With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Athletics’ Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

1. Tyler Soderstrom (MLB No. 39), 1B -- Las Vegas (Triple-A)
2. Ken Waldichuk (MLB No. 76), LHP -- Oakland (MLB)
3. Zack Gelof, 2B -- Las Vegas (Triple-A)
4. Mason Miller, RHP -- Midland (Double-A)
5. Esteury Ruiz, OF -- Oakland (MLB)
6. Jordan Diaz, 1B -- Las Vegas (Triple-A)
7. Daniel Susac, C -- Lansing (High-A)
8. Freddy Tarnok, RHP -- Injured (right arm discomfort)
9. Max Muncy, SS -- Lansing (High-A)
10. Lawrence Butler, OF -- Midland (Double-A)
11. Luis Morales, RHP -- Dominican Summer League
12. Denzel Clarke, OF -- Injured (left shoulder strain)
13. Henry Bolte, OF -- Extended spring training
14. Gunnar Hoglund, RHP -- Injured (right bicep)
15. Brett Harris, 3B -- Midland (Double-A)
16. J.T. Ginn, RHP -- Midland (Double-A)
17. Darell Hernaiz, SS -- Midland (Double-A)
18. Clark Elliott, OF -- Stockton (Single-A)
19. Royber Salinas, RHP -- Midland (Double-A)
20. Luis Medina, RHP -- Las Vegas (Triple-A)
21. Colby Thomas, OF -- Stockton (Single-A)
22. Ryan Cusick, RHP -- Midland (Double-A)
23. Joey Estes, RHP -- Midland (Double-A)
24. Hogan Harris, LHP -- Las Vegas (Triple-A)
25. Brayan Buelvas, OF -- Stockton (Single-A)
26. Logan Davidson, SS -- Midland (Double-A)
27. Euribiel Angeles, INF -- Lansing (High-A)
28. Colin Peluse, RHP -- Las Vegas (Triple-A)
29. Jacob Watters, RHP -- Lansing (High-A)
30. Pedro Pineda, OF -- Extended spring training

Team to watch
Midland has the most Top 30 guys (nine) but let’s go to Vegas, baby. There are six Top 30 prospects there, starting with top guy (Soderstrom) and the club's No. 3 prospect (Gelof). Diaz gives the Aviators one more Top 10 bat worth watching.

Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV
Oakland A’s
Las Vegas Aviators (Triple-A)
Midland RockHounds (Double-A)
Lansing Lugnuts (High-A)

Players we could see in MLB in 2023
Any of those top three bats could see time in Oakland this year, with Diaz already having made a solid impression late last season. Luis Medina’s power arm could get a shot in some kind of role this year as the highest-ranked of three Top 30 pitchers in Las Vegas (Hogan Harris, Colin Peluse).

New faces
The top pitching prospect in this year’s international class, Luis Morales, signed for $3 million when the period opened on Jan. 15. As a 20 year old with considerable experience in Cuba, he’s older and has a longer resume than your typical recent international signee. He’s going to start in the Dominican Summer League, but he could move quickly once he gets acclimated to pro ball. Colby Thomas, the club’s third-round pick in 2022, had labrum surgery last year while at Mercer and was still rehabbing after he signed, so his first at-bat with Stockton will be his first pro plate appearance of any kind.

On the shelf
The A’s are still trying to pinpoint what’s causing Freddy Tarnok’s arm issues, with the hope of getting him to Triple-A, and eventually Oakland once he’s healthy. Denzel Clarke is battling a left shoulder strain while Gunnar Hoglund continues to try to work past a right bicep issue that cost him much of the 2022 season.