Farm Report: Top Prospects Get Going!

Well, the minor league season kicked off for all four of the A's full-season affiliates about a week and a half ago. So I've been back in action with daily updates on all the games on my Athletics Farm site and will also be back bringing you weekly minor league updates again every Monday morning right here on Athletics Nation! Unfortunately, some of the team's top prospects have started out the season on the sidelines. Infielders Renato Nunez, Matt Chapman and Rangel Ravelo as well as pitchers Raul Alcantara and Sean Nolin are all currently on the disabled list. But if you'd like to familiarize yourself with all the A's current minor league rosters, you can find them here - Rosters. And you can find out much more about the first week and a half of minor league action in the A's system below...

SEASON'S TOP PERFORMERS:

OF Chad Oberacker (Midland - AA)

1 HR / 3 BB / 4 K / .480 AVG / .517 OBP / .800 SLG / 1.317 OPS

1B Matt Olson (Midland - AA)

3 HR / 9 BB / 11 K / .241 AVG / .421 OBP / .621 SLG / 1.042 OPS

2B Colin Walsh (Midland - AA)

0 HR / 10 BB / 10 K / .367 AVG / .525 OBP / .500 SLG / 1.025 OPS

CF Billy Burns (Nashville - AAA)

0 HR / 5 BB / 7 K / .386 AVG / .449 OBP / .545 SLG / .994 OPS

3B Michael Soto (Stockton - A+)

1 HR / 3 BB / 7 K / .350 AVG / .409 OBP / .550 SLG / .959 OPS

CF Brett Vertigan (Beloit - A)

0 HR / 6 BB / 4 K / .405 AVG / .488 OBP / .432 SLG / .921 OPS

SP Tim Atherton (Stockton - A+)

10 IP / 6 H / 2 ER / 2 BB / 11 K / 1.80 ERA / 0.80 WHIP

SP Chris Bassitt (Nashville - AAA)

16 IP / 12 H / 6 ER / 4 BB / 16 K / 3.38 ERA / 1.00 WHIP

SP Chris Jensen (Midland - AA)

11 2/3 IP / 10 H / 5 ER / 3 BB / 7 K / 3.86 ERA / 1.11 WHIP

RP Pat Venditte (Nashville - AAA)

7 2/3 IP / 2 H / 0 ER / 4 BB / 8 K / 0.00 ERA / 0.78 WHIP

RP Nate Long (Midland - AA)

7 IP / 2 H / 0 ER / 3 BB / 9 K / 0.00 ERA / 0.71 WHIP

RP Ryan Cook (Nashville - AAA)

4 2/3 IP / 1 H / 0 ER / 1 BB / 4 K / 0.00 ERA / 0.43 WHIP

NASHVILLE SOUNDS (6-5)

Pacific Coast League - Triple-A

Center fielder Billy Burns has been Nashville's hottest hitter since the season started. He leads all A's minor leaguers in hits, runs, triples and stolen bases and leads all Sounds regulars with a .386 batting average and a .449 on-base percentage. Second baseman Joey Wendle has also gotten off to a good start at the plate with 7 extra-base hits over his first 11 games and leads all Sounds regulars with a .553 slugging percentage. First baseman Max Muncy has been up to his old tricks at the plate and leads all A's minor leaguers in walks with 12 over his first 11 games while posting a .434 on-base percentage. Muncy's 4 doubles also tie him for the team lead with outfielder Kent Matthes. RHP Chris Bassitt has been the team's best starter, striking out 16 in his first 16 innings while posting a 3.38 ERA. The Sounds' most well-known starter, LHP Barry Zito, is sporting a 6.10 ERA after his first two starts. Switch-pitcher Pat Venditte has yet to give up a run in his first 7 2/3 innings in relief, while RHP Ryan Cook has allowed just 1 hit in 4 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen.

MIDLAND ROCKHOUNDS (3-6)

Texas League - Double-A

The good news is that the team's top prospect, first baseman Matt Olson, has slugged 3 home runs in his first 9 games, and so has his roommate, Chad Pinder, who's now playing shortstop full-time. Olson's slugging percentage currently stands at .621 while Pinder is just behind him at .576. Olson has also walked 9 times in 9 games. Ryon Healy, who's been playing third base everyday with Renato Nunez sidelined, is currently sporting an impressive .421 on-base percentage. But a couple of lesser-known names have been two of the team's hottest hitters. Second baseman Colin Walsh's .525 on-base percentage tops all A's minor leaguers with at least 25 plate appearances and he leads his team in both doubles (4) and walks (10), while outfielder Chad Oberacker leads the entire system in both batting average (.480) and slugging percentage (.800). RHP Chris Jensen has been the team's top starter, winning his first two starts while posting a 3.86 ERA. Meanwhile, RHP Nate Long has been outstanding out of the bullpen, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 9 over 7 innings of relief.

STOCKTON PORTS (5-6)

California League - High-A

Stockton's hottest hitter so far this season has been third baseman Michael Soto, who probably wouldn't even be seeing regular playing time if last year's top draft pick, third baseman Matt Chapman, hadn't started the season on the sidelines. Soto is currently sporting a healthy .550 slugging percentage while posting a .350 batting average for the Ports. First baseman John Nogowski has been impressive as well and currently leads the team with a .455 on-base percentage. Center fielder J.P. Sportman has also looked good. In addition to serving as a productive leadoff man with a .370 on-base percentage, he also boasts a .524 slugging percentage. 19-year-old shortstop prospect Franklin Barreto has struggled a bit out of the box, posting a .175/.214/.300 slash line over his first 10 games. The team's top starter has been RHP Tim Atherton, who's allowed just 2 earned runs while striking out 11 over his first two starts. Meanwhile, one of the team's top pitching prospects, LHP Dillon Overton, has allowed 3 earned runs on 6 hits while walking 3 and striking out 7 over his first 7 1/3 innings in the California League.

BELOIT SNAPPERS (3-8)

Midwest League - Class-A

Center fielder Brett Vertigan has been Beloit's best hitter so far this season, boasting a .405 batting average and a .488 on-base percentage while leading his team in hits, runs, total bases and stolen bases. First baseman Sandber Pimentel is the team leader in doubles (5) and slugging percentage (.438), while outfielder Shawn Duinkerk has been one of the Snappers' few other productive hitters so far this season with a .278/.350/.417 slash line. Young shortstop Yairo Munoz has gotten off to a slow start with a .231/.286/.282 line. The A's 2^nd and 3^rd round draft picks last year, RHPs Daniel Gossett and Brett Graves, have both begun the season in Beloit's starting rotation. Gossett has struck out 7 in 9 innings while posting an ERA of 9.00, and Graves has whiffed 8 in 10 frames while putting up a 4.50 ERA for the Snappers. RHP Trevor Bayless has been solid out of the Beloit bullpen, allowing no hits or runs while walking 2 and striking out 8 over his first 4 innings in relief.

You can check out my site - Athletics Farm - for updates on the A's minor league teams and all the top prospects down on the farm.