1 | 1. Jorge Mateo | |
---|---|---|
2 | Position: SS/2B/OF | His speed is unmatched by any top-100 prospect, with the possible exception of Victor Robles, and he started to hit again last year. Mateo offers some sneaky pop, but speed will define his fantasy value. It’s unclear when the A’s will be able to make room for him at shortstop. |
3 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
4 | Likely assignment: Triple-A Nashville | |
5 | Overall rank: 21 | |
6 | ||
7 | 2. A.J. Puk | |
8 | Position: LHP | Equipped with two potentially 70-grade pitches in his fastball and slider, Puk has two key ingredients that every frontline starter possesses. His lesser tools (command, changeup, curveball) are still good enough for him to be at least a No. 3 starter, and he obviously has the upside to exceed that. |
9 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
10 | Likely assignment: Triple-A Nashville | |
11 | Overall rank: 34 | |
12 | ||
13 | 3. Dustin Fowler | |
14 | Position: OF | Fowler ruptured his right kneecap in his big-league debut, but will compete for the starting center field job in spring training. His hit tool is potentially plus, as is his speed, and last year he started to showcase impact power thanks to a more aggressive approach. He should be a popular endgame target in single-season leagues. |
15 | Age on 4/1/18: 23 | |
16 | Likely assignment: Triple-A Nashville | |
17 | Overall rank: 49 | |
18 | ||
19 | ||
20 | 4. Austin Beck | |
21 | Position: OF | There was a case to be made for Beck being valued as a top-three dynasty-league prospect before the draft. He has enough power and speed to go 25/25 in time. The fact that he struggled mightily out of the gate, leaves him with a bad overall line that could make him the first-round bargain of dynasty-league drafts this year. |
22 | Age on 4/1/18: 19 | |
23 | Likely assignment: Low-A Beloit | |
24 | Overall rank: 51 | |
25 | ||
26 | ||
27 | 5. Franklin Barreto | |
28 | Position: 2B/SS | It’s hard to ding Barreto too much for his struggles as a 21-year-old at Triple-A and MLB last season. That said, his plate skills are trending in the wrong direction. He could still be a .270 or .280 hitter at peak with 15-plus homer pop and enough speed to steal 15-to-20 bases, but there’s more obvious risk than there was a year ago. |
29 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
30 | Likely assignment: Triple-A Nashville | |
31 | Overall rank: 56 | |
32 | ||
33 | ||
34 | 6. Jesus Luzardo | |
35 | Position: LHP | Luzardo seems to be undervalued in dynasty leagues right now. Sure, he hasn't pitched in a full-season league, but he could probably handle High-A hitters this spring. His fastball is an easy plus pitch, and his changeup also projects as plus. This year will be about building up innings, but he could be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter by 2020. |
36 | Age on 4/1/18: 20 | |
37 | Likely assignment: Low-A Beloit | |
38 | Overall rank: 76 | |
39 | ||
40 | ||
41 | 7. Sheldon Neuse | |
42 | Position: 3B/DH | Built like a tank, Neuse can hit, and hit for power. He’s a bit old, so it will be interesting to see if he can sustain this momentum against upper-level pitching in 2018. While he can handle third base, the A’s may relegate him to DH based on the rest of the roster. Look for him to debut in late 2018 or early 2019. |
43 | Age on 4/1/18: 23 | |
44 | Likely assignment: Double-A Midland | |
45 | Overall rank: 86 | |
46 | ||
47 | 8. Lazaro Armenteros | |
48 | Position: OF | Considering the reports of his struggles after signing, Armenteros was quite impressive in the AZL last year. He has the potential to offer plus power and plus speed, but there are a lot of questions about the hit tool. His name value and initial production may lead to him being slightly overvalued in dynasty leagues. |
49 | Age on 4/1/18: 18 | |
50 | Likely assignment: Low-A Beloit | |
51 | Overall rank: 96 | |
52 | ||
53 | ||
54 | 9. Kevin Merrell | |
55 | Position: SS/2B/OF | Merrell was one of the fastest players to come off the board in the first two days of last year’s draft, and happens to be a college hitter with a chance to stick at shortstop. He won't hit for much power and we won't get a good sense for his hit tool until he gets to Double-A, but the speed alone makes him a top-25 target from that class. |
56 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
57 | Likely assignment: Low-A Beloit | |
58 | Overall rank: 150 | |
59 | ||
60 | ||
61 | 10. Greg Deichmann | |
62 | Position: OF | There are no red flags in Deichmann’s profile after a summer in the New York-Penn League, but he also turns 23 in May, so it’s hard to get too excited about anything he does below Double-A. A realistic ceiling would be an above-average hitter with plus power, but there is room on either side of that projection. |
63 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
64 | Likely assignment: Low-A Beloit | |
65 | Overall rank: 164 | |
66 | ||
67 | 11. James Kaprielian | |
68 | Position: RHP | A healthy Kaprielian would be one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but he's so rarely healthy, that it's getting harder to dream on his upside. Of course, if he hadn't needed Tommy John surgery last April, he would not have been available as part of the return package for Sonny Gray. He is a No. 2 starter lottery ticket and likely relief arm. |
69 | Age on 4/1/18: 24 | |
70 | Likely assignment: Rehabbing TJ Surgery | |
71 | Overall rank: 196 | |
72 | ||
73 | ||
74 | 12. Sean Murphy | |
75 | Position: C | Murphy is one of the best defensive catching prospects in the game who actually has a chance to hit enough to be valuable in fantasy. He struggled at Double-A, but was the victim of some bad luck (.232 BABIP). In two-catcher leagues, he's much more valuable, as I expect he'll take over as Oakland's primary catcher at some point in 2019. |
76 | Age on 4/1/18: 23 | |
77 | Likely assignment: Double-A Midland | |
78 | Overall rank: 272 | |
79 | ||
80 | ||
81 | 13. Daulton Jefferies | |
82 | Position: RHP | Jefferies needed Tommy John surgery last April and has only pitched 18.1 innings since the A's drafted him with the No. 37 overall pick in 2016. He could shoot up prospect lists if he impresses after returning to the mound at some point this summer. He has SP3 upside, thanks largely to a potentially plus changeup and advanced command. |
83 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
84 | Likely assignment: Rehabbing TJ Surgery | |
85 | Overall rank: 274 | |
86 | ||
87 | ||
88 | 14. Marcos Brito | |
89 | Position: 2B/SS | Brito is a favorite of scouts and has a very projectable 6-foot frame with athletic actions, but he has not yet produced the way a top rookie-level prospect typically does. He is a breakout candidate this year, and will still be very young for the AZL. |
90 | Age on 4/1/18: 18 | |
91 | Likely assignment: Arizona League | |
92 | Overall rank: 321 | |
93 | ||
94 | 15. Grant Holmes | |
95 | Position: RHP | Holmes is one of those pitching prospects who has gotten less interesting the closer he gets to the majors. He could be a high-strikeout No. 4 starter, but might end up as a setup man. On the bright side, we should see him in the majors in some capacity in 2018. |
96 | Age on 4/1/18: 22 | |
97 | Likely assignment: Triple-A Nashville | |
98 | Overall rank: 340 | |
99 | ||
100 | 16. Alexander Campos | |
101 | Position: SS/3B/2B | Campos joined a growing list of intriguing teenage prospects the Mariners have traded away in recent years (he was part of the return for Ryon Healy). He walked more than he struck out in the DSL, should stick in the middle infield and has noteworthy speed, even though he didn't post a good success rate on the bases last year (7-for-17). |
102 | Age on 4/1/18: 18 | |
103 | Likely assignment: Arizona League | |
104 | Overall rank: 360 | |
105 | ||
106 | ||
107 | 17. Renato Nunez | |
108 | Position: DH/3B/OF | Nunez has at least plus raw power and should be able to hit for a passable average against lefties. He is also out of options, so it will be on him to earn a spot on the active roster this spring, or he will likely be designated for assignment. It's not inconceivable that he gets 300-400 at-bats this year as Oakland's DH, and he could hit 20 homers in that role. |
109 | Age on 4/1/18: 23 | |
110 | Likely assignment: Triple-A Nashville | |
111 | Overall rank: Not ranked | |
112 | ||
113 | ||
114 | 18. Nick Allen | |
115 | Position: SS | Allen is the token shortstop from last year's draft who has a chance to be an elite defender and probably won't hit enough to be an everyday player. If he starts hitting, then he should be added in deeper formats, as his glove should get him to the big leagues. |
116 | Age on 4/1/18: 19 | |
117 | Likely assignment: Low-A Beloit | |
118 | Overall rank: Not ranked | |
119 | ||
120 | 19. Dairon Blanco | |
121 | Position: OF | Blanco is a bit of a mystery (literally, I can't find a date of birth), but the one thing we know is that he's a burner -- the A's claim he's an 80-grade runner. It's unclear where he will get assigned, but if he heads to High-A or Double-A as a 25-year-old, that will tell us a lot about how rough the hit tool is. |
122 | Age on 4/1/18: 25 | |
123 | Likely assignment: Double-A Midland | |
124 | Overall rank: Not ranked | |
125 | ||
126 | 20. Tyler Ramirez | |
127 | Position: OF | Ramirez has one of the better hit tools in this system, but he ranks 20th because he doesn't have a ton of power or speed. The fact that he probably can't handle center field hurts his chances as well. If he keeps hitting, he'll get to the majors, and it's possible he wills his way to a top two spot in the order. |
128 | Age on 4/1/18: 23 | |
129 | Likely assignment: Double-A Midland | |
130 | Overall rank: Not ranked |