Oakland Athletics’ Top Four 2015 Draft Picks Impress In Debut Season

May 21, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Oakland Athletics hat and glove lays in the dugout at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Second Round: Shortstop Mikey White

The A’s second round draft pick was shortstop Mikey White, who crushed Low-A pitching after he signed with Oakland. He batted .315/.405/.459, with two home runs and 16 RBIs in just 29 games. In fact, White was playing so well that the A’s sent him to the full-season Beloit Snappers – where he promptly met his match.

With Beloit, White turned in a .200/.283/.262 performance – far below what he had done with short-season Vermont. That’s not a knock on White. It’s impressive that he was able to make such a statement that he reached the new level after just a few weeks, and it’s not at all shocking that he struggled after his promotion.

The Oakland Athletics’ ranked White 15th on their prospect list not because of any deficiencies, but because he doesn’t excel in any one particular area. Richie Martin, for example, is a stellar defender.  White is a solid defensive shortstop, but not a Gold Glover. He can get on base, run the bases, and make plays, but he isn’t flashy.

If he can continue to post the kind of numbers he did with Vermont, White could find himself moving quickly up the list. He’s 22 years old, but he has better plate discipline than a player like Chad Pinder, and he’s certainly a better overall hitter than Martin. That will make him more likely to succeed at the major league level when he finally reaches it.

The A’s will need to think about moving at least one of these players to second or even third base. White got some reps at third while with Vermont, but second base is probably the best fit for him. If Martin’s bat holds up, his defensive ability at shortstop will keep White out of a job at that position.

Next: Richie Martin: First Round