2017 Oakland Athletics Top 10 Prospects Insider
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Talent Infusion: Draft Report Card
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SEASON IN A SENTENCE: With ace Sonny Gray enduring a lost season and the roster enduring an Oakland-record 27 disabled-list stints, the Athletics traded off most of the remaining members of its 2012-14 playoff run and finished in last place in the American League West.
HIGH POINT: Acquired in Febuary for prospects Bubba Derby and Jacob Nottingham, outfielder Khris Davis became the first A’s hitter to reach 40 home runs in a season since Jason Giambi in 2000. He had five multi-homer games, including three on May 17 in an 8-5 win against the Rangers.
LOW POINT: Oakland showed it wasn’t ready for prime time in a six-game road trip in early May to Baltimore and Boston. In the last four games of the 1-5 trip, Oakland gave up 51 runs, including Gray blowing a 4-1 lead and giving up five doubles among his eight hits and seven runs in 3.2 innings. Another low point was the late-August pre-game fight between veterans Danny Valencia and Billy Butler that resulted in Butler having a concussion; he was released less than a month later.
NOTABLE ROOKIES: The A’s relied on veterans early before giving rookies more playing time in the second half. Ryon Healy made the Futures Game in the first half, then hit a 480-foot homer while batting .305/.337/.524 with 13 bombs as the primary third baseman in the second half. Lefty Sean Manaea wound up second on the team in starts and innings pitched after making his debut in late April. Righty Daniel Mengden (2-9, 6.50) had less success in his rookie season.
KEY TRANSACTIONS: The A’s got a strong return for their late-July trade with the Dodgers, sending outfielder Josh Reddick and lefty Rich Hill to L.A. for righthanders Jharel Cotton, Frankie Montas and 2014 first-round pick Grant Holmes. Cotton and Montas should be part of next season’s staff. The A’s also traded Coco Crisp and lefty Marc Rzepczynski in late August, getting prospects back in lefty Colt Hynes and second baseman Max Schrock.
DOWN ON THE FARM: A’s domestic affiliates posted a .488 winning percentage, with Double-A Midland winning the Texas League title with an intriguing playoff roster that included prospects such as Schrock, third baseman Yairo Munoz and 2015 first-rounder Richie Martin at shortstop. Third baseman Matt Chapman, a 2014 first-rounder who spent most of the year at Midland, finished third in the minors with 36 home runs.
OPENING DAY PAYROLL: $86,806,234 (24th)
| BEST TOOLS | |
| Best Hitter for Average | Franklin Barreto |
| Best Power Hitter | Matt Chapman |
| Best Strike-Zone Discipline | Matt Olson |
| Fastest Baserunner | Jeremiah McCray |
| Best Athlete | Lazaro Armenteros |
| Best Fastball | Frankie Montas |
| Best Curveball | Grant Holmes |
| Best Slider | Frankie Montas |
| Best Changeup | Jharel Cotton |
| Best Control | Daniel Gossett |
| Best Defensive Catcher | Sean Murphy |
| Best Defensive Infielder | Matt Chapman |
| Best Infield Arm | Matt Chapman |
| Best Defensive Outfielder | Skye Bolt |
| Best Outfield Arm | Skye Bolt |
| PROJECTED 2020 LINEUP | |
| Catcher | Bruce Maxwell |
| First Base | Ryon Healy |
| Second Base | Marcus Semien |
| Third Base | Matt Chapman |
| Shortstop | Richie Martin |
| Left Field | Khris Davis |
| Center Field | Franklin Barreto |
| Right Field | Matt Olson |
| Designated Hitter | Renato Nunez |
| No. 1 Starter | Sonny Gray |
| No. 2 Starter | Sean Manaea |
| No. 3 Starter | A.J. Puk |
| No. 4 Starter | Grant Holmes |
| No. 5 Starter | Jharel Cotton |
| Closer | Frankie Montas |
| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Travis Buck, of | Did not play |
| 2008 | Daric Barton, 1b | Mexican League |
| 2009 | Brett Anderson, lhp | Dodgers |
| 2010 | Chris Carter, 1b/of | Brewers |
| 2011 | Grant Green, ss | Giants |
| 2012 | Jarrod Parker, rhp | Athletics |
| 2013 | Addison Russell, ss | Cubs |
| 2014 | Addison Russell, ss | Cubs |
| 2015 | Daniel Robertson, ss | Rays |
| 2016 | Franklin Barreto, ss | Athletics |
| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | James Simmons, rhp | Atlantic League |
| 2008 | Jemile Weeks, 2b | Padres |
| 2009 | Grant Green, ss | Giants |
| 2010 | Michael Choice, of | Indians |
| 2011 | Sonny Gray, rhp | Athletics |
| 2012 | Addison Russell, ss | Cubs |
| 2013 | Billy McKinney, of | Yankees |
| 2014 | Matt Chapman, 3b | Athletics |
| 2015 | Richie Martin, ss | Athletics |
| 2016 | A.J. Puk,lhp | Athletics |
| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY | |
| Michael Ynoa, 2008 | $4,250,000 |
| A.J. Puk, 2016 | $4,069,200 |
| Mark Mulder, 1998 | $3,200,000 |
| Grant Green, 2009 | $2,750,000 |
| Addison Russell, 2012 | $2,625,000 |
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