Oakland Athletics’ Top Four Draft Picks Challenge Current Prospects

Jun 10, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt (21) is greeted at the dugout after scoring on a sacrifice hit by third baseman Brett Lawrie (not pictured) in the fourth inning of their MLB baseball game with the Texas Rangers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Athletics’ farm system has been hurting ever since the departure of Addison Russell in last year’s trade that acquired pitcher Jeff Samardzija. The front office tried to fill in some of the holes by trading Josh Donaldson to the Toronto Blue Jays, which in turn netted the A’s second ranked prospect Franklin Barreto, as well as their number six prospect Sean Nolin. The trade even gave them immediate help by adding Kendall Graveman to the rotation. Despite these moves, the A’s minor league system still ranks near the bottom in all of baseball.

Billy Beane recognized the gaping lack of sensational talent in the upper levels of the system, which is why the A’s drafted almost exclusively college level talent. They gave Barreto some competition by drafting shortstops with their first two picks, and rounded off their top four with a pitcher and an outfielder.

Now A’s Nation has questions. Who are these draft picks, how do they stack up against the people already in Oakland’s system, and will they really help the A’s at the major league level?

Next: Fourth Round: Skye Bolt