Here are the A's 2022 Top 30 Prospects
Martín Gallegos
@MartinJGallegosThe A’s are entering a new chapter at the big league level after breaking up their core group of key players this spring. With that new direction came a major overhaul of their farm system.
In trading away a trio of their stars -- Chris Bassitt, Matt Chapman and Matt Olson -- the A’s received 10 players in return. Five of those newcomers -- Shea Langeliers, Cristian Pache, Gunnar Hoglund, J.T. Ginn and Ryan Cusick -- immediately became ranked among the organization’s top 10 prospects. Kevin Smith, Joey Estes and Zach Logue are also players from those three trades who joined the club’s Top 30 Prospects List.
The replenishment of Oakland’s system was much-needed. At the start of 2021, the A’s were the only team without a player on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list. One year later, the new Top 100 list for 2022 includes two A’s prospects in Langeliers and Tyler Soderstrom. Pache, who could seize an everyday role in the Majors this year, ranked just outside of the Top 100, while 2021 second-round Draft pick Zack Gelof’s big impact in a short amount of time has him in the conversation for a spot on that list.
Coming off a year in which he represented Team USA in the Olympics and was promoted to Triple-A at season’s end, No. 5 prospect Nick Allen is just about ready to make an impact at the Major League level. Daulton Jefferies and A.J. Puk will also soon graduate off this list as expected members of Oakland’s pitching staff.
Here’s a look at the A’s top prospects:
1. Tyler Soderstrom, C (MLB No. 56)
2. Shea Langeliers, C (MLB No. 59)
3. Zack Gelof, 3B
4. Cristian Pache, OF
5. Nick Allen, SS/2B
Complete Top 30 list »
Biggest jump/fall
Here are the players whose ranks changed the most from the 2021 preseason list to the 2022 preseason list.
Jump: Colin Peluse, RHP (2021: 30 | 2022: 12) A power arm whose fastball can max out at 98 mph, Peluse impressed at two levels by combining for a 3.39 ERA with 109 strikeouts against just 26 walks over 101 innings to earn the club’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors by MLB Pipeline.
Fall: Logan Davidson, INF (2021: 5 | 2022: 26) The A’s knew it might a tall order for the 2019 first-round pick to begin the 2021 campaign at Double-A after the absence of a 2020 season due to the pandemic. He flashed some of his exciting tools at times, but an overall inconsistent year saw him slash just .212/.307/.313 in 119 games with Double-A Midland.
Best tools
Players are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale for future tools -- 20-30 is well below average, 40 is below average, 50 is average, 60 is above average and 70-80 is well above average. Players in parentheses have the same grade.
Hit: 60 -- Tyler Soderstrom
Power: 60 -- Shea Langeliers
Run: 70 -- Cristian Pache (Luis Barrera)
Arm: 70 -- Cristian Pache (Shea Langeliers)
Defense: 80 -- Cristian Pache
Fastball: 70 -- Ryan Cusick (Mason Miller)
Curveball: 60 -- J.T. Ginn
Slider: 55 -- A.J. Puk (Ryan Cusick, Colin Peluse, Jeff Criswell, Brent Honeywell)
Changeup: 60 -- Daulton Jefferies (Zach Logue, Brent Honeywell)
Control: 60 -- Gunnar Hoglund
How they were built:
Draft: 14 | International: 6 | Trade: 10
Breakdown by ETA
2022: 10 | 2023: 8 | 2024: 11 | 2025: 1
Breakdown by position
C: 3 | 1B: 1 | 3B: 2 | SS: 5 | OF: 7 | RHP: 10 | LHP: 2