Jonathan Joseph

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Oakland Athletics #19 prospect in 2011
  After four years in short-season leagues, Joseph stumbled out of the gate in his first look at low Class A last season. He had a 4.67 ERA for Kane County before he was demoted to short-season Vancouver in June. He righted the ship in his second tour there, and continued to pitch well when he returned to Kane County in August. Joseph has a sleek, athletic frame and can unleash fastballs in the low 90s, touching 95 mph. His curveball is a tight 12-to-6 downer that's a plus pitch when it's on. His changeup shows promise, as he throws it with good arm speed and it has some depth. When Joseph gets in trouble, it's usually the result of command. He has a strike-thrower's mentality and tries to attack the zone, but he spins off in his delivery and has trouble repeating it, affecting his ability to locate his pitches. He's still getting a feel for pitching and learning the best ways to utilize his arsenal. Joseph has the potential to be a mid-rotation starter, but he's 22 and hasn't proven much in a full-season league. He'll get that chance when he moves up to high Class A in 2011.
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  Ranked Oakland Athletics #23 prospect in 2010
  The A's had been developing Joseph as a reliever, but they had him transition to the Vancouver rotation midway through 2009. He didn't put up spectacular numbers, but his stuff is much better than his stats indicate. Joseph features two above-average pitches in his fastball and curveball. The fastball sits at 92-94 mph and can touch 96. It's straight, but he generates good downhill plane from his high three-quarters delivery. Joseph complements his heater with a power curveball at 75-79 mph with 12-to-6 break. His changeup rates behind his other pitches, but he does get good differential between its velocity and his fastball's. Joseph's biggest shortcoming is his command, which he needs to improve on all of his pitches. He does a good job of repeating his delivery and maintaining a consistent arm slot, so he should be able to throw strikes more consistently. He was outstanding in instructional league and was praised for his work ethic, though the language barrier is something he's still overcoming. Joseph will have a chance to earn a spot in the Kane County rotation this spring.