Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the The 2022 Prospect Digest Handbook here!
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1. Cristian Pache, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
Background: A high profile free agent signing out of Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic, in July 2015. Atlanta handed the toolsy center fielder a nice seven-figure bonus, $1.7 million to be exact, and pushed him directly to the stateside rookie leagues the following season for his highly anticipated debut. And Pache passed with flying colors. Splitting time between the Gulf Coast and Appalachian Leagues, he batted an aggregate .309/.349/.391 with four doubles and seven triples. A year later the then-18-year-old looked quite comfortable in the South Atlantic League testing grounds: he hit .281/.335/.343 with 21 extra-base hits in 119 games with the Rome Braves. The front office accelerated Pache’s development schedule even further in 2018 as he blitzed through High-A and got his first taste of Double-A – the most important test for a prospect – before he turned 20-years-old. Pache responded with a .285/.311/.431 showing with Florida and a decent .260/.294/.337 slash line with Mississippi. Not shockingly, the club had him spend the majority of 2019 back in Mississippi for additional seasoning before bumping him up to the final minor league stop. During the 2020 COVID lockdown / shutdown, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound outfielder was on the big league club’s taxi squad and he eventually appeared in a pair of games with Atlanta. Last season, Pache appeared in 89 games with Gwinnett in Triple-A East, batting .265/.330/.414 with 15 doubles and 11 dingers. He also swiped nine bags, though he was thrown out seven times. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production was exactly the league average. Pache also appeared in 22 games with the Braves, hitting a paltry .111/.152/.206.
Snippet from The 2020 Prospect Digest Handbook: A plus glove with the offensive tools to settle in atop – or in the middle – of championship big league team. But the most exciting aspect for Pache’s development: his blossoming power.
Scouting Report: A lot’s changed in the past couple years. So let’s start with the physical appearance. Namely, his weight: in 2019 Pache was measuring in at 185 pounds; last season, according to his bio, he’s tipping the scales at 215 pounds. It’s not necessarily bad weight, per se, but he’s definitely bulkier than the lean body composition in years past. Now let’s talk about production. Consider the following:
- Since 2006, only three 22-year-old hitters posted a wRC+ total between 95 and 105 with a strikeout rate of at least 25% in a Triple-A season with one organization (min. 350 PA): Nick Williams, Alex Liddi, and – of course – Cristian Pache. Williams, a former top prospect, owns a career 93 wRC+. And Liddi checks in with a 78 wRC+ across parts of three seasons with Seattle.
Well, that’s not encouraging. Let’s dive deeper.
- Pache was beyond useless the first couple months of the season. Including his time with Atlanta at the start of the year, he hit .166/.222/.285 over 47 games. However, over his final 64 games, he slugged a healthy .288/.352/.442. His strikeout rate over those two periods: 35.4% and 24.9%.
Now that’s better. The second half numbers are more in line with the expectations. Now let’s take a look at how the elite defender’s numbers stacked up last season:
- Per Clay Davenport’s defensive metrics, Pache was a staggering 10 runs saved below the average.
Defensive metrics tend to be unreliable in single year snapshots. Pache was incredibly valuable running the ball down in center field the first couple of seasons. But he’s been a below average defender in 2019 and now 2021. And his limited work in the big league (read: extremely limited) has been average-ish. I’m betting on his offensive numbers over the final several months. But remain skeptical on his ability to provide elite levels of defensive value. In terms of ceiling, think: .250/.335/.450. One final thought: if the defense comes screaming back, he’s perennial All-Star caliber talent and Gold Glover. Best case scenario: Mike Cameron.
Ceiling: 4.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: Debuted in 2020
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2. Tyler Soderstrom, C/1B
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 55/60 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 60 |
Background: The first round of the 1993 draft produced a ton of big league talent, including: Alex Rodriguez, Torii Hunter, Derrek Lee, Chris Carpenter, Billy Wagner, Jason Varitek, and Trot Nixon. But one player, almost no one remembers, was drafted ahead of the entire group sans Rodriguez. That player: Steve Soderstrom, a right-hander out of California State University chosen by the Giants with the sixth overall pick, who would sign a deal worth $750,000. Fast forward 17 years and there was another Soderstrom that heard his name in the first round – Tyler, Steve’s high school-aged son. Taken by the Athletics with the 26th overall pick and signed for a hefty $3.3 million, the younger Soderstrom put together a dynamic, awe-inspiring debut with the Stockton Ports last summer. That is, until a back injury forced him to the injured list at the end of July. Prior to the injury, though, Soderstrom slugged a hearty .306/.390/.568 with 20 doubles, one triple, and 12 homeruns – as a 19-year-old in Low-A. His overall production, per Weighted Runs Created Plus, was a whopping 45% better than the league average threshold.
Scouting Report: Just for fun, here’s Soderstrom’s numbers prorated for a full 162-game season: 57 doubles, three triples, 34 homeruns. With respect to his actual production, consider the following:
- Since 2006, only three 19-year-old hitters met the following criteria in a Low-A season with one organization (min. 250 PA): 140 to 145 wRC+ total, a walk rate between 9% and 11%, and a strikeout rate between 22% and 25%. Those three hitters: Kyle Blanks, Caleb Grindl, and – of course – Mr. Tyler Soderstrom.
A low maintenance swing: short, simple, and quick. Soderstrom generates above-average, maybe even plus power, with a lot of natural loft. He stays compact and shows no platoon splits. It’s concerning – needless to say – that a 19-year-old missed considerable time with a back injury, so hopefully that doesn’t impact his future greatly. Defensively, he’s a first baseman feigning the ability to play catcher. In terms of offensive upside, think .300/.380/.540.
Ceiling: 4.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
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3. Nick Allen, 2B/SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 40 | 55 | 50 | 70 | 60 |
Background: A fantastic job of scouting by the organization’s front office. Oakland selected the undersized, twitchy middle-infield prospect in the third round five years ago. And since then, the light-hitting 5-foot-8, 166-pounder has developed into a legitimate Top 100 prospect. Allen, the 81st overall player chosen that year, put together a defensive-first, offensive punchless debut in the Arizona Summer League: he hit a lowly .254/.322/.326. And his follow up sophomore campaign was even worse as the franchise aggressively challenged him with his assignment to Low-A. In 121 games with the Beloit Snappers, the former $2 million bonus baby put together a paltry .239/.301/.302 showing. Then…something started to happen with Nick Allen, a transformation of sorts. He began to drive the ball with more authority, all the while the club continued to shoot him through the farm system. In 2019, now in High-A with the Stockton Ports, Allen slugged .292/.363/.434 with 22 doubles, five triples, and a trio of homeruns. Last summer, as minor league baseball returned to action from its COVID imposed break, Allen picked up right where he left off. In 50 games against the minors’ toughest challenge, Double-A, Allen flashed tremendous offensive potential as he hit .319/.374/.471. His minor league season was temporarily placed on hold as he was rostered – and eventually starred – on Team USA, where he was named as the team’s Best Defensive Player. After his return from Olympic action, Allen spent the remainder of the year in AAA, hitting a mediocre .243/.302/.301 across 39 games.
Snippet from The 2020 Prospect Digest Handbook: Elite levels of value on the defensive side of the ball, Allen’s now transformed into not only a competent hitter, but a potential table-setter. Strong bat-to-ball skills with an average eye at the plate and plus speed, Allen’s added enough gap-to-gap power to be a viable future big league hitter. The defense will carry him to The Show, anything else is just a cherry on top. Allen looks like a .270/.330/.390-type hitter during his peak at the big league level. He’s going to win multiple Gold Gloves too.
Scouting Report: Nick Allen, the little 5-foot-8, 166-pound shortstop out of Park High School, is my favorite prospect in the minor leagues. And he’s been that for several years now, even before his bat had an offensive pulse. Allen will draw the occasional walk, mix in strong contact skills, and flash doubles power with the rare homerun. He’ll also swipe 20 bags or so in a full big league season, as well. Oakland currently has former All-Star Elvis Andrus under contract through 2022 with a vesting option for 2023; the option kicks in with 550 plate appearances, which is unlikely to happen. The front office shifted Allen from a full time shortstop to a part-time shortstop/second baseman, but that’s likely in response to Andrus. There’s no reason to expect him to play anywhere but shortstop at the big league level. Again, I think Allen’s going to be a Gold Glove-winning shortstop with the offensive upside of a .270/.330/.390 hitter.
Ceiling: 4.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2022
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4. Shea Langeliers, C
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45 | 55 | 30 | 50 | 70 | 60 |
Background: Between 1965 and 2018, Baylor University produced a total of seven first round selections. Between 2019 and 2020, the Big 12 school produced three of them: Shea Langeliers (2019), Davis Wendzel (2019), and Nick Loftin (2020). Langeliers was a bit of a surprise pick – at least I thought so – when the Braves called his name with the ninth overall selection three years ago. After the two sides agreed to a deal worth slightly less than $4 million, the highest bonus in school history by the way, the 6-foot, 205-pound backstop hit a respectable .255/.310/.343 in 54 games in Low-A. Last season, as minor league ball returned to action, Langeliers spent 92 games with the Mississippi Braves in Double-A South, hitting .258/.338/.498 with 13 doubles and 22 homeruns. His overall production, per Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by 28%. He also appeared in five games in AAA as well.
Snippet from The 2020 Prospect Digest Handbook: I still believe that the former Baylor slugger went about a round too early. But he profiles as a low end, capable starter at the MLB level.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
- Since 2006, only four 23-year-old hitters posted a wRC+ total between 123 and 133 with a strikeout rate between 24% and 27% and a walk rate between 9% and 11% in a Triple-A season with one organization (min. 350 PA): Brent Rooker, Christin Stewart, Corey Toups, and Shea Langeliers.
Langeliers is an extreme flyball hitter, posting a groundball rate of just 30.7%. He owns above-average, 20- to 25-homer power potential. Decent walk rates. A below-average hit tool. And a 70-grade glove with a howitzer for an arm. The offensive ceiling isn’t going to be overly large, something along the lines of .250/.320/.440, but if you thrown in great defense he becomes one of the better, more rounded backstops at the major league level. If that’s the case, the front office clearly made the right move selecting Langeliers when they did.
Ceiling: 3.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2022
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5. Zack Gelof, 3B
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 50 | 55 |
Background: Highly decorated coming out of Cape Henlopen High School in 2018, Gelof was awarded the Delaware Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as earning the distinction of the Delaware Baseball Coaches Player of the Year, after capping off a dominant amateur career in tremendous fashion: the 6-foot-3, 205-pound infielder batted a scorching .465 while leading the state in hits (35), runs (37), and homeruns (7). He also knocked in 17 runs and went a perfect 28-to-28 in the stolen base category as well. And not to be outdone: Gelof starred on the mound as well; he topped 26 innings with 34 punch outs and a tidy 1.30 ERA to go along with a 4-0 win-loss record. Cleveland took a late round flier on the talented prospect in the June draft that year. Gelof bypassed their offer and headed to Virginia. And he didn’t miss a beat as he immediately stepped into the Cavaliers’ lineup as a true freshman. Appearing in 56 games for the ACC powerhouse, he slugged .313/.377/.396 with 15 extra-base hits and 16 stolen bases. Gelof got off to a spectacular start to the COVID-shortened 2020 season as well, batting .349/.469/.746 in 18 games. He capped off his successful collegiate career by hitting .312/.393/.485 with career highs in doubles (18) and homeruns (9) in 2021. Oakland drafted him in the second round, 60th overall, and signed him to a deal worth $1,157,400 – the full slot value. The young third baseman ripped through the Low-A West League during his debut, slugging .298/.393/.548 in 32 games. He also appeared in a trio of Triple-A games as well; he promptly went 7-for-13 with a double.
Scouting Report: Per the usual, here’s what I wrote about the second rounded immediately after the draft:
“Consider the following:
- Between 2011 and 2020, only five ACC hitters met the following criteria in a season (min. 250 PA): .300/.380/.480 with a walk rate between 9% and 11% and a strikeout rate between 13% and 16%. Those five hitters: Devon Travis, Logan Warmoth, Preston Palmeiro, Matt Vierling, and Ben Breazeale.
- It’s a mixed bag of results: Devon Travis had his moments as a solid big league infielder. Logan Warmoth was a first round pick by the Blue Jays in 2017 out of UNC, but has struggled in the mid- to upper-levels of the minor leagues. Matt Vierling made his big league debut in 2021 with the Phillies. Palmeiro is on the downward slope of his professional career. And Breazeale isn’t playing affiliated ball anymore.
Recent top hitting prospects out of Virginia, for whatever reason, have really struggled to prove themselves in professional ball. And Gelof may eventually follow suit. He’s a non-traditional third baseman in the sense that he runs better than expected, but never showed above-average power – even in Virginia’s cavernous ballpark – during his collegiate career. He plays a decent hot corner, but stiff hands and movements may relegate him to another position. At the plate, he starts from a wide base, which likely gets shortened in the Oakland organization. The Athletics have a history of developing these type of under-the-radar players and tapping into more power than expected. Looks like a bench option at this point.”
After his explosive start to his professional career, I’m going to bump his ceiling up to a solid 55-grade.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2022/2023
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6. Pedro Pineda, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 30/50 | 35/55 | 50 | 50 | 50/60 | 55 |
Background: Another example of the club’s willingness to spend top dollar on the international amateur market. Oakland inked the toolsy, raw teenage center fielder to a massive $2.5 million deal in January 2021. And almost immediately the club sent him straight into rookie ball. Ranked as the 13th best prospect on the international scene last year by MLB Pipeline, Pineda struggled a bit in the Dominican Summer League to start his debut, batting a lowly .200/.300/.286 through 10 games. But things seemed to click for the 6-foot-1, 170-pound outfielder when he moved stateside to the Arizona Complex League. In 23 games, spanning 77 plate appearances, Pineda batted a respectable, red flag-pocked .258/.403/.403 with two doubles, two triples, and one homerun. His overall production, per Weighted Runs Created Plus, was 21% above the league average mark.
Scouting Report: Like a lot of the A’s top prospect bats, Pineda swings and misses a lot. He whiffed in 32.5% of his plate appearances in the foreign rookie league and bumped that tally up a bit as he moved stateside (36.4%). He’s a chaser, loves pitches high and low. But I think some of that corrects itself as he matures – especially given his level of competition last season. Quick bat. Athletic. He just “looks” like damn ballplayer. One more thought: I wouldn’t be surprised to him win a Gold Glove or two at full maturity.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025
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7. Gunnar Hoglund, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 55 |
Background: A highly touted prep prospect coming out of Fivay High School in 2018. Hoglund, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound right-hander, was incredibly dominant during his senior season for the Florida-based school, posting a 0.27 ERA to go along with a perfect 7-0 win-loss record. He also batted .385 at the dish as well. Hoglund, who capped off his prep career with a staggering 310 punch outs on the mound, was eventually taken by the Pirates in the opening round, 36th overall, of the 2018 draft. The two sides failed to come to an agreement and the hard-throwing hurler opted to attend Ole’ Miss. The Florida-native had an up-and-down freshman year for the Rebels, posting an unsightly 5.29 ERA across 68 innings, though he managed to fan 53 and walk just 14. Hoglund had a bit of a coming out year during his abbreviated 2020 campaign, averaging 14.5 punch outs and just 1.5 walks per nine innings in four starts for the SEC school. And he was able to carry that momentum into a dominant – albeit Tommy John-shortened 2021 season. Prior to undergoing the surgical knife, he fanned 98, walked just 17, and tallied a 2.87 ERA in 11 starts. Toronto took a calculated risk and selected Hoglund with the 19th overall pick last July, signing him to a deal worth $3,247,500.
Scouting Report: Per the usual, here’s my pre-draft write-up:
“Ignoring the injury momentarily, consider the following:
- Between 2011 and 2020, only three SEC starting pitchers averaged at least 12 strikeouts and fewer than three walks per innings in a season (min. 50 IP): Casey Mize, Ethan Small, and Mason Hickman.
Obviously, Hoglund’s abbreviated 2021 season places him among the group. Prior to the injury, Hoglund, according to reports, showcased a low 90s fastball, an above-average slider and changeup, and a decent curveball. He had the look and production to go within the Top 15 picks of the draft before the elbow issues, but a team in the latter part of the 20s will likely take a gamble.”
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2024
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8. A.J. Puk, LHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 65 | N/A | 70 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: It bears repeating – only because I still can’t quite wrap my own head around it, even after all these years – but the 2016 Florida Gators team was so remarkably talented. The roster included the likes of: A.J. Puk, Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, Alex Faedo, Dane Dunning, Shaun Anderson, Kirby Snead, Scott Moss, Logan Shore, Pete Alonso, and Jonathan India. If that roster was a Michelangelo paint it would’ve been The Creation of Adam. As for Puk, well, the former sixth overall pick in 2016 draft seemed destined for stardom – a big, projectable, hard-throwing left-hander with a wicked repertoire. Then life, as it tends to do, got in the way. Less than two years into his professional career, the 6-foot-7, 248-pound southpaw missed the entirety of 2018 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Two years later he would miss the 2020 campaign dealing with a wonky shoulder, which would eventually require a surgical procedure termed “a debridement of his labrum and rotator cuff.” Finally healthy – again – Puk made a total 41 appearances between Las Vegas and Oakland last season. The peripherals for both levels were similar: 10.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in Triple-A and 10.8 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 with Oakland.
Snippet from The 2020 Prospect Digest Handbook: He’s a potential bonafide ace – if, if, he can maintain a sub-4.0 walk rate.
Scouting Report: Prior to the 2021 season A’s General Manager David Forst indicated that the plan was for Puk to continue down the path as a starting pitcher. A year later and that’s still to be determined. Of course, two major arm surgeries tend to have that impact. The big left-hander’s still showcasing a plus heater, sitting comfortably in the mid-90s; a wickedly devastating slider; and an average changeup. He’ll also mix in a rare curveball, though I didn’t see one during the games I scouted. Without the arm woes Puk seemed destined to be a front-of-the-rotation caliber starting pitcher. Now, though, he may be heading down the path of Andrew Miller.
Ceiling: 2.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: Debuted in 2019
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9. Max Muncy, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 35/50 | 35/45 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: As soon as the Athletics snagged the wiry shortstop in the latter part of the first round, the blogosphere blew up – perhaps – with one of the most charming coincidences in recent memory. Muncy, who hails from Thousand Oaks High School, not only has the same name as Dodgers’ two-time All-Star infielder, but also shares the same birthday as well. Both players were born on August 25th – though the teenage phenom is 12 years younger. The LA Times’ Player of the Year recipient in 2021, Muncy, who led his squad to the Southern Section Championship, hit a scorching .469 (45 for 96) with 11 dingers, 49 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases. The Athletics drafted him in the opening round, 25th overall, and signed the talented shortstop for $2.85 million bonus, slightly above the recommended slot ($2,740,300). Muncy the Younger appeared in 11 games with the organization’s Arizona Complex League affiliate, hitting a disappointingly bad .129/.206/.129.
Scouting Report: Per the usual, here’s what I wrote about the teenage shortstop immediately after the draft:
“A natural born shortstop who (A) should have no problem sticking at the position and (B) shows a little bit of flair for the dramatic. Strong arm, but not elite. He’ll make all the throws – accurately. Surprising pop for a wiry, thin-framed middle infielder. He projects to add some strength as he matures. Muncy shows a willingness to shoot the ball to the opposite field with his in-and-out swing and approach at the plate. He’s not going to be a star, but he should settle in nicely at the big league level.”
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025
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10. Ryan Cusick, RHP
| FB | CB | CH | Command | Overall |
| 70 | 60 | 50 | 40/45 | 50 |
Background: A highly touted prospect coming out of Avon Old Farms School, Perfect Game ranked the behemoth right-hander as the 115th best prospect in the country and Baseball America had the young gun as the 235th prospect as well. The Cincinnati Reds took a late, late round flier on Cusick following his final season in high school, nabbing him with the 1,189th selection. Obviously, the promising youngster bypassed any offers to jump into pro ball and headed directly to Wake Forest. And to put it lightly: Cusick was abysmal during his freshman season with the Demon Deacons. Splitting time between the club’s rotation and bullpen, the 6-foot-6, 235-pound right-hander tallied a 6.44 ERA across 65.2 innings, recording 55 strikeouts and 29 walks. However, the Connecticut native blossomed in the Cape Cod League that summer, posting a 33-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in seven starts for the Bourne Braves. Cusick had an interesting 2020 season: through four starts, he averaged a whopping 17.3 strikeouts and an equally whopping 7.3 walks per nine innings. And during his final season with the ACC squad, he tallied a 4.24 ERA with 108 strikeouts and 32 free passes in a career high 70.0 innings of work. Projected to be a Top 10 selection, Atlanta happily snagged the flame-throwing hurler in the opening round, 24th overall, and signed him to a deal worth $2.7 million. Cusick made six brief starts with Augusta during his debut, posting a dominating 34-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 16.1 innings of work.
Scouting Report: Per the usual, here’s what I wrote about Cusick heading into the draft last July:
“Consider the following:
- Between 2011 and 2020, there were 11 instances of an ACC pitcher averaging at least 12 strikeout per nine innings in a season (min. 60 IP): Marcus Stroman (who accomplished the feat twice), Carlos Rodon, Danny Hultzen, Brendan McKay, J.B. Bukauskas, Reid Detmers, Griffin Roberts, Graeme Stinson, Drew Parrish, and Jared Shuster. Only Stinson and Parrish were not taken in the first round.
- Among the group, only Shuster – like Cusick – averaged more than four walks per nine innings.
Plus-plus fastball that will touch upwards of triple digits and sits comfortably in the mid-90s. Cusick also features a low to mid-80s curveball and a firm, though workable changeup. The question – of course – is whether he can consistently find the strike zone enough in the professional ranks. There’s some real concern about whether he winds up in the bullpen as a two-pitch power arm. There’s some risk, but a team with limited [or multiple] picks would likely be willing to gamble late in the opening round.”
Ceiling: 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: 2024
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All statistics were provided via the following website: Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, TheBaseballCube, BaseballProspectus, and ClayDavenport.com
