A's load up on college talent on Day 2
Oakland selects left-hander Harris from Louisiana-Lafayette in Round 3
OAKLAND -- The A's continued their trend of drafting college players, selecting all but one college athlete through 10 rounds in the 2018 MLB Draft.
The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 beginning on MLB.com at noon ET.
With their third-round selection Tuesday, the A's picked Hogan Harris, a left-handed pitcher out of the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
Harris is another interesting early selection by the A's after they took a gamble on Oklahoma outfielder Kyler Murray, who also plays football, in the first round. Harris has excellent movement on his pitches, but struggles with consistency. He also missed time last season with an oblique injury, but said he is completely healthy now.
"I pitch with a lot of confidence," Harris said of his biggest strength. "I think hitters can tell. I work well off my fastball."
Tony Robichaux, the head coach at University of Louisiana-Lafayette, said Harris segued from the bullpen into the starting rotation and complimented the movement on his breaking pitches.
"Throws easy velocity, the ball jumps on you," Robichaux said. "His spin rate's through the roof."
Harris had a 5-2 record with a 2.62 ERA in 12 games as a junior, making four starts last season. He sees himself as a starter, citing his ability to throw four pitches -- fastball, curveball, slider and changeup -- and is looking forward to working with his new organization.
"Now that I'm here, it's about working your way up the ranks, proving to people that you belong here," Harris said.
Round 4: Alfonso Rivas, 1B, University of Arizona
Rivas is a more conventional pick for the A's. Also a junior, Rivas led the Wildcats with a .342 batting average last season, starting in all 56 games. Scouting reports praise Rivas as a polished left-handed hitter with a short swing that allows him to cover the strike zone and spread the ball around the field.
Arizona head coach Jay Johnson said Rivas improved each season with the Wildcats, and that he fits the A's drafting philosophy of selecting players ready to perform immediately.
"He's almost impossible to replace," Johnson said. "I have zero concerns about his readiness and ability.
Johnson added that Rivas has phenomenal plate discipline and is a clutch hitter.
"If there's a runner on second base with two outs, the ball's going to be hit hard somewhere," Johnson said. "Sometimes I wonder if his heartbeat ever gets above 65 because he's always under control."
The La Jolla, Calif., native also fields his position well with a good arm, and has played at both corner outfield positions. The main question surrounding the 5-foot-11 Rivas is whether he will develop enough power as a first baseman. He hit seven homers last year, though he had 15 doubles and three triples, and led the Wildcats with 21 multi-hit games.
Round 5: Brady Feigl, RHP, University of Mississippi
Feigl redshirted in 2015 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but has recovered well. He doesn't have a plus pitch, but is a strike thrower, with the ability to pound the zone with a fastball, curveball and changeup.
Feigl was also selected in last year's draft by the Angels in 35th round, but chose to return to school for his redshirt junior season. He went 8-5 with a 4.03 ERA in 16 starts for Ole Miss last season, and could develop into an option in the back end of the rotation for the A's.
Round 6: Lawrence Butler, OF, Westlake High School (GA)
Butler is the A's first high school pick of the draft. He bats left-handed and has big, raw power, though he may take some time to move through the system.
At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds, Butler has athleticism to go with his large frame. If he can develop at the plate and defensively, Butler will be a project worth taking on.
Round 7: RHP Charlie Cerny, University of Illinois-Chicago
Cerny made a big leap last year in his junior year, going 5-3 with a 1.63 ERA, making five starts. The righty primarily pitched out of the bullpen and had a high strikeout rate, with his statistics improving each year.
In 58 games in his college career, Cerny recorded 96 strikeouts.
Round 8: C JJ Schwarz, Florida
Schwarz is an intriguing selection, considering the slide he went through after his freshman All-American season. He hit .332 his freshman year, setting him up as a future first-round selection, but his batting average dipped to .259 as a junior.
However, Schwarz had a strong senior season, hitting .325 with 12 home runs to earn a spot on the All-SEC First Team. He has been selected twice before: the Brewers drafted him in the 17th round out of high school and the Rays picked him in the 38th round last year.
One looming question surrounding Schwarz is where he will play defensively. He has caught and played first base, but scouts don't see him sticking behind the plate.
Round 9: RHP Chase Cohen, Georgia Southern
Cohen helped his draft stock when he pitched well against Southern Alabama on April 13, facing Travis Swaggerty, the No. 10 overall pick in this year's Draft. He struck out seven batters in five innings, holding Swaggerty to one hit in three at-bats
Cohen, who stands 6-foot-1, bounced around between the rotation and bullpen at Georgia Southern. He was primarily used out of the bullpen his junior season after starting his first two seasons. Cohen has hit 98 mph with his fastball and has a power curveball and a changeup, though he has struggled with throwing strikes.
Round 10: RHP Clark Cota, UNC Wilmington
Cota led UNC Wilmington with 13 saves last season, sporting a breaking ball and fastball that can touch 95 mph. The junior hides the ball well and recorded 47 strikeouts in 35.1 innings last season out of the bullpen, though consistency has been an issue.