Oakland A’s: Finding a place for Jordan Diaz

The Oakland A’s have an interesting prospect in Jordan Diaz, but there is one major question – where does he fit into the lineup?

At some point, the Oakland A’s are going to need to find a replacement at the hot corner. As much as we would love to see it, Matt Chapman will not remain there forever. That replacement could be a player such as Sheldon Neuse, or it could be a prospect further down the ladder, such as Jordan Diaz.

An interesting prospect, Diaz is currently ranked as the A’s 13th best prospect according to MLB.com, and is the top ranked pure third baseman on the list. He has seen occasional time at other positions, with one game at first, second, and catcher in 2018, but the vast majority of his professional appearances have come at the hot corner.

There is no question that Diaz can hit. He is considered to have the best bat to ball skills in the A’s system, someone that can make an impressive amount of contact. His power is expected to develop as his body matures, and he does an impressive job of driving the ball into the gaps.

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His performance thus far in the minors bears that scouting report out. He has produced a .262/.317/.380 batting line during his three seasons in the A’s system, hitting ten homers and 35 doubles. Diaz’s contact skills were on display as well, as he has struck out just 94 times in 663 plate appearances.

However, there are questions as to where Diaz will play as he moves up the ladder. He has the soft hands and strong arm to play third, but there are plenty of questions about his focus defensively. Likewise, Diaz needs to improve his footwork, as he has a tendency to be caught unprepared when a ball is hit his way, leading to baffling errors.

Even if Diaz can improve his defensive focus, there is no guarantee that he would remain at third. His offensive profile, as respectable as it may be, would need to drastically improve for Diaz to remain at a corner infield spot. Perhaps the A’s can see whether or not he can handle other positions on a more consistent basis, but he does not seem to be the long term answer if Chapman eventually leaves.

The Oakland A’s will eventually need to find Matt Chapman’s replacement. Jordan Diaz does not have the offensive profile to be that player, at least not yet.