Oakland Athletics Top 10 Prospects
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| TOP 10 PROSPECTS | |
| 1. Franklin Barreto, ss | |
| 2. Sean Manaea, lhp | |
| 3. Matt Chapman, 3b | |
| 4. Renato Nunez, 3b/1b | |
| 5. Richie Martin, ss | |
| 6. Matt Olson, 1b/of | |
| 7. Chad Pinder, ss/2b | |
| 8. Dillon Overton, lhp | |
| 9. Casey Meisner, rhp | |
| 10. Yairo Munoz, ss | |
The Athletics’ latest attempt at a roster makeover fell flat in its first season, but the good news is that help is on the horizon.
Coming off three straight early playoff exits, punctuated by an epic collapse at the end of 2014, general manager Billy Beane blew things up. The A’s made seven trades during the 2014-15 offseason, most of them exchanging veterans for prospects.
Stalwarts like Josh Donaldson, Brandon Moss and Derek Norris headed out the door. Donaldson’s loss proved the most painful, as the third baseman’s stardom reached new heights after he was dealt to Toronto, where he won the American League MVP award and helped the Blue Jays reach the AL Championship Series.
Meanwhile, the A’s trudged through a 68-win season, the worst record in the AL and the worst of Beane’s tenure as GM. Oakland made five more most veteran-for-prospect trades during the season, most notably sending Tyler Clippard and Ben Zobrist to eventual World Series participants the Mets and Royals, respectively.
With all the comings and goings among prospects, the A’s farm system made little imprint on the season. Just five players who suited up for Oakland in 2015 were fully homegrown, although 2011 first-rounder Sonny Gray proved one of the season’s few bright spots as he blossomed into a first-time all-star.
The homegrown ranks should start growing before long. The heart of Oakland’s system formed the core of players who led Double-A Midland to the 2015 Texas League championship, headlined by lefthanders Sean Manaea and Dillon Overton, corner infielders Matt Olson and Renato Nunez and shortstop Chad Pinder. All of them rank among the system’s top 10 prospects and will start at Triple-A Nashville in 2016, just a phone call away from the majors.
Still, the future is always in motion for the A’s, as Beane has proven no prospect is untouchable. Just three of the organization’s last 10 first-round picks are still A’s. Beane’s wheeling and dealing is felt throughout the system, where its top two prospects, Manaea and shortstop Franklin Barreto, and six of its top 15 were all acquired in trades. Beane didn’t wait around after the season to start dealing again, sending Brett Lawrie—a big part of the return for Donaldson—to the White Sox for a pair of pitching prospects.
More meaningful changes are afoot as the A’s will break in new hitting and pitching coordinators in 2016. Greg Sparks (hitting) and Garvin Alston (pitching) left after the season to join the big league coaching staffs of the White Sox and Diamondbacks, respectively.
Jim Eppard comes over after 13 seasons working for the Angels to take over as the new hitting coordinator. The A’s found a familiar face to take the reins as their new pitching coordinator when Gil Patterson returned for his third stint in the organization. Patterson returns to his old post, having previously served as Oakland’s pitching coordinator from 2008-12 before leaving to join the Yankees.
Last Year’s Athletics Top 10 Prospects
1. Franklin Barreto, ss
| SCOUTING GRADES Batting: 60 Power: 50 Speed: 55 Defense: 50 Arm: 50 Based on 20-80 scouting scale—where 50 represents major league average—and future projection rather than present tools. |
Born: Feb. 27, 1996. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 5-9. Wt.: 175. Signed: Venezuela, 2012. Signed by: Ismael Cruz/Luis Marquez (Blue Jays).
| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2015 Org. |
| 2006 | Daric Barton, 1b | Blue Jays |
| 2007 | Travis Buck, of | Did not play |
| 2008 | Daric Barton, 1b | Blue Jays |
| 2009 | Brett Anderson, lhp | Dodgers |
| 2010 | Chris Carter, 1b/of | Astros |
| 2011 | Grant Green, ss | Angels |
| 2012 | Jarrod Parker, rhp | Athletics |
| 2013 | Addison Russell, ss | Cubs |
| 2014 | Addison Russell, ss | Cubs |
| 2015 | Daniel Robertson, ss | Rays |
Background: Barreto is accustomed to performing in the spotlight. He played for Venezuelan national teams regularly as an amateur and won MVP awards at the 12-and-under Pan American championships in 2008 and the 14U Pan Ams in 2010. The Athletics began scouting him at age 14, and several teams regarded him as the top prospect in the 2012 international amateur class before he eventually signed with the Blue Jays for $1.45 million. That spotlight will burn even brighter given the trade that brought him to the organization. The biggest move in Oakland’s latest rebuilding project came in November 2014, when the A’s traded Josh Donaldson to the Blue Jays for four players: third baseman Brett Lawrie, righthander Kendall Graveman, lefty Sean Nolin and Barreto. While A’s fans had to watch Donaldson win the American League MVP award, Lawrie underperformed before getting traded again, and Graveman and Nolin battled injuries. That left Barreto, who more than held his own after skipping a level, to play at high Class A Stockton as a 19-year-old. He dealt with a wrist injury of his own in July but returned in time to help Stockton reach the California League playoffs.
Scouting Report: Barreto can do some of everything, offensively. Multiple observers compared him with former Braves shortstop Rafael Furcal, given his 5-foot-9 frame, explosiveness and fast-twitch athleticism. He has loose hands at the plate, allowing him to wait back on balls and still hit them from line to line. His swing does have some moving parts, and Cal League pitchers exploited him on the inner half in the early portion of the season, but he worked to shorten his swing and handled those pitches by the end of the year. Barreto has the physicality and particularly the strength in his wrists to hit for solid-average power, and his 13 homers in 90 games in 2015 were more than he hit in two years of short-season ball combined. While Barreto makes plenty of contact, the A’s want him to be more selective, as drew just 15 walks all last season. He’s not a lock to stick at shortstop, but the A’s feel optimistic about his chances. His arm is the biggest potential stumbling block because it’s solid but not spectacular. He committed 34 errors (.911 fielding percentage) to lead all Cal League shortstops in 2015. The A’s went back to basics in terms of giving him fundamental instruction so he can handle routine plays more consistently. He had a tendency to rush himself too much, and the A’s tweaked his throwing mechanics as well. He has good range and instincts for the position, and his footwork improved. Despite his youth, his body is already fairly mature and doesn’t involve much projection.
The Future: Barreto’s bat would have the most value at shortstop, but he can still be an impact player even if he does have to slide across to second base. He also played center field for Zulia in the Venezuelan League. Barreto has the highest ceiling among the system’s shortstops, and he will play at Double-A Midland as a 20-year-old in 2016.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Stockton (Hi A) | .302 | .333 | .500 | 338 | 50 | 102 | 22 | 3 | 13 | 47 | 15 | 67 | 8 |
2. Sean Manaea, lhp
Born: Feb. 1, 1992. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 235. Drafted: Indiana State, 2013 (1st round supp). Signed by: Jason Bryans (Royals). Video
Background: Manaea bounced back from an abdominal strain that had kept him out of the first half of the year and pitched well at Double-A Midland after coming over from the Royals, including a dominant 13-strikeout performance in his last regular-season outing.
Scouting Report: A big, power lefthander, his fastball sits at 92-93 mph, but he can reach back for as much as 98. He also can vary the velocity on his slurvy slider, which looks like a plus pitch at times but needs more consistency. He worked hard to improve his changeup both before and after the trade. The A’s kept experimenting with his changeup grips, and he threw some nice sinking changes in the Arizona Fall League. Manaea’s delivery is fairly clean, but the A’s worked to give him a better rhythm to his motion and a more consistent finish. Scouts worried about his command during the season, but he showed improvement in the fall.
The Future: Manaea has a frontline arm but needs to get through a season healthy. Injuries might be the biggest knock on him, dating back to when he needed hip surgery coming out of college. He’ll go back to Midland or Triple-A Nashville to open 2016, but a big league look might not be far off.
| 2015 Club (Class) | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SV | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | AVG |
| Wilmington (Hi A) | 1 | 0 | 3.66 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 22 | .297 |
| NW Arkansas (AA) | 0 | 1 | 5.14 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 11 | .310 |
| Midland (AA) | 6 | 0 | 1.90 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 34 | 3 | 15 | 51 | .218 |
3. Matt Chapman, 3b
Born: April 28, 1993. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 205. Drafted: Cal State Fullerton, 2014 (1st round). Signed by: Eric Martins. Video
| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2015 Org. |
| 2006 | Trevor Cahill, rhp (2nd round) | Cubs |
| 2007 | James Simmons, rhp | Nationals |
| 2008 | Jemile Weeks, 2b | Red Sox |
| 2009 | Grant Green, ss | Angels |
| 2010 | Michael Choice, of | Indians |
| 2011 | Sonny Gray, rhp | Athletics |
| 2012 | Addison Russell, ss | Cubs |
| 2013 | Billy McKinney, of | Cubs |
| 2014 | Matt Chapman, 3b | Athletics |
| 2015 | Richie Martin, ss | Athletics |
Background: Injuries plagued Chapman’s first full season as a pro, which ended with him needing wrist surgery, but he tore up the high Class A California League when healthy. Despite being limited to 80 games, Chapman led Stockton with 23 homers, nearly doubling the 13 he hit over three seasons at Cal State Fullerton, where he was the 25th overall pick in the 2014 draft and signed for $1.75 million.
Scouting Report: Chapman came into pro ball with a gap-to-gap hitting approach. He has learned to drive balls with more regularity and can still go to right-center field when he needs to. He should continue to be an annual 20-25 homer threat at higher levels. Although he’s not an undisciplined hitter, the A’s would like him to be more selective to give him a better chance to hit for average. Some moving parts in his swing don’t help, either. Chapman shines on defense, where he can range well to either side and has a plus throwing arm. He makes his share of errors—19 last season—as he’ll sometimes try to throw rockets when he doesn’t need to and can get careless on routine plays, but the tools are there for him to be a top-flight defensive third baseman.
The Future: Chapman’s surgery was done early enough that he should be good to go for spring training and then an assignment to Double-A Midland. The A’s traded Brett Lawrie in December, clearing the way for Chapman to take over at third base in 2017 at the latest.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Stockton (Hi A) | .250 | .341 | .566 | 304 | 60 | 76 | 21 | 3 | 23 | 57 | 39 | 79 | 4 |
4. Renato Nunez, 3b/1b
Born: April 4, 1994. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 200. Signed: Venezuela, 2010. Signed by: Julio Franco. Video
Background: A prized $2.2 million signee out of the 2010 international class, Nunez has made steady progress up the ladder. A calf injury from spring training shelved him for the month of April last season, yet he still finished as Double-A Midland’s leading home run hitter with 18 in 93 games, just edging out running mate Matt Olson.
Scouting Report: Like Olson, Nunez has power as his meal ticket. Though most of his pop goes to his pull side, he nonetheless can hit balls as far as anyone. At the same time, the quality of his at-bats has improved markedly. Though he still doesn’t draw a ton of walks, he struck out just 16 percent of the time in 2015, compared to 25 percent at low Class A in 2013. He can be a dead red hitter at times and takes an attacking mentality to the plate, but he has learned to dial back his approach with two strikes and gotten better about waiting for a pitch to hit. He’ll never be known for his defense, but improvements in his footwork and technique have at least made him a serviceable third baseman, though making consistently accurate throws remains an issue.
The Future: With Matt Chapman coming up a level behind him, a full-time move to first base, where he already splits time, may be in Nunez’s future regardless. He’ll team up with Olson again at Triple-A Nashville in 2016.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Midland (AA) | .278 | .332 | .480 | 381 | 62 | 106 | 23 | 0 | 18 | 61 | 28 | 66 | 1 |
5. Richie Martin, ss
Born: Dec. 22, 1994. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-0. Wt.: 192. Drafted: Florida, 2015 (1st round). Signed by: Trevor Schaffer. Video
| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY | ||
| Michael Ynoa, 2008 | $4,250,000 | |
| Mark Mulder, 1998 | $3,200,000 | |
| Grant Green, 2009 | $2,750,000 | |
| Addison Russell, 2012 | $2,625,000 | |
| Renato Nunez, 2010 | $2,200,000 | |
Background: Martin played somewhat in the shadows of fellow Southeastern Conference shortstops Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson while he was at Florida, but he nonetheless joined them as a 2015 first-round pick, going 20th overall to the Athletics and signing for a below-slot $1.95 million.
Scouting Report: Martin’s defense is his calling card right now. He’s a pure athlete with tremendous range and agility at shortstop, and he plays the position with some flair as well. He can rush himself on defense at times, but scouts noted he did a better job of not forcing things in 2015. His arm is strong enough albeit not a cannon. All this isn’t to say he doesn’t have offensive upside as well, but his bat isn’t as polished. He can be a little rigid at the plate and the A’s have worked to give him more rhythm, but he has the makings of a line-drive hitting, top-of-the-order player. His game won’t be predicated on home runs, but he does have enough strength to pop some balls out. The A’s like his makeup and work ethic, and he’s gotten better at controlling the zone and hitting balls the other way.
The Future: Martin was young for his draft class, just turning 21 in December, so there’s more projection involved with him than most college juniors. He’ll likely ease into full-season ball at low Class A Beloit in 2016.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Vermont (SS) | .237 | .353 | .342 | 190 | 31 | 45 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 25 | 47 | 7 |
6. Matt Olson, 1b/of
Born: March 29, 1994. B-T: L-R. Ht.: 6-5. Wt.: 230. Drafted: HS—Lilburn, Ga., 2012 (1st round supp). Signed by: Matt Ranson.
Background: With Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson since traded, Olson is the last man standing of the three blue-chip high schoolers the Athletics took at the top of their 2012 draft class. He’s lived up to his billing as a power bat, as no one in the system has more homers over the last three seasons than Olson’s 77. The tough hitting environment in Double-A Midland dragged down his numbers last season, but he hit .281/.394/.485 with nine homers in the second half.
Scouting Report: Olson’s offensive profile comes straight out of the Moneyball era—he’ll hit home runs and draw walks. He worked to hit more line drives and go the other way more often in order to survive in Midland, but ultimately his plus raw power remains his carrying tool. He’s as disciplined as any hitter in the organization, finishing second in the minors in walks in 2015. The A’s wouldn’t mind him being more aggressive to give him a chance to raise his average, but there are holes in his swing and he’ll still swing and miss in the zone. He’s a standout defender at first base and plays passable defense in right field, splitting his time between the two positions. He’s not a flashy outfielder, but he’s got enough arm strength and a quick release on his throws.
The Future: Given the organization’s glut of corner infield prospects, it would be beneficial to all parties if he can make a go of it in right field. He’ll take on Triple-A Nashville in 2016.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Midland (AA) | .249 | .388 | .438 | 466 | 82 | 116 | 37 | 0 | 17 | 75 | 105 | 139 | 5 |
7. Chad Pinder, ss/2b
Born: March 29, 1992. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 190. Drafted: Virginia Tech, 2013 (2nd round supp). Signed by: Neil Avent. Video
| BEST TOOLS | ||
| Best Hitter for Average | Franklin Barreto | |
| Best Power Hitter | Matt Olson | |
| Best Strike-Zone Discipline | Matt Olson | |
| Fastest Baserunner | Skye Bolt | |
| Best Athlete | Richie Martin | |
| Best Fastball | Sean Manaea | |
| Best Curveball | Dylan Covey | |
| Best Slider | Sean Manaea | |
| Best Changeup | Casey Meisner | |
| Best Control | Dillon Overton | |
| Best Defensive Catcher | Iolana Akau | |
| Best Defensive Infielder | Richie Martin | |
| Best Infield Arm | Matt Chapman | |
| Best Defensive Outfielder | Skye Bolt | |
| Best Outfield Arm | Skye Bolt | |
Background: Pinder hit over better than .300 in all three of his seasons at Virginia Tech and hasn’t slowed down against professional pitchers since being the No. 71 overall pick in 2013. He was the Double-A Texas League’s player of the year in 2015 after finishing second in the league in both average (.317) and slugging (.486) and leading it in RBIs (86), despite the inhospitable hitting environment in Midland.
Scouting Report: Once bound for a career at second base, Pinder’s career path changed with the trades of Addison Russell and Daniel Robertson, allowing him to serve as the everyday shortstop at Midland. The organization came away encouraged at how he handled the role, showing fluid actions and good body control. His throwing motion can be a little upright but his arm is strong enough for the position, and his instincts help him compensate for a lack of above-average range. While hitting for power won’t be his forte, he’s learned to pull more balls, which should help, and he’s able to impart backspin. He’s an intelligent hitter who can handle any kind of pitch, although the A’s would like to rein in his aggression at least a touch.
The Future: Pinder, who will move up to Triple-A Nashville in 2016, draws comparisons to Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy. He could reach the majors at shortstop in the near future, but if he does have to move, he has prior experience at second and third base.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Midland (AA) | .317 | .361 | .486 | 477 | 71 | 151 | 32 | 2 | 15 | 86 | 28 | 103 | 7 |
8. Dillon Overton, lhp
Born: Aug. 17, 1991. B-T: L-L. Ht.: 6-2. Wt.: 172. Drafted: Oklahoma, 2013 (2nd round). Signed by: Yancy Ayres.
Background: One of the premier college arms leading into the 2013 draft, Overton had Tommy John surgery after signing with Oakland that summer. Now two years removed from the operation, Overton made it unscathed through his first full minor league season in 2015, reaching Double-A Midland. He was at his best late, reeling off a 19-inning shutout streak over his final four starts in August.
Scouting Report: The A’s still hold out some hope Overton can regain more of the mid-90s velocity he had at Oklahoma, but he works 87-90 now. He touched 91 mph late in the season. Learning to pitch without his old heater, Overton has developed excellent command and feel. He throws across his body, which doesn’t look picturesque but gives him some deception. His fastball comes in with armside run and his fading changeup has become his best secondary weapon. He spots his curveball to both sides of the plate and varies its shape as well. The A’s would like to see him add some bulk to his wiry frame, but he hasn’t kept any weight on so far.
The Future: The A’s consider Overton close to a finished product, with how much velocity he ends up with the only real remaining X-factor. If he can get into the low 90s consistently, he could at least be a mid-rotation starter. Otherwise, he’s a finesse, back-of-the-rotation lefty.
| 2015 Club (Class) | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SV | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | AVG |
| Stockton (Hi A) | 2 | 4 | 3.82 | 14 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 61 | 62 | 7 | 12 | 59 | .270 |
| Midland (AA) | 5 | 2 | 3.06 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 65 | 4 | 15 | 47 | .260 |
9. Casey Meisner, rhp
Born: May 22, 1995. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-7. Wt.: 190. Drafted: HS—Cypress, Texas, 2013 (3rd round). Signed by: Ray Corbett (Mets).
| PROJECTED 2019 LINEUP | ||
| Catcher | Jacob Nottingham | |
| First Base | Renato Nunez | |
| Second Base | Marcus Semien | |
| Third Base | Matt Chapman | |
| Shortstop | Richie Martin | |
| Left Field | Matt Olson | |
| Center Field | Franklin Barreto | |
| Right Field | Josh Reddick | |
| Designated Hitter | Chad Pinder | |
| No. 1 Starter | Sonny Gray | |
| No. 2 Starter | Sean Manaea | |
| No. 3 Starter | Jesse Hahn | |
| No. 4 Starter | Casey Meisner | |
| No. 5 Starter | Chris Bassitt | |
| Closer | Sean Doolittle | |
Background: The Athletics had a good idea of what they were getting in Meisner courtesy of Ron Romanick, Oakland’s former big league pitching coach and current Mets pitching coordinator. When the Mets came looking for relief help in the form of Tyler Clippard at the 2015 trade deadline, the A’s targeted Meisner, who’d just been promoted to high Class A.
Scouting Report: Meisner has an electric arm. He touched 96 mph earlier in the season and still sat 90-94 late in the year with Stockton, mixing two-seam fastballs with his riding four-seamer. The team expects he can add some more velocity as he puts some meat on his slender 6-foot-7 frame. His advanced changeup is his bread-and-butter secondary pitch. He came to Oakland with both a curveball and a slider, but the A’s had him focus on the curve for now. It’s a work in progress but he shows a feel for it. Meisner takes advantage of his height to generate good downhill plane, though as with most taller pitchers, his long levers make him more susceptible to getting out of whack and losing some command.
The Future: He’ll have a chance to pitch in Double-A at age 21 in 2016, though starting the year back in Stockton remains a possibility.
| 2015 Club (Class) | W | L | ERA | G | GS | CG | SV | IP | H | HR | BB | SO | AVG |
| Savannah (Lo A) | 7 | 2 | 2.13 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 59 | 6 | 19 | 66 | .213 |
| St. Lucie (Hi A) | 3 | 2 | 2.83 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 4 | 14 | 23 | .259 |
| Stockton (Hi A) | 3 | 1 | 2.78 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 27 | 1 | 7 | 24 | .220 |
10. Yairo Munoz, ss
Born: Jan. 23, 1995. B-T: R-R. Ht.: 6-1. Wt.: 165. Signed: Dominican Republic, 2012. Signed by: Amaurys Reyes.
Background: Signed for $280,000 four days after his 17th birthday in January 2012, Munoz soldiered through the first half of 2015 in the cold weather of the low Class A Midwest League before getting a chance to go to high Class A Stockton when Franklin Barreto went on the disabled list in July. The move rejuvenated Munoz’s bat and he played a central role in Stockton’s run to the California League playoffs.
Scouting Report: Even when he struggles with the bat, Munoz’s defense opens eyes. He has soft hands and a well above-average throwing arm. He can make highlight-reel plays, but his exuberance leads to too many errors—34 combined between his two stops last year. Although only a solid-average runner down the line, he does have long strides that help him run closer to plus under way. Munoz’s hitting can be similarly out of control at times. He knows how to manipulate the barrel, however, and can adjust quickly. His swing has some loft and he has the strength to hit for power, although the A’s again would like to tone down his effort level there.
The Future: Some scouts can see Munoz moving off shortstop depending on how his body develops. The A’s have no desire to shift him for now though, and he’ll man the position again for Stockton to begin 2016.
| 2015 Club (Class) | AVG | OBP | SLG | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | SB |
| Beloit (Lo A) | .236 | .278 | .363 | 369 | 48 | 87 | 14 | 3 | 9 | 48 | 22 | 62 | 10 |
| Stockton (Hi A) | .320 | .372 | .480 | 150 | 21 | 48 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 26 | 11 | 20 | 1 |
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