB%
The Athletics’ first-round pick from 2023 comes in fifth on this list. Wilson played his collegiate baseball at Grand Canyon University and put together three spectacular seasons. Wilson improved his .313 batting average as a freshman to .353 as a sophomore. He capped off his career with a .412/.461/.535 slash as a junior leading to his selection at sixth overall. Wilson stands tall at 6’3″, but he is more known for his hit tool than his power. He has great pitch recognition and makes contact at above-average rates.
Wilson has a lot going on in his swing mechanics. He starts with an open stance and twitchy hands before letting the bat fly. Although he makes a lot of contact, he tends to pull off the baseball leading to a lot of ground balls. Pitchers at higher levels of the minor leagues could expose this pull-happy approach, This also limits his game power projection. In addition, Wilson is likely to continue adding muscle to his frame making a shift to third base possible. For fantasy, this potential move would add more pressure to offensive power development. He is not as safe as a player like Hernaiz and lacks the upside of a player like Bolte.
6) Joe Boyle – SP, 24 YO
2023 MiLB Stats (AA/AAA): 117.1 IP | 3.84 ERA | 32.2 K% | 17.8 BB%
2023 MLB Stats: 16 IP | 1.69 ERA | 25.0 K% | 8.3 BB%
Joe Boyle made his professional debut in the Complex League back in 2021. Across his first seven innings, Boyle looked like a superstar. He struck out 13 batters, walked just one, and did not surrender any runs. While the impressive strikeout rate has stuck with him throughout the Minor Leagues, the control has not. The Reds seemingly gave up on trying to help Boyle figure things out and dealt him to Oakland at the 2023 trade deadline. Boyle made three starts at Triple-A before getting a cup of coffee with the major league team to end the season.
Joe Boyle’s elite fastball perfectly sets up this devastating cutter as his strikeout pitch. All three of his strikeouts today have come on the cutter. #Athletics #RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/nv4RQsD58h
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) September 17, 2023
Boyle looked solid in his three-game sample reminding dynasty managers why they were so excited about him a couple of seasons ago. His best pitch is the four-seam fastball which he relies on over 50% of the time. This pitch sits in the upper 90s with over 15″ of vertical break. Batters consistently swing under the pitch resulting in plenty of lazy fly balls. His slider is the only pitch he has a consistent feel for and graded out with a 126 Stuff+. With two plus pitches, the development of a more consistent feel for his curveball could help take him to the next level. There is also a chance Boyle is a two-pitch pitcher with inconsistent command who lands in a relief role long-term.
7) Joey Estes – SP, 22 YO
2023 MiLB Stats (AA/AAA): 137 IP | 3.74 ERA | 22.8 K% | 7.5 BB%
2023 MLB Stats: 10 IP | 7.20 ERA | 14.9 K% | 4.3 BB%
The Athletics and Braves have teamed up to make a few trades in the past couple of off-seasons (much maligned by the anti-Braves community a.k.a me a Phillies fan). Joey Estes was a part of the package that sent Matt Olson to Atlanta. Estes, a former 16th-round pick, saw his value peak in the 2021 season coming out of the pandemic. Estes’ best attribute throughout his professional career has been his control. He does not overpower hitters, but when he is on, he is able to locate pitches and create weak contact.
Unfortunately for Estes, this was not apparent in his 10-inning major league sample. Estes got rocked which has been the case for much of his tenure as a member of Oakland’s organization. From a fantasy perspective, there is not a ton of upside here. He profiles to be a back-end starter who can eat innings but not produce consistent results. A streaming option is likely the extent of his fantasy relevance.
Prospects Dynasty Managers Should Know
8) Denzel Clarke – OF, 23 YO
2023 Stats (AA): .261 AVG | .381 SLG | .496 OBP | 12 HR | 11 SB | 29.7 K% | 12.9 BB%
Clarke’s breakout season came to an abrupt end in July when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury. Prior to that, he was putting his power and speed combination on full display. His 6’5″ frame carries plenty of potential although strikeout issues have gotten him in trouble throughout his professional career.
9) Colby Thomas – OF, 22 YO
2023 Stats (A/A+): .286 AVG | .351 OBP | .493 SLG | 18 HR | 25 SB | 25.9 K% | 6.6 BB%
A big leg kick and a violent swing allow Thomas to hit some moonshot home runs. He showed off an intriguing blend of power and speed during his debut season. The red flag is a high strikeout rate that could get worse as he progresses through the minor leagues.
10) Max Muncy – SS, 21 YO
2023 Stats (A+/AA): .275 AVG | .353 OBP | .411 SLG | 10 HR | 13 SB | 26.8 K% | 9.5 BB%
The former first-round pick has failed to live up to expectations struggling throughout much of his professional career. He lowered his strikeout rate significantly as the year went on and there is a decent blend of power and speed to his profile. Muncy is an intriguing sleeper pick to have a breakout 2024 season.
11) Daniel Susac – C, 22 YO
2023 Stats (A+/AA): .300 AVG | .365 OBP | .428 SLG | 8 HR | 9 SB | 21.9 K% | 8.8 BB%
An aggressive hitter who prioritizes contact over power. A high-ground ball tendency limits his 6’4″ frame’s game power. Concerns remain over his long-term ability to stick at catcher putting even more pressure on his power to develop.
12) Steven Echavarria – SP, 18 YO
2023 Stats:DNP
The Athletics paid well over slot value in the third round to get Echavarria to join the organization instead of attending the University of Florida. The hope is that he can add more velocity to his mid-90s fastball as he continues growing and developing. He mixes in a slider, curveball, and changeup to help keep opposing batters off balance.
13) Brennan Milone– INF, 22 YO
2023 Stats (A/A+): .285 AVG | .398 OBP | .488 SLG | 17 HR | 3 SB | 18.9 K% | 14.8 BB%
Milone has quietly put together two solid seasons since being drafted by Oakland in the sixth round. He comes with a smooth swing, a strong eye, and plus contact skills. He is worth keeping an eye on in points/OBP leagues where his skillset could be valuable if he continues performing in the upper levels of the minor leagues.
14) Brady Basso – SP, 26 YO
2023 Stats (A+/AA): 83.1 IP | 2.42 ERA | 26.3 K% | 6.2 BB%
Basso is now 26 years old and has never thrown more than 63.1 innings in any season. He is a lefty control specialist who has seen his strikeout rate dip with every promotion. He profiles as a back-end starter or multi-inning reliever.
15) Brett Harris – 3B, 25 YO
2023 Stats (AA/AAA): .279 AVG | .383 OBP | .424 SLG | 9 HR | 10 SB | 15.0 K% | 10.8 BB%
Harris has posted strong contract rates throughout his professional career. His speed has continued declining and the power has never fully developed. A contact-oriented third baseman lacks much fantasy appeal which is where Harris finds himself.
The Next Five
Although these prospects do not crack the top 15, dynasty managers should keep their eye on these five players.
Myles Naylor – 18 YO- As much potential as both of his brothers but major concerns with his ability to make enough contact.
Logan Davidson – 26 YO- Utility infielder who does a lot of things okay, but nothing particularly well
Royber Salinas – 22 YO- Carried by a big-time fastball Salinas throws hard with good movement but has little control over any of his pitches.
Lazaro Armenteros – 24 YO- Armenteros has not struck out less than 30% of the time since 2017 putting into question his ability to ever make it to the major leagues
James Gonzalez – 23 YO- Gonzalez’s strikeout rate spiked in 2023 but he will need more control if he ever wants to make it in the major leagues.
Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on X)
Did Soderstrom graduate?
Nice roundup! Typo on Bolte’s OPB/SLG. Looks like his OPB is labeled SLG, and no SLG listed.