Get to know the A's prospects added at the 2024 Deadline

The rebuilding A’s added four prospects ahead of Tuesday's Trade Deadline through deals with the Royals and Mets. Pitching prospects Will Klein, Mason Barnett and outfielder Jared Dickey were acquired from the Royals in exchange for Lucas Erceg, while another pitching prospect in Kade Morris came back from the Mets for Paul Blackburn.

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about all of the newest members of the A’s system.

Will Klein, RHP, Oakland A’s
Pipeline scouting report: A year after he was selected in the fifth round of the 2020 Draft out of Eastern Illinois, Klein was flying onto the radar at High-A and on a fast track to the Majors. A shin injury delayed the start of his 2022 season, and he lost the zone once he got to Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Klein got back on track in '23, dominating Double-A before settling into Triple-A. He had a 30.5% strikeout rate between the two levels, along with a 12.8% walk rate and a 3.64 FIP. The Royals added Klein to their 40-man roster this past offseason to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, then watched him make his big league debut in late April (five total appearances with Kansas City). He had just been recalled when he was sent to the A’s in the Lucas Erceg deal.

Klein operates with a plus-plus fastball, sitting in the upper 90s and flashing triple digits at times. It features riding action and plays up in the zone. His above-average curveball plays off the fastball well with a hard drop. He’s scrapped his changeup, and what once was thought to be a slider is now a hard upper-80s cutter.

Klein misses bats and gets a ton of strikeouts, but he’s also prone to walks. His control was somewhat improved in '23, but the walk rate ticked back up this season. A big presence on the mound at 6-foot-5, Klein has the chance to be a big league reliever if he can refine his command, with upside as a high-leverage arm despite a stiff delivery.

Organizational fit: The A’s see a lot of similarities between Klein and Erceg, who once upon a time was also a hard-throwing prospect struggling with command before putting it all together this season. He became Oakland’s No. 15 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, and will immediately join the A’s bullpen with a chance to develop at the Major League level, bringing a power arm that projects as a back-end bullpen piece if he can harness his control.

“The Royals had brought him up this season, but he never got a full opportunity to go through that development process because they’re obviously winning a lot of games and had guys get back into their bullpen who they believed in and were confident in. This is a chance for Klein to come in here and continue his progression, and we’re hopeful that we can get him to a point where next season, he’s pitching in that type of role like Lucas was.” -- A’s manager Mark Kotsay

ETA: Expected to be added to big league roster

Mason Barnett, RHP, Double-A Midland
Pipeline scouting report: After not being able to lock down a regular turn in Auburn’s rotation, Barnett finished his first professional season as the Royals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2023. The Georgia native was taken in the third round of the 2022 Draft and made his pro debut without allowing a hit over seven innings at Single-A. Barnett split '23 between High-A Quad Cities (16 starts) and Double-A Northwest Arkansas (seven starts) and finished with a 3.30 ERA across 114 2/3 innings with a 28.8% strikeout rate and a 10.5% walk rate, while batters hit just .208 against him. He continued to miss bats, while being more hittable, with a return to Double-A this year, when he was sent to the A’s at the Trade Deadline.

Barnett has gotten things done in the past mainly with his above-average fastball and changeup, with his heater sitting mid-90s and reaching 99 mph, though this year he sat 94 mph and topped out at 96. He started going to his mid-80s slider (which features good bite) more, and he started to get more separation velocity-wise with his upper-70s curve. He still used his changeup, sitting around 87-88 mph, effectively at times.

The 6-foot right-hander has shown an understanding of how to get himself back in counts using his breaking stuff to do so. He throws strikes but has fringe-average control, with a goal of being more precise in the zone as he faces tougher hitters. Barnett throws from a three-quarters arm slot and sometimes shows long arm action but is otherwise clean. He gets high marks for his mentality on the mound, a bulldog personality who is cerebral in how he does it, with a chance to start long-term.

Organizational fit: The A’s were in dire need of replenishing their starting pitching depth in the Minors. Barnett entered the organization as their No. 6 prospect, with a chance to debut as early as next season if his success carries over.

ETA: 2025

Jared Dickey, OF, High-A Lansing
Pipeline scouting report: After struggling through shoulder surgery and the pandemic as a Tennessee high schooler, Dickey redshirted when he got to the University of Tennessee and righted the ship, getting in excellent shape and posting a 1.174 OPS in 2022. His numbers weren’t as loud the following year, but he hit enough for the Royals to take him in the 11th round, signing for an over-slot bonus of $572,500. He was having a solid, albeit unspectacular, first full season when he was sent to the A’s in the package that made Erceg a Royal.

A left-handed hitter, Dickey has some moving parts at the plate, with a crouch and lifting the bat off his shoulder, but he’s continued to show he can find the barrel and make a ton of contact with a sweet swing and excellent hand-eye coordination. The overall impact is still in question, but he could be a 15-20 homer guy if he can get to driving the ball in the air like he did back in 2022.

While Dickey played all three outfield spots and spent time behind the plate with the Volunteers, he’s given up catching and played right field exclusively this season. For him to profile as a regular in a corner, the power is going to have to come a bit more.

Organizational fit: The A’s like what they’ve seen from Dickey as a hitter this season. He’s played mostly right field in Kansas City’s organization and will provide the A’s some outfield depth in the Minors, slotting in as Oakland’s No. 28 prospect.

ETA: 2026

Kade Morris, RHP, High-A Lansing
Pipeline scouting report: Morris pitched primarily out of the Nevada bullpen during his first two seasons on campus, and after brief turns as a starter during the Cape Cod League and Team USA trials, he joined the Wolf Pack rotation as a junior in 2023, posting a 5.42 ERA with 85 strikeouts over 81 1/3 innings. He joined the Mets in the third round and signed for slot at $666,500. He opened his first full season at Single-A St. Lucie and pushed his way to High-A Brooklyn by late May, then was sent to the A’s in the deal for Blackburn.

The 6-foot-3 hurler can run his pair of fastballs up to 95-96 mph but will generally be in the 91-94 range. His sinker, with 17-18 inches of arm-side run, has been the better pitch of the two heaters, but he’s continued to develop his four-seamer as well. Similarly, he’ll throw three different slider varieties -- hard slider, cutter, sweeper -- with the first on that list the most reliable of the bunch at this stage. His mid-70s curveball remains a work in progress, particularly when it comes to finding a consistent arm slot, and while he didn’t throw his 85-89 mph changeup much in the Florida State League this season, the offering was arguably his best in college, as he sold it well with good arm speed.

Morris shows athleticism on the mound, and his history of throwing strikes has carried into the lower levels of pro ball. His pitch mix is diverse enough to give him starting upside, but he could use a tick or two more of sharpness to become the No. 4 or 5 in a Major League rotation.

Organizational fit: The A’s saw plenty of Morris while scouting the Modesto, Calif., native on the amateur circuit. He ranks as the A’s No. 20 prospect and will look to work his way up the system.

ETA: 2026