A's Inbox: Top 30 prospects edition

There’s a different feel to the A’s Top 30 Prospects list this year.

For much of the past three years, top names like Jesús Luzardo and Sean Murphy were on the cusp of a breakthrough at the big league level. Now that both have graduated and emerged as key pieces in Oakland, the club’s farm system has gone a bit thin. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t exciting talent on the way.

• Breaking down A's Top 30 prospects

Despite not having a player on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list, the A’s still have some talented players who project to develop into their next wave of big league talent. Some of those prospects are already getting their feet wet in camp this spring, such as Tyler Soderstrom, Nick Allen and Daulton Jefferies.

So in this edition of the A's Inbox, let's dig into some of your questions regarding the players who landed on Monday’s updated Top 30 Prospects list for 2021:

What caused Robert Puason to fall to No. 6?
-- @oaklandfan312

Puason certainly did nothing wrong to get moved down on the list. It comes down to the body of work. Guys like Allen and Logan Davidson have progressed well through the Minor Leagues, while Puason has yet to play a Minor League game in his career. He did impress at the club’s alternate training site in San Jose last summer, though, and a solid year of development through the system this year will probably push him back into the top five.

If Austin Beck has a good year, say 25+ homers, a 350+ OBP and ends the year in Double-A or Triple-A, is he a top 5 prospect?
-- @OswqldTheBunny

Beck is in a similar boat as Lazaro Armenteros. He’s still young at 22, and the A’s were encouraged by what they saw out of him in the instructional league as he displayed solid power at the plate and improved defense in the outfield. There will always be a lot of pressure on Beck given his status as the sixth overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Playing alongside Armenteros in Stockton in 2019, Beck had his own strikeout issues that he’ll look to work on in Minor League games this year. The talent is there, it’s just about unlocking it, and he still has time to do so. Regardless of if he gets back into the top five, a good 2021 campaign could get him back on track in the organization.

How does Buddy Reed fit into the organization at the moment? Has his Spring Training hype been in line with expectations/performance in the Minors? Will we see him this year?
-- @tfbm_b

There is a ton of outfield depth in the organization that Reed is competing with, but there is no question that his hot start to Cactus League action has upped the 25-year-old’s stock within the organization. While he may not be a strong candidate to make the team out of Spring Training, he’s certainly on the big league radar, and his experience should make him one of the first options the A’s look to call on if a need in the outfield arises. If his improvements at the plate continue in the Minor Leagues, my guess is we see him in Oakland at some point in 2021.

Which players most improved their stock with the A's at last year's alternate site? Luis Barrera? Colin Peluse?
-- @Hecubot99

If there was an MVP Award for the A’s alternate site, Barrera probably would have won it running away. The 25-year-old has made great improvements over the past few years and hit about .460 at the alternate site, according to A’s farm director Ed Sprague. Barrera was already on the big league radar last spring, now he appears ready to make an impact in Oakland. But with the outfield situation so crowded, he will have to wait for an opportunity to open up and take advantage.

Which of the three middle infield prospects in the top 10 (Nick Allen, Logan Davidson, Robert Puason) has the highest upside? Who is most likely to stick as a Major Leaguer?
-- @Terry_T_Mark

All three of these guys should be quality Major Leaguers. Allen’s flashy defense should allow him to remain a mainstay at shortstop as a multiple Gold Glove Award winner. However, Puason and Davidson might carry a bit more upside. Not only are both considered to be strong defenders, but their Major League comps certainly generate buzz, as Puason has drawn comparisons to former All-Star Tony Fernandez, while Davidson gave off vibes of 2020 World Series MVP Corey Seager to the A’s front office upon being drafted in '19.

Is Tyler Soderstrom a future catcher or will he be moved to the outfield to move his bat through the system quicker?
-- @jamesdoehle

Time will tell with the 19-year-old Soderstrom. Though there was a lot of talk of him switching positions during the 2020 Draft, the A’s believe he does have the skill set to catch at the Major League level. His advanced bat will allow him to play anywhere, with his athleticism suggesting he could probably handle a corner infield or outfield spot. But he has already shown improvement behind the plate and a strong willingness to learn and get better in that aspect during his time in camp with the A’s this spring, so the club will likely give Soderstrom every opportunity to stick at the position.