3 prospects Oakland A’s need to promote to majors

The Oakland A’s are not going anywhere any time soon.

That has been clear this season, as the A’s have struggled to find viable major league talent. In total, 52 players have seen major league action with the A’s this season, with 26 position players and 26 pitchers getting on the diamond. Of those, few have given any hope that the A’s will have something to build around.

Three prospects for Oakland A’s to look at

But there is still plenty of talent in the minors. Various trades, both during the offseason and at the deadline, have injected talent into a virtually barren farm system. While there has been a revolving door between the majors and Triple-A, few of those top prospects have gotten a look. That should change in the coming days, as the A’s use the final weeks of the season to evaluate different players to see if they can be a part of the future core.

The Oakland A’s need to see what they have with some of their top prospects. Let’s take a look at three options that should be promoted to the majors.

Shea Langeliers

It is really a matter of time before Shea Langeliers gets his chance. That time could come as early as this week.

Oakland A’s general manager David Forst already said that the team was looking forward to seeing what Langeliers can do at the major league level. Not only does he expect that debut to happen this year, but that the A’s want to see Langeliers get some major league plate appearances and time behind the dish.

As it is, Langeliers does not have much left to prove in the minors. He has followed his breakout 2021 campaign with a strong .283/.366/.510 batting line in his 402 plate appearances in Las Vegas, hitting 19 homers and 19 doubles. The A’s top prospect has certainly lived up to his billing.

It should also be easy enough to find a place on the major league roster for Langeliers. Stephen Vogt may be a respected veteran presence, but he is not part of the A’s future. As they have already let another disappointing veteran in Jed Lowrie go, it is a matter of time before others follow.

Shea Langeliers’ time in the majors is coming. That time could be sooner than we think.

Ken Waldichuk

The Oakland A’s had a dearth of potential top of the rotation arms in their system. That is, until they acquired Ken Waldichuk as the headliner in the Frankie Montas trade.

Waldichuk has gone from somewhat of an afterthought to being one of the top pitching prospects in the game. He has gotten results at every level, relying on his plus fastball and improved slider while mixing in a decent change and curve.

After a rough debut in the A’s system, he showed that potential on Friday. He allowed just one run on six hits and a walk over five innings, striking out three as he threw 73 pitches. It may not have necessarily been a dominant performance, but it was a drastic improvement. The fact that he was able to adjust to the more offensively charged Pacific Coast League and allow just that one run is notable.

As it stands, Waldichuk is easily the A’s best pitching prospect. He is the only pitcher they have that is considered to have the potential to be a top of the rotation arm, something that is desperately needed in Oakland. Although he needs to be added to the 40 man roster, there are enough mediocre arms currently in the A’s system where jettisoning one of them would not be an issue to add Waldichuk and let him get a look in the majors.

Ken Waldichuk is easily the best pitcher in the Oakland A’s system. It is time that he gets a look at the majors.