Athletics Top 10 Prospects Chat

Frank (Indianapolis IN): How many of these guys are likely to make your BA 100?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Hi folks, glad to be chatting with y’all today. Barreto for sure and maybe Puk. I’m not sure Chapman fits in there, but he might at the end of the list.

Eric (San Francisco): Did Paul Blackburn get any list love, or was he too late to make it?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’ll be in their top 30 for sure, but there are so many comparable if not better arms, he’s more in the 11-20 range.

Harry (San Diego): Was Max Schrock a candidate for your top ten? Is 2B his home, or could he slide into an OF spot?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not a candidate for that high, but he’ll be in the Handbook for sure. He’s a second baseman and DH. His bat will do the heavy lifting.

Sam (Oakland CA): Matt Olson - prospect or suspect? Future extra 1B, DH or OF?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: It depends of who you talk to. He has power and draws walks and plays a good first base, but the A’s also see a home for him in right field. He’s probably a below average hitter, but his power and ability to get on base should get him to the bigs.

Chad (Oakland CA): Does Logan Shore project as anything more than a #4-5 to you?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: That depends on whether he can make the slider a workable pitch. He has a plus changeup and a good four-seamer, but velocity was down last year. I think he could be a mid-rotation guy if the slider becomes even an average pitch.

Sam (NYC): I am surprised Renato Nunez did not make the top 10 - what is the concern?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He was close to the Top 10, so not so much a concern but rather some other players moving up. That said, the concern is his power is all pull power and he doesn’t make enough contact.

Matt (Baltimore): What are your thoughts on Lazaro Armenteros?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Lazarito just missed the Top 10—he was in there in one iteration. Evaluators dream on his raw skills, but that’s just what they are at this point—very raw. He’s far from the ceiling most project and seemed overwhelmed in instructional league.

Michael Stern (Rochester NY): Are Chapmans high strikeouts and low average going to stall his acsension to Oakland, or is his big power and fielding ability too great of an asset to keep the negatives from having him arrive in Oakland fairly quickly. Thanks for the chat!
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: His power and defense will carry him; high strikeout totals haven’t deterred the A’s in the past and Chapman has too much else going for him; he should slot in at third base when the A’s believe he’s ready.

Michael Stern (Rochester NY): Very surprising to see Montas ranked 5th behind Puk and Cotton. Montas throwing triple digits with a wipeout above average 90 slider would appear to be a top of the rotation starter projectable. Why so low,?Especially below Cotton who you call a back of the rotation starter? Thanks for the chat!
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Because the concerns about whether Frankie’s a starter or reliever are real. His walk rate is a concern and he doesn’t miss as many bats as a starter as he does out of the bullpen. Still, Oakland believes he has all the elements to start and they’ll keep him on that track for now.

Ryan (Detroit): How far down the list is Lazarito?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’s close. He was in the Top 10 at one point. He’s just so raw. In our mind, we’ll have three or four Handbooks in which to rank him down the line.

Dale (SF): Are Renato Nunez and Matt Olson now considered midlin prospects and long shots to make it even as platoon only major leaguers?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not middling prospects, but like all prospects they have some warts. I think because Oakland has some surplus at those corner spots, both players might end up somewhere else.

Dale (SF): If Ryon Healy was only a September call up what would his ranking be? And while we are at it same question for Mengden Thanks!
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I think Healy would have been in the top five, probably right behind Cotton. I am a fan of Mengden; he probably would have rated 10th.

Jason L. (Pleasant Hill, CA): What are the chances the A's hand the Center field job over to Jaycub Brugman? He had an excellent season and is knocking on the door. What is a good comp for him, Mark Kotsay type of player, or more like Brett Gardener?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I don’t know that they’ll hand the job to Brugman, but he is a favorite of the organization. He’s well-rounded, a sound ballplayer with myriad skills. He lacks Gardner’s foot speed, not sure he’ll have even Kotsay’s power, but he’s a grinder.

Jack (San Jose): Would love to know your thoughts on Heath Fillmyer. Success at two levels this season, is there a back of the rotation arm there?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Potentially, yes. Oakland loves what it has in Fillmyer, especially his fresh arm, since he didn’t pitch much as an amateur. He has a cleaner delivery, improved changeup and his fastball touched 96.

Broderick C. (San Ramon, CA): Give us some Sleeper picks for 2017 ? Tyler Marincov, the double A outfielder ? Or Tyler Willman, the rhp in Single A ?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Brandon Bailey, the righthander they drafted from Gonzaga. Not a big guy, but polished, good delivery and projects to have above average command.

Jack (San Jose): What are your thoughts on Jaycob Brugman? The outfield cupboard is pretty bare in the system but might he be able to play a 4th OF role this season?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Yes, I think that’s the role Oakland envisions this season and he could potentially be more, depending on his command of the strike zone.

Trevor (Fremont, CA): Over and Under that RHP Dylan Covey will be selected in next week's Rule 5 Draft? I know his stats and velocity are not elite but some team must have liked what they saw in the Arizona Fall League.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: The oblique injury plays into things, because he missed most of the season, and his Type I diabetes condition is also a factor. I think, ultimately, he won’t get picked.

Pedro (San Fernando, CA): Very surprised not to see RHP Raul Alcantara not sneak into the back end of the Top 10 list. He had some dominant outings in Triple A last year and a cup of coffee with the A's. Does the team very him as a Relief option in 2017?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Potentially. That might have to be his role ultimately if the offspeed stuff does not show more consistency. The home run issues he had last season complicate his role, but he has a dynamic fastball and flashes an above average changeup.

Jack (San Jose): Does Renato Nunez have a future in the organization? Seems like with Healy, Olson, and Chapman at the corners that he might get squeezed out
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: That could happen. The A’s have some shortstop surplus as well as corner position surplus, and because Nunez has the least defensive value of the players named, he might draw the short straw.

Barney Stinson (MacLaren's): Can you shed some light on why Lazarito didn't make the cut? thanks!
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Too raw, basically. He was in one of the initial Top 10 iterations, but he’s so far from reaching his ceiling that, in our opinion, we’ll have enough time to rank him in the next three or four Handbooks.

Barney Stinson (MacLaren's): Do the A's see Montas as a starter or reliever? In what scenario could he open '17 in the rotation? thanks!
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: They see him as a starter, right now. Needs could change that role, but they want to continue to develop him that way. If they trade Sonny Gray, I guess that could open a role for Montas.

Michael (Raleigh NC): Outside the top 10, who are the two Oakland prospect pitchers most likely to succeed as starters? Many thanks for the chat.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Logan Shore and Daulton Jefferies, given good health. Both have solid college pedigrees and good pitch mixes.

Allen (PA): Who is more likely help out first at the MLB level...Logan Shore or Daulton Jefferies?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I’ll say Shore, just because Jefferies’ durability is a question mark. But both were solid college performers who could impact the roster at some point.

Darren (Sacramento, CA): Why wait? Just make Franklin Montas the Closer right now, so that the rest of the Bullpen will fall in line. Doolittle is too injury-prone to hand the job to and Ryan Madson fits better as an 8th Inning setup man. This would also allow Raul Alcantara to stay in the starting rotation.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not sure Alcantara is in the rotation regardless of Francellis Montas’ role (he’s not a Franklin). I get your point, though, but starting pitching is hard to find and Montas has the physicality to do it, so why rush him into a one-inning role?

Michael (Raleigh): The A's were supposedly considering Dalton Jeffries for the 1-6 pick until Puk fell unexpectedly. Yet Jeffries is not in your top 10. Any particular reasons why BA is seemingly less enthused?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not really less enthused, just this is a deep organization. Jefferies’ shoulder was an issue in college and he’s not a particularly large guy, so there’s a concern whether he has the physicality to be a starting pitcher.

Luke (Los Angeles): Why no Matt Olson? Where would he be ranked?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Olson will be further back on the list. Did not rank in the top 10 because he’ll likely be a below average hitter, even though that comes with some good power.

Brian (Detroit): Where does the A's system rank? Upper half or lower half?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Easy enough; upper half.

Josh (Oakland): Curious to see how close Lazarito and Max Schrock. Lazarito is all projection but seems like he has raw tools to be a star. And Schrock seems the opposite; no stand out tools but consistently performs.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Right, true. Lazarito was in the Top 10 initially, so he’ll be in the 11-15 range. Schrock has fans inside and outside the organization, just is limited positionally. But he’s a bat first and should hit his way into a role.

Andrew Hammerle (Full time student): Does Lazarito Armenteros have any chance of cracking the top 10 prospect list for the A's this season?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’s just outside the top 10. At midseason, you mean? Who knows?

K (MA): How close was Max "School Of" Schrock to making the top 10?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not close, really. Too many talented players, especially arms.

Justin (Tucson): After watching Franklin Baretto and Gleyber Torres play in the AFL this year, I saw two players with very similar builds and skills. Although I feel Torres has a slight power advantage. Am I crazy to think there isn't much separating these two prospects?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Well, Gleyber’s clearly the better defender, and has more power. Gleyber’s going to be a top 10 overall prospect; Barreto might be top 50.

Chrs (Chicago): Who is a guy the A's are really high on that surprised you?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Bruce Maxwell and Heath Fillmyer, to name two.

Harper (Boston): Where does Matt Olson rank? Seems to be some divided opinions on him.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’ll be in the 15-25 range, and yes there are differing opinions. One evaluator likened him to Chris Davis of the Orioles, but he doesn’t really have that kind of opposite field power.

Anthony (Washington DC): What is the future of the A's infield? Healy at 1st, Barreto at 2nd, Semien at SS, and Chapman at 3rd? Do Joey Wendle or Chad Pinder play anything other than a utility role?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I could see Richie Martin at shortstop, with Semien in left field or a super utility guy; In that scenario, no I don’t see Pinder or Wendle as anything other than utility, but there’s always an option for a trade.

Aaron (Half Moon Bay?): Ummm, do I have a bad link to the chat ?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: No. It was for today.

Rob (Toronto, ON): Is there enough promise left for Skye Bolt to even make the handbook? Are there any positives?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: It’s a good question. I don’t want to give anything away, but it’ll be close. He’s getting to the point where he needs to have an impact on the field. Positives, oh yeah. He’s the best outfield defender in the organization.

Mitchell Baker (Bloomington, Indiana): How likely is Franklin Barreto to stay at SS instead of moving to 3B? And is a move to 2B also possible?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I think a move to second base is likely, largely because of Matt Chapman’s presence.

Mark (Oakland): I would love to hear your thoughts on 2015's 25th round pick Evan Manarino. In his second season, he pitched in both low- and high-a, and ended the year with an ERA under 2.00.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Yeah, I love Manarino. But he’s a pitchability guy over stuff. Tremendous command, fearless guy. Strike-thrower with great changeup.

JG (SCA): Were either Dakota Chalmers or Casey Meisner in consideration for the top 10?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: No, Chalmers will be in the 15-25 range, but reports on Meisner were not positive.

Mike (Danville, CA): Long-term, where on the diamond does Franklin Barreto play if he makes it to MLB? Can you comment on his fielding skills development?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Second base; I think he could play third as well, but Matt Chapman is a superior defender and profiles better there.

Chris (Chicago): Based on the quality of starting pitching depth alone, are the A's a top 5 MiLB system? Top 10?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I think top 10 is a fair assessment.

Bob Shaw (Winchester Va): Why would the A's consider Chad Pinder to be their utility guy? He was player of the year in double a and the triple a all star rep last year.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Because they have players who are better offensively and defensively at the positions he plays.

PABLO (CANADA): Any thoughts on the potential of Lazaro Armenteros?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Asked and answered, counselor.

Chuck (Aptos, California): What is the floor and the ceiling for AJ Puk, whose projections tend to be all over the place?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Floor is a top-end reliever; Ceiling is a No. 1-2 guy.

Chad (Oakland): How close was Nunez?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’s in the 11-20 range.

Renato (Venezuela): I had a tough year, but I'm crushing it now. Am I doing something different?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: The competition is not as strong in winter ball, but a credit to you for crushing it (nine homers in Venezuela.)

Ryne (Waco, TX): I've heard goood things recently as far as Max Schrock's defense is concerned, what are the chances he becomes an average regular in the majors? The guy can hit.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Have not heard the same regarding defense, but the guy can hit.

Esteban (WPB): Where would Olsen fit if he was eligible?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Matt Olson is eligible, and he’ll be 11-25 range.

Nick (Alameda, CA): Just curious why Pinder was put in the top 10? Thinking that Max Schrock has a bigger potential.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Pinder has a larger skill set; he has more positional value. Schrock is a primarily bat-first player.

Esteban (WPB): Does Yairo have the bat to profile as an everyday corner bat at 3B? Everyday SS?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He could slide to third base, yes. It depends on how the power plays; Left field is certainly an option with his athleticism.

Nick (Alameda, CA): Do you see Bobby Wahl potentially making it to Oakland this year in the closer/set up role?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I could see a bullpen role. Too soon to say closer or setup guy.

Esteban (WPB): Highest upside/ floor for the following: chalmers, shore, Overton, jefferies, Blackburn, covey, meisner?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: I’ll say Jefferies has the highest ceiling and Shore has the highest floor.

Nick (Alameda, CA): Where do you see Evan Manarino landing in the prospect list? 1.98 ERA, 1 HR given up in 150 IP sure looks nice on paper.
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Right, on paper; He’s a decent prospect, but the A’s have a bunch of arms right now that are better. He just lacks the raw stuff of other guys in the organization.

Drew W (NoVA): Do you think Casey Meisner will rebound? Any thoughts on his bad year?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not sure. The report was bad on him; One evalutor said there was nothing remarkable about him, despite his size.

Dean (New York): Will Daniel Gossett be in the rotation this year?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Not sure; there are other candidates who might push ahead of him; but he has declared himself in the mix.

MJN (Michigan): Bobby Wahl; future closer?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Potentially; As one evalutor said, ‘100 (mph) is 100.’ But he needs to learn to keep the ball down and sharpen an offspeed pitch.

Hansford (Mansfield, Tx): How close was Yairo Munoz to making the top 10? Is there still hope he could be a starter someday?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He was close; he’ll be 11-20; Absolutely, he can be a starter; evaluators are concerned about his lack of baseball aptitude. He’s a flashy guy, but not so intuitive.

John (NJ): How far was Dakota Chalmers from the top 10? He seems to have a ton of upside. Thanks!
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: He’s another 11-20 guy; Talented but inconsistent; very introspective, sometimes to his detriment.

Dave (Mpls): How good can Gossett be, what are his strengths, and what does he need to improve?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Massive swing-and-miss rate on his changeup, locating all his pitches better and throws a hard cutter that one evaulator likened to Montas’ cutter. Command will be the biggest improvement.

Rob (Toronto, ON): If Chapman wasn't in the system, could Healy have stuck as an everyday 3b?
Vincent Lara-Cinisomo: Probably. I think so, especially with other first basemen in the system, such as Matt Olson and potentially Renato Nunez. Well, that’s it for me, folks. We’ll have Kyle Glaser chatting about the ever-changing Mariners on Thursday!