/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68958106/1231648694.0.jpg)
Good morning afternoon, Athletics Nation!
We’re nearly done voting on our annual Community Prospect List, in which we crowdsource the Top 30 prospects in the Oakland A’s farm system. The current ballot today is for the 28th spot.
But we’re not the only ones wrapping up our preseason prospect rankings. MLB Pipeline put out their list on Monday, and you can click here to see their take on the Top 30. Insider Martin Gallegos also did a mailbag to answer questions about the list.
It was already known that no A’s players cracked Pipeline’s national Top 100 list, but someone had to finish at the top of Oakland’s system. It turned out to be teenage catcher Tyler Soderstrom, last summer’s 1st-round draft pick. We put him second on our CPL behind lefty pitcher A.J. Puk, while Pipeline swapped the two, with various other mainstream sources landing on each side of that debate — Baseball Prospectus and Keith Law chose Puk, while Baseball America went with Soderstrom.
Here’s Pipeline’s Top 10, with our CPL rankings in parentheses:
- C Tyler Soderstrom (2)
- LHP A.J. Puk (1)
- SS Nick Allen (3)
- RHP Daulton Jefferies (5)
- SS Logan Davidson (6)
- SS Robert Puason (4)
- OF Luis Barrera (8)
- RHP Jeff Criswell (11)
- OF Greg Deichmann (8)
- RHP James Kaprielian (7)
Only Allen lands in the exact same spot on both lists, but overall the two versions are mostly similar. We agree who the top two are, and we agree on the next tier of Nos. 4-6. Then it’s just a matter of marginal differences in opinion among the group after that, where we included pitcher Grant Holmes in our Top 10 instead of Criswell. Pipeline put Holmes at No. 15.
Looking through the rest of their Top 30, as usual Pipeline is especially high on some of the younger prospects, like OF Junior Perez (eight spots higher than we have him) and 3B Jordan Diaz (five spots higher). They also stuck with OF Skye Bolt (No. 17), who is at risk of missing our CPL entirely, and they chose a different Rule 5 draft pick than we did — we put OF Ka’ai Tom 15th, and they put RHP Dany Jimenez 26th. Catcher Kyle McCann and LHP Hogan Harris are two recent college picks who placed higher at Pipeline.
On the other hand, here at AN we stuck with OF Seth Brown (No. 18 CPL) over Bolt, and gave more leash to OF Austin Beck (five spots higher on CPL). We’re higher on breakout candidate RHP Colin Peluse (eight spots).
Which list will end up closer to the real future? Only time will tell! Of course, the real answers are that Buddy Reed and Brian Howard will be the next A’s superstars, because predicting baseball is nearly impossible.
A’s Coverage
- Athletics Farm (Moriarity): A’s Farm’s 2021 Top 10 Prospects List
- Gallegos: Lowrie excited to be back in A’s lineup
- Kawahara: A’s Chris Bassitt aims to stay ‘one step ahead’ of hitters with new pitch ($)
- Lockard: A’s young outfielders jockey for position on the team’s depth chart ($$$)
- Rubin: Will A’s go with a six-man rotation? ($$$)
- Woo: Five young A’s standing out early during 2021 MLB Spring Training
- A’s name Amelia Schimmel as Coliseum public address announcer
- Community Prospect List #27: Cody Thomas converts from quarterback to outfield
MLB News & Interest
- MLB will experiment with new rules in minors in 2021
- McTaggart: Astros’ Forrest Whitley to have Tommy John surgery
- Mearns: Zack Britton will have surgery to remove bone chips from elbow
- McCartney: Nick Markakis retires: Legacy was ‘calming influence,’ in Braves clubhouse
- Rosenthal: As Wander Franco looms, a way to prevent service-time games in the next CBA ($$$)
- Gelb: Spring with a catching savant: Jeff Mathis is guiding the Phillies while pondering his next baseball life ($$$)
- Baggarly: Reassigned to … where? MLB clubs aren’t sure how to make cuts this spring ($$$)
- Stark: Yes, Juan Soto at 22 just might be Ted Williams ($$$)
- Sammon: Brewers entrust their prospects to Sara Goodrum: ‘Her job is to make us better’ ($$$)
- Today in Baseball History
Cactus League
- Spring Game #8: At least Brian Howard was good
- Spring Game #9: More good than bad for A’s in walk-off loss
- Spring Game #10: A’s bats stay hot, Chris Bassitt debuts on mound
- Spring Game #11: A’s miss a no-hitter by one out!
- A’s second base competition heating up
- Meet the A’s 2021 spring non-roster invitee hitters
Lots of highlights from a non-televised game (Wednesday, Game #10)
Check out highlights from yesterday's 9-1 A's win
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) March 11, 2021
( ️ via @Athletics) pic.twitter.com/Ow9DUBWK1O
Chaptain America!
Matt Chapman just took Craig Kimbrel deep pic.twitter.com/AmsimUWDhG
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) March 9, 2021
Luzardo vs. Khris
Davis v. Luzardo part two, swinging K pic.twitter.com/NlxsnvUbcp
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) March 11, 2021
Soderstrom is only 19 and is yet to play a pro regular season game
Please enjoy Tyler Soderstrom’s opposite field double
— Shayna Rubin (@ShaynaRubin) March 9, 2021
(and my excellent videography) pic.twitter.com/JGzOsSoLHc
Another 1st-round draft pick to get excited about
Melvin on Logan Davidson: "He's bigger, he's stronger...It was nice to see our last 2 1st-round picks knock in 3 runs to put us ahead going into the last inning. The more he gets to play & the more ABs he gets, the more confident he's going to be. He's going to be a good player."
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) March 10, 2021
High socks!
REMIX: Tony ft. Buddy pic.twitter.com/k6bvyQEjxO
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) March 8, 2021
Best of Twitter
RIP Rheal Cormier
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Canadian Baseball Hall of Famer, Rheal Cormier, after his courageous battle with cancer.
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 8, 2021
Our hearts go out to Rheal’s family and friends during this difficult time pic.twitter.com/VqZyFiXZCk
RIP “Frenchy” ... Rheal Cormier lost his battle with cancer. One of my all time favorite teammates. Big heart, spent 2yrs sitting next to him in the @Phillies bullpen (2002-2003)... he made everyone he played with better...keep throwing that 3-2 splitter in heaven. RIP my friend. pic.twitter.com/lGDGBCm8T2
— Dan Plesac (@Plesac19) March 8, 2021
Congrats to Christina! Jeremy Koo and I enjoyed meeting her at spring training in 2016, and she was super friendly to a couple media rookies like us.
It's true. Effective at the end of the month, I'm leaving @ESPN to become the sports editor of @sfchronicle
— Christina Kahrl (@ChristinaKahrl) March 10, 2021
Among the very few jobs you leave ESPN for, you leave for this one, and I am extremely grateful to @garciaruize for the opportunity.
Update on Odorizzi contract with Astros
For purposes of calculating the Astros’ luxury-tax payroll, the AAV is $7.83M - $23.5M over three years. Astros stay under threshold, barely. Moves still possible at deadline, but likely would require subtractions. Final calculation is made at end of season. https://t.co/h2H69lZMZr
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 9, 2021
Just get him back in the majors somewhere, whatever it takes (won’t be with the A’s though)
Scouts say Yoenis Cespedes hit rockets at showcase. But Cespedes, after missing 2019 and opting out after 31 ABs last year, and with the only 15 DH spots mostly accounted for, might need to wait for an opening/injury. My pure speculation: White Sox could make sense @MLBNetwork
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) March 10, 2021
... If Heyman’s prediction about Cespedes comes true, then Yo would join his brother Yo
Minor league mini-camp work for Yoelqui Céspedes. pic.twitter.com/zbWMis5y9Y
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) March 11, 2021
Cahill joins Dustin Fowler in Pittsburgh
The Pittsburgh #Pirates have signed veteran starter Trevor Cahill to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with $1 million in performance bonuses. Cahill had drawn interest from 16 #MLB teams
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) March 12, 2021
Zero days
#Nationals have signed LHP Sean Nolin to a minor league contract.
— MiLB-Transactions (@tombaseball29) March 9, 2021
On the optimistic side, Butler is an expert in getting hit really hard
Looking forward to helping these players get on a path towards affiliated baseball! https://t.co/BwYSuvIl3x
— Billy Butler (@BillRayButler) March 8, 2021
Important note for families/groups of more than four people this season
Yes. You’ll be able to select pods in close proximity on the interactive seat map when you redeem. https://t.co/CKTdIGvem0
— Dave Kaval (@DaveKaval) March 11, 2021
Diekman philosophizes about new tech
Diekman spends more time talking about the Oculus VR headsets that are hot new toy in MLB.
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) March 9, 2021
BoMel says the A's recently got them after hearing other teams had em pic.twitter.com/rIqQj9oMWl
Whatever, y’all can fight over second place behind UC Davis
This morning, Korach asked Melvin about Daulton Jefferies.
— John Shea (@JohnSheaHey) March 12, 2021
Melvin: “Should we trace this all the way back to the University of California, the top public institution in the country?"
Korach: "Well, it might be the second best UC school, but …”
Korach: UCSB grad.
GOAT DOG
Just starting to read Rickey’s 1992 autobiography with @JohnSheaHey and it’s great pic.twitter.com/o0VK5fSdOH
— The Rickey Henderson of Blogs (@RickeyBlog) March 10, 2021
Nailed it
Matt Olson @Athletics @mattolson21 pic.twitter.com/0GpXfTT7Ou
— Batting Stance Guy (@BattingStanceG) March 9, 2021
Suspend your hatred of the Yankees for just two minutes (then resume normal operations)
The #Yankees’ spring is in full swing! Junior beat reporter Penny Hoch is here with the latest updates from camp! ⚾️ #Pennys2Cents pic.twitter.com/s0Q5l2RbGW
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) March 8, 2021