When you follow a team in last place and with the absolute worst record in the entire sport, you have to grasp at straws to find signs of hope. There are a few positive signs within the minor league system with Brett Harris, Denzel Clarke, Lawrence Butler, Daniel Susac, and Darrel Hernaiz performing well so far. The other potential positive sign is the upcoming draft where the A's hold a high pick from their lack of performance last year.

Unfortunately, that "high pick" is lower than A's fans were hoping for. Going into the draft lottery, the A's were tied for the best odds of gaining the top pick in the draft. Instead, they slipped as far as was allowed all the way the the sixth pick. No big deal right? it is still a top 10 pick in what is generally considered a strong draft. As we get closer to the draft, that slide down the draft order seems like a huge deal. There is a consensus among draft and prospect analysts that there are two generational talents at the top of the draft in LSU teammates OF Dylan Crews and RHP Paul Skenes. It sure would have been nice to have one of those top two picks. Not only that, but the next tier of quasi-elite talent includes college OF Wyatt Langford and HS OFs Max Clark and Walker Jenkins. If you are counting at home that is a total of five top players in this draft. And if you remember the A's have the sixth pick in the draft...likely missing out on these talented prospects that are much needed in the A's organization. Picking sixth in a five player draft seems to pretty well sum up the current state of the franchise.

Now there is still the possibility that one of the teams picking above the A's goes against convention to let one of these players slip or a player like Tennessee RHP Chase Dollander makes these rankings look silly in a few years. Judging by the current A's futility, I wouldn't bet on it (pun intended).