David Thomas, OF wins the #49th spot on the AN Community Prospect List. And now we've reached #50, our Final Vote-down! So vote Vote VOTE!

Key:
Letter Grade = John Sickels Letter Grade
BA# = Baseball America Top A's Ranking
Mi# = Minor League Ball Community Prospect List Rank
BP# = Baseball Prospectus Top A's Rank
#X = Baseball Prospects Star Grade
S# = Scout.com's Top A's List

SC = StatsCorner
FG = FanGraphs

NOTE: FIP or wOBA stat will be placed for the level the prospect spent the most time at. FIP will be used for Pitchers, wOBA for Hitters. .000 or 0.00 indicates that the stat is unavailable.

AthleticsNation Top Prospect List:

1. [SC] [FG] [2.63] Trevor Cahill, RHP [A-] [BA2] [Mi8]
2. [SC] [FG] [2.81] Brett Anderson, LHP [A-] [BA1] [Mi16]
3. [SC] [FG] [.384] Chris Carter, 3B/1B [B] [BA6] [Mi51]
4. [SC] [FG] [.384] Aaron Cunningham, CF [B] [BA4] [Mi67]
5. [SC] [FG] [3.92] Gio Gonzalez, LHP [B] [BA7] [Mi69]
6. [SC] [FG] [.374] Adrian Cardenas, SS/2B [B] [BA5] [Mi57]
7. [SC] [FG] [.398] Sean Doolittle, 1B/RF [B] [BA12] [Mi-??]
8. [SC] [FG] [3.26] James Simmons, RHP [B-] [BA10] [Mi83]
9. [SC] [FG] [3.00] Vin Mazzaro, RHP [B-] [BA8] [Mi97]
10. [SC] [FG] [.276] Josh Donaldson, C [C+] [BA11]
11. [SC] [FG] [000] Michel Inoa, RHP [B-] [BA3] [Mi72]
12. [SC] [FG] [.365] Jemile Weeks, 2B [B] [BA9]
13. [SC] [FG] [2.97] Henry Rodriguez, RHP [B-] [BA14]
14. [SC] [FG] [.360] Rashun Dixon, CF [C+]
15. [SC] [FG] [4.20] Fautino De Los Santos, RHP [C+]
16. [SC] [FG] [2.74] Arnold Leon, RHP [C+]
17. [SC] [FG] [3.54] Josh Outman, LHP [B-]
18. [SC] [FG] [.372] Corey Brown, CF [C+] [BA13]
19. [SC] [FG] [0.00] Brett Hunter, RHP [B-]
20. [SC] [FG] [3.05] Sam Demel, RHP [C+]
21. [SC] [FG] [4.04] Andrew Carignan, RHP [B-]
22. [SC] [FG] [3.30] Tyson Ross, RHP [C+]
23. [SC] [FG] [.385] Nino Leyja, SS
24. [SC] [FG] [.362] Matt Sulentic, OF
25. [SC] [FG] [2.94] Craig Italiano, RHP
26. [SC] [FG] [.287] Gregorio Petit, SS
27. [SC] [FG] [.388] Jason Christian, SS [C+]
28. [SC] [FG] [4.42] Andrew Bailey, RHP [C+]
29. [SC] [FG] [2.84] Jared Lansford, RHP
30. [SC] [FG] [2.04] Carlos Hernandez, LHP
31. [SC] [FG] [.362] Dusty Coleman, SS
32. [SC] [FG] [.368] Cliff Pennington, SS
33. [SC] [FG] [.319] Petey Paramore, C [C+]
34. [SC] [FG] [.309] Matt Spencer, OF/1B
35. [SC] [FG] [.328] Javier Herrera, OF
36. [SC] [FG] [.340] Landon Powell, C
37. [SC] [FG] [4.55] Travis Banwart, RHP
38. [SC] [FG] [.357] Jeff Baisley, 3B
39. [SC] [FG] [.000] Robin Rosario, OF
40. [SC] [FG] [.000] Grant Desme, OF
41. [SC] [FG] [.000] Joel Galarraga, C
42. [SC] [FG] [.315] Jermaine Mitchell, OF
43. [SC] [FG] [2.66] Daniel Thomas, RHP
44. [SC] [FG] [2.13] Scott Mitchinson, RHP
45. [SC] [FG] [3.36] Ronny Morla, RHP
46. [SC] [FG] [3.87] Anthony Capra, LHP
47. [SC] [FG] [.355] Tyreace House, OF
48. [SC] [FG] [4.23] Brad Kilby, LHP
49. [SC] [FG] [.384] David Thomas, OF

CANDIDATES:
Pitchers:
Ryan Webb, RHP
Pedro Figueroa, LHP

Infielders/Catchers:
[SC] [FG] Anthony Recker, C

Outfielders:
[SC] [FG] Jeremy Barfield, OF
Richie Robnett, OF
Danny Putnam, OF

The stats below are tRA+ for Pitchers and wOBA+ for Hitters. 000+ indicates that no stats were available.

A's Top Prospect Depth Chart:
Starting Pitching:
[SC] [FG] [137+] Trevor Cahill, RHP
[SC] [FG] [133+] Brett Anderson, LHP
[SC] [FG] [119+] Gio Gonzalez, LHP
[SC] [FG] [114+] James Simmons, RHP
[SC] [FG] [126+] Vin Mazzaro, RHP
[SC] [FG] [000+] ]Michel Inoa, RHP
[SC] [FG] [136+] Henry Rodriguez, RHP
[SC] [FG] [000+] Fautino De Los Santos, RHP
[SC] [FG] [136+] Arnold Leon, RHP #
[SC] [FG] [107+] Josh Outman, LHP #
[SC] [FG] [076+] Brett Hunter, RHP
[SC] [FG] [114+] Tyson Ross, RHP
[SC] [FG] [118+] Craig Italiano, RHP
[SC] [FG] [124+] Carlos Hernandez, LHP

Relief Pitching:
[SC] [FG] [136+] Henry Rodriguez, RHP #
[SC] [FG] [136+] Arnold Leon, RHP
[SC] [FG] [107+] Josh Outman, LHP
[SC] [FG] [131+] Sam Demel, RHP
[SC] [FG] [083+] Andrew Carignan, RHP
[SC] [FG] [118+] Craig Italiano, RHP #
[SC] [FG] [080+] Andrew Bailey, RHP
[SC] [FG] [127+] Jared Lansford, RHP
[SC] [FG] [081+] Travis Banwart, RHP

Catcher:
[SC] [FG] [087+] Josh Donaldson, C
[SC] [FG] [102+] Petey Paramore, C 
[SC] [FG] [099+] Landon Powell, C
[SC] [FG] Joel Galarraga, C

First Base/Designated Hitter:
[SC] [FG] [117+] Chris Carter, 3B/1B #
[SC] [FG] [115+] Sean Doolittle, 1B/RF #
[SC] [FG] [106+] Matt Spencer, OF/1B

Middle Infield:
[SC] [FG] [107+] Adrian Cardenas, SS/2B #
[SC] [FG] [122+] Jemile Weeks, 2B
[SC] [FG] [000+] Nino Leyja, SS #
[SC] [FG] [086+] Gregorio Petit, SS
[SC] [FG] [103+] Jason Christian, SS
[SC] [FG] [000+] Dusty Coleman, SS
[SC] [FG] [105+] Cliff Pennington, SS

Third Base:
[SC] [FG] [117+] Chris Carter, 3B/1B
[SC] [FG] [107+] Adrian Cardenas, SS/2B
[SC] [FG] [000+] Nino Leyja, SS
[SC] [FG] [109+] Jeff Baisley, 3B

Centerfield:
[SC] [FG] [116+] Aaron Cunningham, CF
[SC] [FG] [000+] Rashun Dixon, CF
[SC] [FG] [111+] Corey Brown, CF
[SC] [FG] [101+] Javier Herrera, OF 

Outfield:
[SC] [FG] [115+] Sean Doolittle, 1B/RF
[SC] [FG] [109+] Matt Sulentic, OF
[SC] [FG] [106+] Matt Spencer, OF/1B #
[SC] [FG] [101+] Javier Herrera, OF #
[SC] [FG] Robin Rosario, OF
[SC] [FG] Grant Desme, OF 

[#] Some players may be listed at multiple positions. # indicates that this is their most likely position, or best position they can stick at. Other instances of the player mean that they can/might shift over to that position eventually, in either best case or worst case scenario. This does not take into account other players/prospects pushing them out of that position. [#]

The System has gone in several places from a position of need to a position of depth, and visa versa. Middle Infield, as soon as mid 2008, was a barren wasteland, with only Petit and Pennington there who could amount to anything. Since then, we've seen a haul of Middle Infield draft prospects as well as Adrian Cardenas from the Joe Blanton trade. The Problem for the A's, however, is that pretty much all of this Middle Infield Depth is in the low minors, quite a few years away, while there is a pressing need at the MLB Level for a quality Shortstop.

Starting Pitching has also become a place of massive depth compared to 2007, when the system had great pitching in the Majors, but almost nothing in the minors-when Jason Windsor, Shane Komine and Mike Madsen were being touted as our top prospects.

But just as Pitching and Middle Infield depth has grown, the system is completely barren of Corner Infield depth. The only real true Corner Infield prospects the team has are Chris Carter and Sean Doolittle, both who are 1B prospects, though the team is trying to get Carter to stick at 3B. If he does somehow manage to play average, or slightly below, at 3B in the Majors, he would be a great welcome, but thus far it is not known if he can stick there, or even at First Base. Doolittle looks like a Gold Glove 1B, and a good hitter, but not quite as good as Carter with the bat. But aside from those two, there is no one else there (unless you count Matt Spencer and hope that his 2nd half of 2008 was the real Spencer). Compared to years past, when 1B/DH was the teams position of strength, this is definitely a change.

The System also has a rather amazing amount of Center field depth in the system, though somewhat a lack of Corner Outfield depth up the chart. This is made up for, though, by the slew of young outfielders on the 25 man roster (Sweeney and Buck), and OF depth on the 40 man Roster (Denorfia, Davis, Murton, etc...).

Catcher is also somewhat thin, but with Kurt Suzuki installed in the Majors, it is not a pressing need. Galarraga and Powell should battle for the Backup Catcher spot in 2009 or 2010, whenever Rob Bowen becomes obsolete or too expensive. And by the time that Suzuki is ready to leave, Josh Donaldson or Pete Paramore should be ready.