2. Nick Allen
Nick Allen has been ready for the majors defensively since he was drafted. The question was whether or not his bat would allow him to be anything more than a glove first utility player. He started to show more offense in 2019, a trend that continued last year. He answered that question by impressing in Double-A and during his time on the Team USA Olympic squad.
However, Allen struggled at his time in Triple-A to close out the year, making it likely that he will begin the season in the minors. He does make excellent contact, allowing him to use his plus speed to great effect. Allen has also put together far better numbers against lefties than he has against right handed pitching, something that could impact his future. If he can improve against righties, he could be a solid piece at the top of the Oakland A’s lineup in the not so distant future.
1. Tyler Soderstrom
The only player in the Oakland A’s system currently viewed as a top 100 prospect, Tyler Soderstrom is easily the jewel of the farm. The 26th overall selection in the 2020 MLB Draft, he hit the ground running in his first season of professional ball, producing an impressive .308/.390/.568 batting line in 254 plate appearances, hitting 12 homers and 20 doubles.
Soderstrom makes hard contact consistently with his ability to drive pitches to all fields. He stands out amongst other prospects offensively, making him a potential future star. The question is his defense as he is still extremely raw as a catcher. It had been thought that Soderstrom could move to either corner infield spot, or even the outfield, and he is athletic enough to handle such a change. If he continues to have issues defensively as the bat continues to make an impact, such a change could happen.
Is there a prospect you think we missed on or one that should be ranked higher? Let us know in the comments!