Oakland Athletics

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: Clarke is cousins with Josh and Bo Naylor of the Cleveland Guardians and his mother, Donna, represented Canada in the 1984 Summer Olympics. Clarke burnished a reputation as a dynamic outfielder at Cal State Northridge and carried that into the professional ranks after the A's made him their fourth-round selection in 2021. Clarke hit .248 with 15 homers and 30 steals across Low-A Stockton and High-A Lansing, where he became the first professional baseball player to hit inside-the-park homers in back-to-back games. He also appeared in the Futures Game and participated in the Arizona Fall League.

Scouting Report: Simply put, Clarke is a toolshed. He has arguably the best raw power of any player in Oakland's system and pairs it with easy 70-grade speed in center field, where he routinely makes spectacular defensive plays. Clarke's offensive game, though, is still quite raw. He has tinkered with several iterations of his setup and stance going back to college in an effort to help simplify his swing, unlock more consistent contact and cut down on the swing-and-miss in the strike zone. He settled on a short stride in 2022, although his hands can drift higher in his setup than the A's prefer. Clarke has a solid understanding of the strike zone, but also has a tendency to chase offspeed pitches and posted a 36.2% strikeout rate in his first taste of High-A. Breaking ball recognition was a point of emphasis throughout the season. Already a prolific runner, his basestealing could continue to improve as learns the nuances of baserunning. Clarke is commended throughout the A's organization for his makeup and work ethic.

The Future: Clarke has one of the highest ceilings in the A's organization. If his hit tool improves, he could be an impact center fielder.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 70. Fielding: 70. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium

Track Record: Diaz turned in his most impressive professional season to date in 2022, six years after the Colombia native signed for $275,000, and it culminated in his big league debut. Diaz hit .319 in 94 games with Double-A Midland, the third-highest average among qualified hitters despite being one of the Texas League's youngest hitters at 21 years old. He continued to rake upon promotion to Triple-A Las Vegas (.348) and arrived in Oakland in late September, hitting .265 in 15 games.

Scouting Report: The book on Diaz hasn't changed much over the years. His exceptional feel for contact, short swing and flat bat path lead to ample loud contact. His power continues to tick up as well--his 19 homers between Midland and Las Vegas were a career high. Diaz has extreme confidence in his barrel ability. He's one of the most aggressive hitters in Oakland's system, saw the fewest amount of pitches of any qualified Texas League hitter and has never posted a walk rate above 6.8% in full-season ball. Skeptical evaluators keep waiting for more advanced pitchers to exploit Diaz's ultra-aggressive approach, but it hasn't happened yet. He still doesn't have a clear defensive home. Diaz has a strong arm and good hands, but he's compromised at third base because of his lack of range. He played more first base in 2022, but he's undersized for the position. The A's have tried him in left field as well, although his lack of speed is an issue in the outfield. Oakland deployed him mostly at second base in the big leagues despite rarely playing there as a minor leaguer and were encouraged by the results.

The Future: Diaz's pure hitting ability continues to stand out despite his obvious defensive limitations. He'll compete for playing time with the rebuilding A's in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 50. Speed: 30. Fielding: 40. Arm: 55.

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: Medina was a flame-throwing righthander who needed to throw more strikes when the Yankees signed him for $280,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2015. That reputation has stuck with Medina as a professional, who reached Double-A Somerset for the first time in 2021. He returned to Somerset to start 2022 and posted a 3.38 ERA through 17 starts. Medina was one of four players Oakland acquired from the Yankees in exchange for another hard-throwing righty, RHP Frankie Montas, at the deadline. Medina was erratic upon arriving in Midland, walking 22 batters in 20.2 innings, but was much more effective in the Dominican Winter League.

Scouting Report: While Medina has yet to consistently command his high-powered arsenal, no one doubts his ability to miss bats. His upper-90s four-seam fastball routinely touches triple-digits and he has shown the ability to manipulate the pitch. Scouts have long been impressed with the potential of Medina's low-80s curveball. The pitch has considerable break and flashes great shape, but he struggles to land it within the strike zone. His solid-average upper-80s changeup also continues to improve and he throws it for strikes more consistently than his breaking ball. Hitters whiffed on both pitches north of 40% of the time in 2022. Medina has never quite synced up his delivery. He's fairly athletic but has long levers and struggles with timing, especially from the stretch, and can cut himself off at the end of his delivery. Medina needs to trust his stuff more, especially with runners on base, to avoid compounding mistakes.

The Future: The clock is ticking on Medina, who is out of options, to throw enough strikes to stick in a starting rotation. A future as a nasty, high-leverage reliever seems more likely, and Medina could arrive in Oakland's bullpen for good in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 40

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Track Record: Bolte grew up an A's fan and starred in the Bay Area at Palo Alto High School. The A's selected him 56th overall in the 2022 draft and signed him to a $2 million bonus, buying him out of a Texas commitment and continuing a trend of prioritizing local products at the top of their draft. Bolte debuted at the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, hitting .212 with 19 strikeouts in 11 games.

Scouting Report: Bolte draws some comparisons to fellow A's prospect Denzel Clarke in the sense both are extremely tooled up with a clear need to develop their hitting ability. Bolte is already one of the most dynamic athletes in Oakland's system and has a chance for double-plus raw power as he gets stronger. Bolte's contact ability will be tested without improvements to his swing, approach and pitch recognition. His swing gets long at times, leading to plenty of swing and miss in the strike zone. The A's focused on reworking parts of his swing during instructs, toning down his leg kick and stride to help improve his balance and setup. The rest of Bolte's skill set is eye-opening. He's a plus runner with a strong throwing arm and a chance to be an elite defender in center field.

The Future: While his development will likely be a slow burn, Bolte has immense upside, especially if his swing changes stick. He should reach Low-A Stockton at some point in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 60.

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: The Pirates drafted Hoglund 36th overall in 2018 but failed to sign the righthander. He instead made it to Ole Miss and was one of the best pitchers in the Southeastern Conference until an elbow injury ended his 2021 season and required Tommy John surgery. The Blue Jays still drafted Hoglund 19th overall that year. They traded the rehabbing Hoglund to Oakland along with three others in exchange for 3B Matt Chapman. Hoglund made his pro debut in late July, including one start with Low-A Stockton, but an arm issue ended his season after just eight innings.

Scouting Report: The A's hope a normal offseason of rest and recovery will help Hoglund's stuff return to pre-injury levels. Plenty of evaluators viewed Hoglund as a safe bet to reach the big leagues because of his polished three-pitch mix and strike-throwing acumen. At Ole Miss, his fastball sat 92-94 and touched 96 mph at his peak with good shape. It wasn't as firm in his brief 2022 cameo, when it sat 89-92 mph. Hoglund also throws an above-average low-80s slider that is more of a downer breaking ball and a low-80s changeup with arm-side fade that gives lefthanded hitters fits. Hoglund could throw all three pitches for strikes in any count as an amateur and has a chance for plus command.

Scouting Report: Getting Hoglund healthy is the top priority for the A's. The injury issues cloud his outlook, but his pitch mix, command and experience provided the ingredients for a quick-moving starter with a midrotation ceiling.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 60

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High

Track Record: The A's explored the signability of Ginn in the 2020 draft, but the Mets landed the Mississippi State product at 52nd overall for a $2.9 million bonus as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery. Oakland ultimately acquired the righty less than two years later in a trade for RHP Chris Bassitt. A forearm injury limited Ginn to just 42.1 innings in 2022 and he struggled in his first taste of the upper minors at Double-A Midland, but he pitched well in the Arizona Fall League after the season.

Scouting Report: Ginn operated with a mid-90s fastball that touched 99 mph at his peak, but his fastball settled into the low-90s and touched 95-96 as he returned from surgery. The pitch has nasty sinking action and leads to elevated groundball rates. Ginn can manipulate his fastball, sometimes tinkering with his approach from start-to-start, and experimented with a cutter in the fall league. His most effective secondary is a tight low-80s gyro slider that flashes plus. His mid-80s changeup tunnels well with his sinker. Ginn attacks hitters from the extreme first-base side of the rubber. He doesn't have the most fluid delivery, but he repeats it well and his athleticism allows for slightly above-average command potential.

The Future: Ginn has thrown just 89.1 innings as a professional and his track record of arm injuries is a concern. He has a fairly high floor and the ceiling of a No. 4 starter with a usable three-pitch mix if he can remain healthy.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium

Track Record: Fujinami entered Japanese baseball lore when he led Osaka Toin to both the spring and summer Koshien tournament championships in 2012, including pitching a two-hitter with 14 strikeouts in his final start. He was drafted by Hanshin in the first round that year and made the NPB All-Star Game as a 19-year-old rookie the following year, the first of four consecutive All-Star selections. Fujinami rivaled Shohei Ohtani for the best pitching prospect in Japan in those early years, but his control suddenly regressed and his star faded rapidly. Hanshin demoted him to the minors during a disastrous 2017 season and he spent the next five years shuttling back and forth between the majors and minors in Japan. He regained some semblance of control in limited action in 2022, leading Hanshin to post him after the season.

Scouting Report: Fujinami has an appealing pitcher’s frame at 6-foot-6, 180 pounds and still possesses the explosive stuff that once left scouts considering him on par with Ohtani as a prospect. His heavy fastball sits 94-95 mph and touches 98-99 with little effort out of a clean, easy delivery and jumps on hitters with late explosion and armside bore. He complements it with a 90-92 mph splitter that tunnels well off his fastball and flashes plus when he locates it at the bottom of the zone. Like many Japanese pitchers, Fujinami mostly throws his fastball and splitter, but his slider shows promise at 85-88 mph with tight turn and drop and could become an average pitch with more usage and development in the majors. Fujinami’s stuff is explosive, but his delivery lacks deception and he struggles to throw strikes. His strike-throwing issues are more mental than mechanical and have been ingrained for so long they may be difficult to fix.

The Future: The A's will give Fujinami a chance to start. His stuff is so enticing, but his lack of deception and control will make it difficult to get through a lineup multiple times. He has a solid fallback option as a reliever and could pitch in higher leverage situations.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 Slider: 50 Splitter: 60 Control: 40

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Young hitters like Hernaiz, who signed for $400,000 in 2019, were among Orioles GM Mike Elias' chief concerns from a developmental standpoint during the canceled 2020 season. Hernaiz's uneven path through the low minors showed why as he needed to repeat Low-A Delmarva in 2022. He went back to dominate the level, and performed well at High-A Aberdeen as well, meaning he finished the year at age-21 at Double-A Bowie. He was traded to the A's in Jan. 2023 in a swap that sent Cole Irvin to the Orioles.

Scouting Report: After learning to be more consistent in his preparation and getting a feel for full-season baseball in 2021, Hernaiz was better able to show his strong contact skills and line-drive approach that could make him an average hitter with at-best average power by better controlling the zone. Hernaiz hit the ball harder with more consistency without losing any of his contact ability at the lower levels. He finds the sweet spot consistently -- his nickname isn't Barrels only because it rhymes. However, exposure to Double-A pitching where secondaries are better commanded proved challenging for Hernaiz, especially when it came to swing decisions. Defensively, Hernaiz has the athleticism and actions to play shortstop but the arm to play third and the overall ability to handle second base as well if he's pushed off shortstop. He's also one of the organization's most instinctive and effective base-stealers, swiping 32 bases in 2022 thanks to his plus speed.

The Future: Hernaiz has the potential to be more than an athletic utility player if he continues to develop offensively, but that floor seems much more reachable after his impressive 2022.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50. Power: 45. Speed: 60. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Oblique and elbow injuries delayed the start of Harris' professional career after the A's drafted him 85th overall in 2018, and he missed all of 2021 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Harris pitched a career-high 73.2 innings in 2022 despite being built up slowly, striking out 105 batters and ending the season with Triple-A Las Vegas. Oakland added him to the 40-man roster after the season.

Scouting Report: Harris has swing-and-miss stuff but has walked 4.3 batters per nine innings as a professional. His fastball was a touch firmer a year removed from surgery, averaging 93 mph and touching 97. He runs into trouble when he tries to overthrow his four-seamer. Harris' upper-70s changeup is quite good and his best swing-and-miss secondary. He also throws a slow, arcing curveball that has roughly 20 mph separation from his fastball and may be more of a strike-stealer than a swing-and-miss offering. At the end of the season, Harris added an upper-80s slider/cutter hybrid into his repertoire, which the A's believe will be the key to Harris turning over more advanced lineups. Harris used his rehab to improve his body. His delivery is still a bit rigid and he struggles at times staying on line to the plate. He has fringe-average command potential that is mitigated by the quality of his stuff.

The Future: Harris' arsenal returned following his surgery. He's expected to head back to Triple-A Las Vegas to open the 2023 season, where the A's hope his strike-throwing improves.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Curveball: 50. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 45

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Oakland's player development group believes the club found a steal in Harris, who was a steady all-around performer at Gonzaga that they drafted in the seventh round in 2021 and signed to a $120,000 bonus. He continued to perform well between High-A Lansing and Double-A Midland in 2022, hitting .290/.375/.475 with 17 homers in his age-24 season.

Scouting Report: While Harris doesn't have an obvious carrying tool, he also doesn't have a glaring weakness. He greets pitchers with a wide, slightly open stance and his simple righthanded swing makes plenty of contact. Harris is a selective hitter who makes good swing decisions and rarely whiffs on pitches in the zone. He wasn't much of a home run hitter in college, although amateur scouts noted Harris had some raw power potential, and he showed more thump in his first year as a professional despite middling exit velocities. A ceiling of 15 homers a year in the majors is not out of the question. Harris is a solid defender at third base with good instincts and an accurate throwing arm. Those skills translate to second base as well, where the A's deployed him more frequently in 2022. He also stole 11 bases, but he's a fringe-average runner.

The Future: Harris endears himself to coaches because of his well-rounded skills and instincts. His power may be stretched thin in an everyday role at third base, but he has the ceiling of a superutility-type.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 45. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Tarnok was a two-way player in high school in Florida, but the Braves signed him for $1.4 million as a pitcher in the 2017 third round after taking Kyle Wright in the first and Drew Waters in the second. Tarnok's progress was slow initially, before a breakout 2021 season when he reached the upper minors. In 2022, Tarnok made his MLB debut by pitching two-thirds of an inning in relief on Aug. 17 against the Mets.

Scouting Report: In his age-23 season, Tarnok mostly pitched between Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett, where he showed flashes of dominance and periods of inconsistency. Tarnok has a four-pitch mix, headlined by a four-seam fastball that sits 93-95 mph and touches 98 with good spin (2,400 rpm) and carry (18 inches of induced vertical break). His go-to secondary is a 12-to-6 curveball in the upper 70s that was previously the best such pitch in the system, but evaluators inside and outside the system noted it took a step backward in 2022. Tarnok showed some progress with a mid-80s changeup, and the Braves have continued to try to help him develop a low-80s slider, though it has been slow going. External evaluators view his changeup and slider as fringe-average offerings. At times, Tarnok showed the ability to dominate with his fastball, but he has also struggled to sync his delivery and navigate a lineup multiple times with consistency.

The Future: The Braves have committed to developing Tarnok as a starter, but plenty of scouts think he could excel in shorter stints as a reliever where he can focus on dominating with his fastball and using just one or two secondary pitches. He has two minor league options remaining.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Curveball: 55. Slider: 45. Changeup: 45. Control: 45

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: The Braves bought Estes out of a Long Beach State commitment in 2019 for $497,500. He experienced a breakout season two years later, striking out 32.1% of batters over 99 innings with Low-A Augusta. The A's acquired Estes as part of the Matt Olson trade and sent him to High-A Lansing for his age-20 season in 2022, when he posted a 4.55 ERA and struck out 92 batters in 91 innings as one of the youngest pitchers at the level.

Scouting Report: Estes attacks hitters with athleticism, arm speed and a competitive mentality. He has three solid pitches, albeit without an elite swing-and-miss offering. His 92-94 mph fastball has nearly equal amounts of carry and run, boring in on righthanded batters but with enough vertical break to play at the top of the strike zone. His mid-80s slider has late bite, but he sometimes struggles to stay on top of it. Estes also throws a mid-80s changeup with good hand speed that tunnels well with the fastball but is still inconsistent. Estes is generally around the strike zone, but can rush his delivery at times and his command wavers as a result. The A's worked with Estes in instructs to move down the mound a bit more efficiently.

The Future: There's some reliever risk because of the delivery, but Estes is still quite young and has thrown enough strikes to continue to move up the ladder in the rotation. He has the ceiling of a back-end starter.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: The 6-foot-6 Cusick touched triple-digits at Wake Forest and the Braves drafted him 24th overall in 2021, signing him for $2.7 million. He dominated Low-A hitters in six subsequent starts that year. Cusick was one of four players the A's acquired in exchange for Matt Olson in March of 2022. A rib injury limited Cusick to just 41 innings with Double-A Midland, where he never got on track and walked 6.6 batters per nine innings.

Scouting Report: Scouts loved Cusick's power potential in college but harbored concerns about his inconsistent command. That assessment has held true so far as a pro. His plus fastball sat more in the 95-97 mph range in 2022 and the metric-savvy righthander worked with the A's to tweak the grip on his fastball to restore some induced vertical break. He's still working to find a consistent feel for his breaking ball. The Braves worked with Cusick to throw a harder, vertically-breaking slider. The pitch sat 85-86 and has above-average potential, but was inconsistent in both shape and command. He rarely turns to his firm, low-90s changeup that needs considerable refinement. There's some reliever risk in Cusick's delivery, although his injury may have contributed to his strike-throwing woes in 2022.

The Future: Cusick needs to develop his changeup and throw more strikes to remain a starter. Otherwise, he profiles as a potential high-leverage reliever. He could return to Double-A Midland to start 2023, when the A's hope he regains the form he showed that made him a first-round pick.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Slider: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 40

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Elliott surged up draft boards when he hit .344 to win the Cape Cod League batting title after his sophomore season. He returned to Michigan and kept on hitting as a junior, hitting .337/.460/.630 while slugging 16 homers after previously hitting just five in his first two college seasons. The A's drafted him 69th overall and signed him to a $900,000 bonus, feeling as if they landed one of the best pure hitters in college baseball. He appeared in just one game in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League.

Scouting Report: Elliott has great feel for the barrel. He punishes fastballs in the strike zone, especially in the lower half, utilizing his flat bat path to turn pitches around. He struggled at times in college with pitches on the outer third of the strike zone and also ran into some swing-and-miss issues with breaking balls. He'll have to prove the power gains he made in his final college season are real, but he has a chance for average power potential as he better learns which pitches he can damage. Elliott played mostly right field in college, although the A's think he has the athleticism to handle center. He's an above-average runner right now with a solid-average throwing arm. Elliott, a cognitive science major at Michigan, also draws rave reviews for his makeup.

The Future: Elliott is ready for Low-A Stockton. He has the ceiling of a top-of-the-order everyday outfielder if the power develops.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 55. Fielding: 55. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Angeles signed with the Padres for $300,000 in 2018 and emerged as a breakout prospect three years later, hitting .343 to win the California League batting title as a 19-year-old with Lake Elsinore in 2021. The A's acquired Angeles alongside RHP Adrian Martinez from the Padres in exchange for Sean Manaea just before the start of the 2022 season. Angeles spent all of 2022 with High-A Lansing, hitting a nondescript .278/.316/.353.

Scouting Report: Angeles' game is built around his elite hand-eye coordination and bat-to-ball skills. He has an unorthodox setup at the plate, standing fairly straight up before employing a sizable leg kick as he gets into his swing, but there also isn't a lot of excess movement in his swing. His swing is geared for gap-to-gap contact with marginal power potential. He's a very aggressive hitter who trusts his contact ability. That can work against him at times, as he rarely misses pitches in the zone and keeps his strikeouts in check, but also owned a 4.4% walk rate and chased pitches more than a third of the time, leading to weak contact. Angeles is an instinctual player, both defensively and on the basepaths, but he's just a fair athlete who is more likely to move around the infield as opposed to sticking at shortstop.

The Future: He needs to become more selective, but Angeles' contact ability is exceptional. His lack of power or standout supplemental tool likely limits him to a ceiling of a utilityman.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60. Power: 30. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Track Record: A powerful but strikeout-prone slugger at Cincinnati, Noda was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 15th round in 2017 and traded to the Dodgers as the player to be named later for Ross Stripling before the 2021 season. He took a leap in the Dodgers system and delivered a strong showing at Triple-A Oklahoma City in 2022, finishing in the top 10 in the organization in runs (86), doubles (23), home runs (25), RBIs (90), stolen bases (20), walks (92) and on-base percentage (.395). The A's selected him with the second pick of the Rule 5 draft after the season.

Scouting Report: Noda stands a physical 6-foot-3, 217 pounds from the left side and is one of the most patient hitters in the minors. He owns a career .407 on-base percentage and walks in nearly one out every five plate appearances. Noda works long at-bats and has above-average raw power when he connects, but his swing is a bit stiff and leaves him prone to swinging and missing in the zone. He's mostly a three-true-outcomes hitter reliant on walking. Noda is a good athlete for his size and plus defensive first baseman. He moves around the bag fluidly and is excellent at picking balls out of the dirt to prevent errors. He has good range and is a reliable, consistent defender.

The Future: Noda's power, on-base skills and defense give him a chance to stick as a reserve. He'll aim to make his big league debut in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 30. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Acton transferred from Saint Louis to Illinois and was a standout closer for two seasons for the Illini before the A's signed him as a nondrafted free agent in 2020 after the shortened draft. Acton overpowered hitters in 2021, striking out more than 40% of batters at the lower levels. He didn't quite replicate those gaudy strikeout numbers in the upper minors in 2022, but he still posted a strikeout rate near 30% in relief and reached Triple-A Las Vegas.

Scouting Report: Acton attacks hitters with brute force. He has added velocity since turning pro and parks his fastball in the upper 90s. The pitch has good shape, generating whiffs at the top of the strike zone. Acton pitches from the stretch and his shorter arm action creates some deception against righthanded hitters. Lefthanders fared much better against Acton in 2022. Acton's favorite secondary is a mid-80s slider that has sharp vertical break and flashes above-average. He turned to his upper-80s changeup less than 10% of the time, but the pitch showed above-average potential and could become more of a factor against lefties. Acton has smoothed out his delivery since turning pro, but his fair command is best suited for shorter outings.

The Future: Acton could settle in as a seventh- or eighth-inning option in a bullpen one day. He should reach Oakland at some point in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 45

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Peluse reworked his body during the shutdown in 2020 and returned with a fastball touching 98 mph in shorter outings at the A's instructional league that fall. He carried that momentum into the 2021 season, where his fastball settled into the mid-90s and he reached Double-A Midland, ultimately winning Oakland's minor league pitcher of the year award. Peluse's stuff backed up a bit in 2022 and he pitched to a 5.38 ERA as a starter with Midland. The A's left him unprotected ahead of the Rule 5 draft.

Scouting Report: Peluse's aggressive mentality and lack of a clear third pitch led some evaluators to wonder whether he's better suited for a relief role. That chorus grew louder in 2022. His fastball averaged 92 mph and topped out around 95 mph. The pitch still has good shape and he threw it for strikes 70% of the time for the second consecutive season. Peluse continues to seek a consistent breaking ball. He worked with an average mid-80s slider in 2022 that didn't miss a ton of bats. Neither did his upper-80s changeup, although Peluse showed he could land it in the strike zone consistently. He experimented with a curveball and a cutter in the Arizona Fall League.

The Future: With his secondaries stalling out, a multi-inning relief role in the big leagues now seems more likely for Peluse, where his fastball-slider combination could play up.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Changeup: 45. Control: 55

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme

Track Record: Morales was a standout pitcher in Cuba's 18U national league in 2020, posting an ERA 0.87 with 135 strikeouts and 18 walks in 82.2 innings for Sancti Spiritus. His innings and strikeouts both led the league, with 48 strikeouts more than the next pitcher in the league. Morales left Cuba and signed with the Athletics as a 20-year-old for $3 million when the international signing period opened in January 2023.

Scouting Report: Morales stands out for his athleticism and velocity. He has touched 97 mph and still has the physical projection left in his frame as well as the arm speed for another tick or two to still add to his fastball once he gains weight and strength. His slider is his best secondary weapon and has a chance to develop into an out pitch for him. While some international scouts thought Morales had a chance to start, several others did have concern that Morales might ultimately end up in the bullpen and thought he would need to develop a better third pitch.

The Future: Recent big money international signings for the A's have struggled, but Morales will look to turn around that track record.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 40. Control: 45.

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Track Record: Buelvas was a breakout performer in the Arizona League in 2019 and was one of the youngest players invited to Oakland's alternate site in 2020. He has struggled to replicate that success in full-season ball. Buelvas experienced mixed results with Low-A Stockton in 2021, hitting .221 with 16 homers, then hit just .195 with High-A Lansing as a 20-year-old in 2022 while missing nearly two months with a hamstring injury. Buelvas played winter ball each of the last two winters, competing for Colombia's U-23 World Cup team in 2022.

Scouting Report: The A's wonder if Buelvas simply ran out of energy in 2022. He also needs to determine what type of hitter he wants to be. Buelvas has average power potential and is still growing into his frame, but he chases that power too frequently and loses his approach. The A's believe he's better off sticking to a more contact-oriented, line-to-line approach to maximize his feel for the barrel. Buelvas is a solid-average runner. He has just enough foot speed and arm strength to handle center field now. Some evaluators aren't convinced he can stick there as he matures, and a move to a corner would put even more strain on his bat.

The Future: Buelvas doesn't turn 21 until June. He still has the ceiling of a second-division regular in the outfield, but he needs to make more consistent contact.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55.