Tyler Soderstrom

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #2 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 55/High
  
  Track Record: Oakland has moved Soderstrom assertively since he signed for an above-slot $3.3 million in 2020 on the strength of his amateur hitting prowess. He mostly enjoyed success as he ascended the minors, hitting 29 home runs at three levels in 2022 while reaching Triple-A. He hit a stumbling block in 2023, when he returned to Triple-A Las Vegas and posted an 88 wRC+ in 77 games. Oakland called up Soderstrom, along with Zack Gelof, on July 14. He hit .160 with a 31% strikeout rate in 45 games sandwiched around a return trip to Triple-A in late August.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluators have long coveted Soderstrom’s swing, which is geared for damage to all fields and has become more powerful as he gets older. He led all A’s minor leaguers in 90th percentile exit velocity in 2023 and showed an ability to find the barrel. Soderstrom’s approach did not mature in the same manner. Triple-A pitchers exposed his willingness to expand the strike zone, especially on velocity up in the strike zone. Big leaguers only further exacerbated the issue. The A’s don’t believe Soderstrom has poor pitch recognition, but he hasn’t shown much patience and the struggles compounded as the season progressed, sometimes following him to the field. Soderstrom caught roughly 40% of the time in Oakland. Evaluators were pleasantly surprised with his defense. Some give him a shot at becoming an average receiver with a solid-average arm, but there’s work remaining to get there. He may ultimately settle into a hybrid role, mixing in at catcher, first base and DH.
  
  The Future: The ingredients remain for Soderstrom to become an impact middle-of-the-order of the bat if he can develop the requisite patience after an eye-opening big league debut.
  
  Scouting Grades Hit: 50 | Power: 60 | Run: 40 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Track Record: The Athletics' decision to go above-slot in the 2020 draft to lure Soderstrom away from a UCLA commitment with a $3.3 million signing bonus continues to look like a major coup. Oakland was plenty familiar with Soderstrom, a Northern California product who is the son of Giants 1993 first-rounder Steve Soderstrom. Oakland believed Tyler's bat rivaled some of the best prep hitters to come through its system over the last 30 years, including the likes of Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve. Those parallels seem apt. Soderstrom hit a system-best 29 homers across three levels and he finished with a .267/.324/.501 line. That included a dreadful April with High-A Lansing where Soderstrom hit just .159 and struck out 33% of the time as he contended with a hand injury. Soderstrom eventually turned it around, earning a promotion to Double-A Midland in early August, then ending his season with nine games at Triple-A Las Vegas.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluators are hard-pressed to find holes in Soderstrom's beautiful lefthanded swing. It's geared for damage to all fields, and he accesses his plus raw power as frequently as any hitter in Oakland's system. He posted average exit velocities north of 91 mph in 2022, the second-best mark among all A's minor leaguers, and he has continued to add strength to his frame since turning pro. He also has above-average contact ability and an advanced feel for the barrel. Soderstrom is hard to beat within the strike zone and shows solid pitch-recognition skills. He needs to tighten his plate discipline after more advanced pitchers exploited his aggressive nature. Soderstrom's early-season struggles may have impacted his approach both at the plate and defensively, but the A's believe he displayed a marked improvement in maturity as the season progressed. Soderstrom's bat remains far ahead of his catching. He didn't have much exposure to high-level pitching as an amateur. Evaluators note that he's athletic enough to handle the position and has made strides, especially with his blocking and receiving, but fringe-average catching ability remains a best-case scenario. Soderstrom essentially split time between catcher and first base in 2022. The A's believe he became more comfortable at first base with the additional reps throughout the season. Evaluators have long wondered whether Soderstrom, who has above-average arm strength could handle third base, or perhaps even a corner outfield spot, but Oakland hasn't tried it yet.
  
  
  
  The Future: Soderstrom possesses the ingredients teams seek in a potential middle-of-the-order hitter. A return to Triple-A Las Vegas appears in order, where the A's hope he'll show a more discerning approach. If he does, his bat could force his way to Oakland at some point in 2023, even if his defensive position remains an open question.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: The Athletics closed the 2010s with multiple misfires at the top of the draft, but going over slot to draft Soderstrom No. 26 overall in 2020 looks like quite a reversal of fortune. Oakland had plenty of familiarity with Soderstrom, the son of 1993 Giants first-rounder Steve Soderstrom. He grew up less than two hours from Oakland in Turlock, Calif., and played for the Athletics’ Area Code team. It didn’t take Soderstrom long to impress A’s brass once he turned pro, either. Soderstrom was one of the most impressive hitters at Oakland’s alternate training site in 2020 despite being just 18 years old. He carried that momentum into 2021, impressing in spring training and crushing Low-A West pitching. His 145 wRC+ with Stockton was tied for fifth-best among all hitters with 200 or more plate appearances. An oblique injury prematurely ended Soderstrom’s season in late July, and a flareup of the same injury kept Soderstrom from participating in the Arizona Fall League after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: The chorus of praise surrounding Soderstrom only grew louder in 2021. The 19-year-old posted some of the best average exit velocities of any hitter in Oakland’s system, consistently beating Low-A pitching with a swing and approach some scouts believe could handle big league pitching right now. Soderstrom’s picturesque lefty swing stays in the strike zone for a long time and he’s adept at backspinning the baseball, showing plus raw power to all fields. Soderstrom doesn’t fear long at-bats and shows advanced strike-zone recognition, especially with breaking balls, for his age. There’s the occasional overaggressive swing decisions that come with youth, but scouts feel comfortable projecting all those ingredients will add up to a middle-of-the-order big league bat. Which position Soderstrom ultimately plays when he arrives in the majors remains an open question. Soderstrom never caught full-time as a high schooler and was understandably quite raw in his initial professional foray into catching. While he’s far from a finished product, opposing evaluators were encouraged by the gains Soderstrom made in just a year. He shows a surprising amount of lateral agility despite his bigger, strength-based frame, and his arm flashes above-average at times. Many believe Soderstrom’s blocking and receiving will continue to develop with more in-game reps and he’s shown the necessary willingness to work at it. Soderstrom has shown enough athletic ability to suggest he could handle a corner if Oakland eventually moves him off catcher, potentially in either left field or at first base.
  
  The Future: Soderstrom’s bat is special. He projects to be a potential .300 hitter with 25 or more homers at his peak, and could compete against upper-level pitching in 2022. That will lead to an interesting debate for the A’s. His bat will most likely be ready for the majors long before his glove if he sticks at catcher. The A’s will have to decide if they have the appetite to wait on his defense to develop behind the plate or move him to another position where he could reach the majors more quickly.
  
• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #1 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Soderstrom surged into the top tier of the 2020 draft class after a blistering summer on the showcase circuit. His rise culminated with the Athletics drafting him No. 26 overall and signing him for $3.3 million to forgo a UCLA commitment. It was the second-largest bonus ever given to a prep catcher, behind only No. 1 overall pick Joe Mauer’s $5.1 million from the Twins in 2001. The A’s promptly sent the 18-year-old Soderstrom into a win-now environment at the alternate training site and watched their top pick hit nearly .500 with three home runs in his first week. He continued to dominate at instructional league, where he posted a .441 on-base percentage and earned raves as one of the top hitters in Arizona.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soderstrom is regularly compared with Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve in terms of high school hitters to pass through Oakland’s system, and the A’s believe he has the potential to be better than both. Soderstrom already posts exit velocities as high as 108 mph and has an exceptionally advanced approach that belies his youth. He has the physicality reminiscent of a college pick, but there’s more physical projection to go and it’s easy to envision 30-home run potential with loads of walks and a high OBP. Hardly an all-or-nothing slugger, Soderstrom has a polished lefthanded swing and projects to be a plus hitter. Soderstrom is much less polished defensively behind the plate and mostly succeeded on raw ability as a prep. His skills were tested immediately at the alternate site and he struggled at times, especially blocking and receiving. Still, Soderstrom shows above-average arm strength, solid athleticism and a desire to improve. His father Steve was drafted sixth overall by the Giants in 1993 and pitched one season in the majors. He instilled the work ethic and drive needed to succeed in his son. The A’s labeled Soderstrom a “baseball rat” with a meticulous work ethic and say it’s too early to consider a move off catcher. He quickly gained the respect of veterans at Oakland’s alternate site and picked up a pair of nicknames: “The Kid” and “The GOAT” after his hot start.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soderstrom’s bat is advanced to the point Oakland believes he could jump straight to high Class A in 2021. He’s more likely to begin at low Class A, which would put less stress on his defense. The A’s will give Soderstrom every chance to develop as a catcher, but a future move to a corner infield or outfield spot can’t be ruled out, especially if it allows Soderstrom to jump on a potential fast track to Oakland.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #18 prospect in 2020 draft
  Soderstrom is at the top of a strong 2020 prep catching class (along with Texas catcher Drew Romo) and was one of the biggest risers last summer after a wire-to-wire terrific offensive performance. A 6-foot-2, 190-pound UCLA commit, Soderstrom hit well at a number of big showcase events, including the Area Code Games, showing power potential and a polished lefthanded bat. Almost every scout is excited about the offensive potential he offers, with plus raw power that he gets to frequently in games now, and more physical projection. Defensively, there are more questions. While the consensus on his bat is glowing, almost every evaluator questions his ability to remain behind the plate moving forward. His size is a question, as is his ability to sit behind the plate and be a good receiver. He’ll need to improve his lower-half flexibility, and while his natural arm strength is impressive, he needs to shorten his arm stroke and improve his footwork on throws. Scouts believe Soderstrom has the passion to catch, so some teams could send him out and let him figure it out, while others might be more inclined to let him play third, first or even a corner-outfield spot, where his bat could move quicker and still profile well. There are some similarities with Soderstrom and 2018 Indians first-round pick Bo Naylor (though Naylor had better natural feel to hit at the time) and enough teams seem to like him in the first round that he won’t get to campus in Los Angeles.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked California League #1 prospect in 2021
  Soderstrom separated himself as one of the best pure hitters in Low-A West while showing better than expected defense behind the plate. He ranked fourth in the league with a .957 OPS when he took a foul ball off his collarbone July 23 and missed the rest of the season. When healthy, Soderstrom showed a picturesque lefthanded swing, a sharp eye for the strike zone and the ability to slow the game down. He showcased plus power to all fields and made such hard contact that defenders often took a step back when he came to the plate. “Best hitting prospect in the league,” Fresno manager Robinson Cancel said. “His bat path is really good. His swing looks like a polished swing for his age.” Soderstrom showed enough defensively to hold off a long-predicted move off catcher. He was surprisingly agile for his big frame, kept pitches in the strike zone and showed the hands and arm strength to project potentially average defense with more development.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #28 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #34 prospect in 2023
• Ranked Baseball America's #21 prospect in 2022
• Ranked Baseball America's #92 prospect in 2021

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Track Record: The Athletics' decision to go above-slot in the 2020 draft to lure Soderstrom away from a UCLA commitment with a $3.3 million signing bonus continues to look like a major coup. Oakland was plenty familiar with Soderstrom, a Northern California product who is the son of Giants 1993 first-rounder Steve Soderstrom. Oakland believed Tyler's bat rivaled some of the best prep hitters to come through its system over the last 30 years, including the likes of Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve. Those parallels seem apt. Soderstrom hit a system-best 29 homers across three levels and he finished with a .267/.324/.501 line. That included a dreadful April with High-A Lansing where Soderstrom hit just .159 and struck out 33% of the time as he contended with a hand injury. Soderstrom eventually turned it around, earning a promotion to Double-A Midland in early August, then ending his season with nine games at Triple-A Las Vegas.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluators are hard-pressed to find holes in Soderstrom's beautiful lefthanded swing. It's geared for damage to all fields, and he accesses his plus raw power as frequently as any hitter in Oakland's system. He posted average exit velocities north of 91 mph in 2022, the second-best mark among all A's minor leaguers, and he has continued to add strength to his frame since turning pro. He also has above-average contact ability and an advanced feel for the barrel. Soderstrom is hard to beat within the strike zone and shows solid pitch-recognition skills. He needs to tighten his plate discipline after more advanced pitchers exploited his aggressive nature. Soderstrom's early-season struggles may have impacted his approach both at the plate and defensively, but the A's believe he displayed a marked improvement in maturity as the season progressed. Soderstrom's bat remains far ahead of his catching. He didn't have much exposure to high-level pitching as an amateur. Evaluators note that he's athletic enough to handle the position and has made strides, especially with his blocking and receiving, but fringe-average catching ability remains a best-case scenario. Soderstrom essentially split time between catcher and first base in 2022. The A's believe he became more comfortable at first base with the additional reps throughout the season. Evaluators have long wondered whether Soderstrom, who has above-average arm strength could handle third base, or perhaps even a corner outfield spot, but Oakland hasn't tried it yet.
  
  
  
  The Future: Soderstrom possesses the ingredients teams seek in a potential middle-of-the-order hitter. A return to Triple-A Las Vegas appears in order, where the A's hope he'll show a more discerning approach. If he does, his bat could force his way to Oakland at some point in 2023, even if his defensive position remains an open question.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 60/High
  
  Track Record: The Athletics' decision to go above-slot in the 2020 draft to lure Soderstrom away from a UCLA commitment with a $3.3 million signing bonus continues to look like a major coup. Oakland was plenty familiar with Soderstrom, a Northern California product who is the son of Giants 1993 first-rounder Steve Soderstrom. Oakland believed Tyler's bat rivaled some of the best prep hitters to come through its system over the last 30 years, including the likes of Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve. Those parallels seem apt. Soderstrom hit a system-best 29 homers across three levels and he finished with a .267/.324/.501 line. That included a dreadful April with High-A Lansing where Soderstrom hit just .159 and struck out 33% of the time as he contended with a hand injury. Soderstrom eventually turned it around, earning a promotion to Double-A Midland in early August, then ending his season with nine games at Triple-A Las Vegas.
  
  Scouting Report: Evaluators are hard-pressed to find holes in Soderstrom's beautiful lefthanded swing. It's geared for damage to all fields, and he accesses his plus raw power as frequently as any hitter in Oakland's system. He posted average exit velocities north of 91 mph in 2022, the second-best mark among all A's minor leaguers, and he has continued to add strength to his frame since turning pro. He also has above-average contact ability and an advanced feel for the barrel. Soderstrom is hard to beat within the strike zone and shows solid pitch-recognition skills. He needs to tighten his plate discipline after more advanced pitchers exploited his aggressive nature. Soderstrom's early-season struggles may have impacted his approach both at the plate and defensively, but the A's believe he displayed a marked improvement in maturity as the season progressed. Soderstrom's bat remains far ahead of his catching. He didn't have much exposure to high-level pitching as an amateur. Evaluators note that he's athletic enough to handle the position and has made strides, especially with his blocking and receiving, but fringe-average catching ability remains a best-case scenario. Soderstrom essentially split time between catcher and first base in 2022. The A's believe he became more comfortable at first base with the additional reps throughout the season. Evaluators have long wondered whether Soderstrom, who has above-average arm strength could handle third base, or perhaps even a corner outfield spot, but Oakland hasn't tried it yet.
  
  
  
  The Future: Soderstrom possesses the ingredients teams seek in a potential middle-of-the-order hitter. A return to Triple-A Las Vegas appears in order, where the A's hope he'll show a more discerning approach. If he does, his bat could force his way to Oakland at some point in 2023, even if his defensive position remains an open question.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 55/High
  
  Track Record: The Athletics closed the 2010s with multiple misfires at the top of the draft, but going over slot to draft Soderstrom No. 26 overall in 2020 looks like quite a reversal of fortune. Oakland had plenty of familiarity with Soderstrom, the son of 1993 Giants first-rounder Steve Soderstrom. He grew up less than two hours from Oakland in Turlock, Calif., and played for the Athletics&#39 Area Code team. It didn&#39t take Soderstrom long to impress A&#39s brass once he turned pro, either. Soderstrom was one of the most impressive hitters at Oakland&#39s alternate training site in 2020 despite being just 18 years old. He carried that momentum into 2021, impressing in spring training and crushing Low-A West pitching. His 145 wRC+ with Stockton was tied for fifth-best among all hitters with 200 or more plate appearances. An oblique injury prematurely ended Soderstrom&#39s season in late July, and a flareup of the same injury kept Soderstrom from participating in the Arizona Fall League after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: The chorus of praise surrounding Soderstrom only grew louder in 2021. The 19-year-old posted some of the best average exit velocities of any hitter in Oakland&#39s system, consistently beating Low-A pitching with a swing and approach some scouts believe could handle big league pitching right now. Soderstrom&#39s picturesque lefty swing stays in the strike zone for a long time and he&#39s adept at backspinning the baseball, showing plus raw power to all fields. Soderstrom doesn&#39t fear long at-bats and shows advanced strike-zone recognition, especially with breaking balls, for his age. There&#39s the occasional overaggressive swing decisions that come with youth, but scouts feel comfortable projecting all those ingredients will add up to a middle-of-the-order big league bat. Which position Soderstrom ultimately plays when he arrives in the majors remains an open question. Soderstrom never caught full-time as a high schooler and was understandably quite raw in his initial professional foray into catching. While he&#39s far from a finished product, opposing evaluators were encouraged by the gains Soderstrom made in just a year. He shows a surprising amount of lateral agility despite his bigger, strength-based frame, and his arm flashes above-average at times. Many believe Soderstrom&#39s blocking and receiving will continue to develop with more in-game reps and he&#39s shown the necessary willingness to work at it. Soderstrom has shown enough athletic ability to suggest he could handle a corner if Oakland eventually moves him off catcher, potentially in either left field or at first base.
  
  The Future: Soderstrom&#39s bat is special. He projects to be a potential .300 hitter with 25 or more homers at his peak, and could compete against upper-level pitching in 2022. That will lead to an interesting debate for the A&#39s. His bat will most likely be ready for the majors long before his glove if he sticks at catcher. The A&#39s will have to decide if they have the appetite to wait on his defense to develop behind the plate or move him to another position where he could reach the majors more quickly.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: The Athletics closed the 2010s with multiple misfires at the top of the draft, but going over slot to draft Soderstrom No. 26 overall in 2020 looks like quite a reversal of fortune. Oakland had plenty of familiarity with Soderstrom, the son of 1993 Giants first-rounder Steve Soderstrom. He grew up less than two hours from Oakland in Turlock, Calif., and played for the Athletics’ Area Code team. It didn’t take Soderstrom long to impress A’s brass once he turned pro, either. Soderstrom was one of the most impressive hitters at Oakland’s alternate training site in 2020 despite being just 18 years old. He carried that momentum into 2021, impressing in spring training and crushing Low-A West pitching. His 145 wRC+ with Stockton was tied for fifth-best among all hitters with 200 or more plate appearances. An oblique injury prematurely ended Soderstrom’s season in late July, and a flareup of the same injury kept Soderstrom from participating in the Arizona Fall League after the season.
  
  Scouting Report: The chorus of praise surrounding Soderstrom only grew louder in 2021. The 19-year-old posted some of the best average exit velocities of any hitter in Oakland’s system, consistently beating Low-A pitching with a swing and approach some scouts believe could handle big league pitching right now. Soderstrom’s picturesque lefty swing stays in the strike zone for a long time and he’s adept at backspinning the baseball, showing plus raw power to all fields. Soderstrom doesn’t fear long at-bats and shows advanced strike-zone recognition, especially with breaking balls, for his age. There’s the occasional overaggressive swing decisions that come with youth, but scouts feel comfortable projecting all those ingredients will add up to a middle-of-the-order big league bat. Which position Soderstrom ultimately plays when he arrives in the majors remains an open question. Soderstrom never caught full-time as a high schooler and was understandably quite raw in his initial professional foray into catching. While he’s far from a finished product, opposing evaluators were encouraged by the gains Soderstrom made in just a year. He shows a surprising amount of lateral agility despite his bigger, strength-based frame, and his arm flashes above-average at times. Many believe Soderstrom’s blocking and receiving will continue to develop with more in-game reps and he’s shown the necessary willingness to work at it. Soderstrom has shown enough athletic ability to suggest he could handle a corner if Oakland eventually moves him off catcher, potentially in either left field or at first base.
  
  The Future: Soderstrom’s bat is special. He projects to be a potential .300 hitter with 25 or more homers at his peak, and could compete against upper-level pitching in 2022. That will lead to an interesting debate for the A’s. His bat will most likely be ready for the majors long before his glove if he sticks at catcher. The A’s will have to decide if they have the appetite to wait on his defense to develop behind the plate or move him to another position where he could reach the majors more quickly.
  
• October, 2021 Scouting Report
  Soderstrom separated himself as one of the best pure hitters in Low-A West while showing better than expected defense behind the plate. He ranked fourth in the league with a .957 OPS when he took a foul ball off his collarbone July 23 and missed the rest of the season. When healthy, Soderstrom showed a picturesque lefthanded swing, a sharp eye for the strike zone and the ability to slow the game down. He showcased plus power to all fields and made such hard contact that defenders often took a step back when he came to the plate. “Best hitting prospect in the league,” Fresno manager Robinson Cancel said. “His bat path is really good. His swing looks like a polished swing for his age.” Soderstrom showed enough defensively to hold off a long-predicted move off catcher. He was surprisingly agile for his big frame, kept pitches in the strike zone and showed the hands and arm strength to project potentially average defense with more development.
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Soderstrom surged into the top tier of the 2020 draft class after a blistering summer on the showcase circuit. His rise culminated with the Athletics drafting him No. 26 overall and signing him for $3.3 million to forgo a UCLA commitment. It was the second-largest bonus ever given to a prep catcher, behind only No. 1 overall pick Joe Mauer's $5.1 million from the Twins in 2001. The A's promptly sent the 18-year-old Soderstrom into a win-now environment at the alternate training site and watched their top pick hit nearly .500 with three home runs in his first week. He continued to dominate at instructional league, where he posted a .441 on-base percentage and earned raves as one of the top hitters in Arizona.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soderstrom is regularly compared with Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve in terms of high school hitters to pass through Oakland's system, and the A's believe he has the potential to be better than both. Soderstrom already posts exit velocities as high as 108 mph and has an exceptionally advanced approach that belies his youth. He has the physicality reminiscent of a college pick, but there's more physical projection to go and it's easy to envision 30-home run potential with loads of walks and a high OBP. Hardly an all-or-nothing slugger, Soderstrom has a polished lefthanded swing and projects to be a plus hitter. Soderstrom is much less polished defensively behind the plate and mostly succeeded on raw ability as a prep. His skills were tested immediately at the alternate site and he struggled at times, especially blocking and receiving. Still, Soderstrom shows above-average arm strength, solid athleticism and a desire to improve. His father Steve was drafted sixth overall by the Giants in 1993 and pitched one season in the majors. He instilled the work ethic and drive needed to succeed in his son. The A's labeled Soderstrom a “baseball rat” with a meticulous work ethic and say it's too early to consider a move off catcher. He quickly gained the respect of veterans at Oakland's alternate site and picked up a pair of nicknames: “The Kid” and “The GOAT” after his hot start.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soderstrom's bat is advanced to the point Oakland believes he could jump straight to high Class A in 2021. He's more likely to begin at low Class A, which would put less stress on his defense. The A's will give Soderstrom every chance to develop as a catcher, but a future move to a corner infield or outfield spot can't be ruled out, especially if it allows Soderstrom to jump on a potential fast track to Oakland.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Soderstrom surged into the top tier of the 2020 draft class after a blistering summer on the showcase circuit. His rise culminated with the Athletics drafting him No. 26 overall and signing him for $3.3 million to forgo a UCLA commitment. It was the second-largest bonus ever given to a prep catcher, behind only No. 1 overall pick Joe Mauer’s $5.1 million from the Twins in 2001. The A’s promptly sent the 18-year-old Soderstrom into a win-now environment at the alternate training site and watched their top pick hit nearly .500 with three home runs in his first week. He continued to dominate at instructional league, where he posted a .441 on-base percentage and earned raves as one of the top hitters in Arizona.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soderstrom is regularly compared with Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve in terms of high school hitters to pass through Oakland’s system, and the A’s believe he has the potential to be better than both. Soderstrom already posts exit velocities as high as 108 mph and has an exceptionally advanced approach that belies his youth. He has the physicality reminiscent of a college pick, but there’s more physical projection to go and it’s easy to envision 30-home run potential with loads of walks and a high OBP. Hardly an all-or-nothing slugger, Soderstrom has a polished lefthanded swing and projects to be a plus hitter. Soderstrom is much less polished defensively behind the plate and mostly succeeded on raw ability as a prep. His skills were tested immediately at the alternate site and he struggled at times, especially blocking and receiving. Still, Soderstrom shows above-average arm strength, solid athleticism and a desire to improve. His father Steve was drafted sixth overall by the Giants in 1993 and pitched one season in the majors. He instilled the work ethic and drive needed to succeed in his son. The A’s labeled Soderstrom a “baseball rat” with a meticulous work ethic and say it’s too early to consider a move off catcher. He quickly gained the respect of veterans at Oakland’s alternate site and picked up a pair of nicknames: “The Kid” and “The GOAT” after his hot start.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soderstrom’s bat is advanced to the point Oakland believes he could jump straight to high Class A in 2021. He’s more likely to begin at low Class A, which would put less stress on his defense. The A’s will give Soderstrom every chance to develop as a catcher, but a future move to a corner infield or outfield spot can’t be ruled out, especially if it allows Soderstrom to jump on a potential fast track to Oakland.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 60. Power: 60. Running: 40. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Soderstrom surged into the top tier of the 2020 draft class after a blistering summer on the showcase circuit. His rise culminated with the Athletics drafting him No. 26 overall and signing him for $3.3 million to forgo a UCLA commitment. It was the second-largest bonus ever given to a prep catcher, behind only No. 1 overall pick Joe Mauer’s $5.1 million from the Twins in 2001. The A’s promptly sent the 18-year-old Soderstrom into a win-now environment at the alternate training site and watched their top pick hit nearly .500 with three home runs in his first week. He continued to dominate at instructional league, where he posted a .441 on-base percentage and earned raves as one of the top hitters in Arizona.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Soderstrom is regularly compared with Eric Chavez and Ben Grieve in terms of high school hitters to pass through Oakland’s system, and the A’s believe he has the potential to be better than both. Soderstrom already posts exit velocities as high as 108 mph and has an exceptionally advanced approach that belies his youth. He has the physicality reminiscent of a college pick, but there’s more physical projection to go and it’s easy to envision 30-home run potential with loads of walks and a high OBP. Hardly an all-or-nothing slugger, Soderstrom has a polished lefthanded swing and projects to be a plus hitter. Soderstrom is much less polished defensively behind the plate and mostly succeeded on raw ability as a prep. His skills were tested immediately at the alternate site and he struggled at times, especially blocking and receiving. Still, Soderstrom shows above-average arm strength, solid athleticism and a desire to improve. His father Steve was drafted sixth overall by the Giants in 1993 and pitched one season in the majors. He instilled the work ethic and drive needed to succeed in his son. The A’s labeled Soderstrom a “baseball rat” with a meticulous work ethic and say it’s too early to consider a move off catcher. He quickly gained the respect of veterans at Oakland’s alternate site and picked up a pair of nicknames: “The Kid” and “The GOAT” after his hot start.
  
  THE FUTURE: Soderstrom’s bat is advanced to the point Oakland believes he could jump straight to high Class A in 2021. He’s more likely to begin at low Class A, which would put less stress on his defense. The A’s will give Soderstrom every chance to develop as a catcher, but a future move to a corner infield or outfield spot can’t be ruled out, especially if it allows Soderstrom to jump on a potential fast track to Oakland.