Oakland Athletics’ Prospects Who Could Make An Impact Next Year

Starting Pitching Prospects Casey Meisner and Sean Nolin

Sep 27, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sean Nolin (47) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the second inning at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

Rich Paloma: I am not all that familiar with A’s prospects, but with the need for pitching over position players, and the bullpen in serious need of a teardown and fresh build up, the prospect that stands out to me is RHP Casey Meisner.

At only 20 yrs. old, this 6’7″ righty has a fastball in the mid-90s. He also has a good curve and change-up to be able to mix batters up. Last year in 143 innings pitched, he had 121 KS and a 13-5 record in Single-A ball. He may not be with the big club next year, but when he does, he should be a major force as he continues to develop.

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Samantha Riley: Despite having pitched a little over 30 innings at the Major League level, starting pitcher Sean Nolin is still considered the Oakland Athletics’ No. 13 prospect. Nolin came to the Athletics in the Josh Donaldson trade last offseason and was expected to compete for and earn a rotation spot in 2015. However, a prior injury plague Nolin and he spent much of the season on the DL in the Minor Leagues. He finally returned in late August and, because of the September roster expansion, was called up from Triple-A on September 4.

The Oakland Athletics have numerous young rookie starters who will be vying for a spot in the rotation in 2016. When Nolin was healthy this year, he earned a 2.66 ERA with a 1.25 WHIP over 47.1 innings pitched with the Athletics’ Triple-A affiliate the Nashville Sounds. He is a consistent pitcher who has the potential to be a Major League starter. If he stays in good health, there is a high chance Nolin will earn a spot on Oakland’s starting rotation in 2016 and truly have a positive impact on the team.