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**Right below is the Athletics Risers and Shiners list simplified. Scroll further down for FULL Future Grades, Role, ETA, and summaries on EACH PLAYER ranked on this list! Tons of 2021 Statistics on each player as well! Some player highlights, future outlooks and more enjoy!**
| Rank | Player | Position | How Acquired |
| 1 | Shea Langeliers | C | Trade with Braves |
| 2 | Tyler Soderstrom | C | 1st Round: 2020 Draft – 26th Overall |
| 3 | Max Muncy | SS | 1st Round: 2021 Draft – 25th Overall |
| 4 | Pedro Pineda | OF | 2021 International Signing |
| 5 | Zack Gelof | 3B | 2nd Round – 2021 |
| Risers | |||
| 1 | JT Ginn | RHP | Trade with Mets |
| 2 | Euribiel Angeles | SS | Trade with Padres |
| 3 | Nick Allen | SS/2B | 3rd Round – 2017 |
| 4 | Ryan Cusick | RHP | Trade with Braves |
| 5 | Joey Estes | RHP | Trade with Braves |
1. Shea Langeliers C | Las Vegas Aviators (AAA)
24-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’0″ | 205 lbs. | ETA:
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 45 | 55 | 55 | 40 | 70 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .256 | .339 | .494 | .833 | 22 | 1 | 0 | 26.0% | 10.2% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .238 | 127 | 14.9% | 30.0% | 24.0% | 45.9% | 41.7% | 30.0% | 28.3% |
Scouting Report:
Langeliers was selected by the Braves 9th Overall in 2019. The first round of 2019 draft saw 3 talented backstops picked with Langeliers being the 2nd catcher picked, after Adley Rutschman (1st Overall) and before Korey Lee (32nd Overall). With Rutschman being the top overall prospect right now, Langeliers does get pretty overlooked. However, he is well on a track to becoming a very productive everyday backstop at the MLB level.
Offensively Langeliers is a power over contact hitter. There is some swing and miss to his swing. But the raw power is very much there and is getting more and more refined as he advances through the minors. In 2021 he slashed .256/.339/.493 with 22 HR in 340 AB. Most of his damage was against RHP as he is a reverse split guy and does hit righties a bit better. Most of his HR power is pullside middle, but he has slowly been showing the ability to drive the ball into RCF from time to time for XBHs. While there is some room for cutting down on his SO’s a bit, his overall offensive profile seems to be on track to be a solid slugging catcher good for 20-25 HR and a .250/.310/.480 slash line.
Defensively Langeliers is one of the best in all the MiLB at controlling the run game, as he gunned down 42% of runners on 74 attempts. He has a bazooka of an arm and a decently quick transfer as well. He does lack overall athleticism behind the plate which hinders other areas of his defense to be around average.
Written By: Milton Dauber (@MiltonDauber)
2. Tyler Soderstrom C/1B | Lansing Lugnuts (A+)
20-Years-Old | Bats: L | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 200 lbs. | ETA:
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 60 | 50 | 45 | 55 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .306 | .390 | .568 | .957 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 24.0% | 10.6% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .261 | 145 | 13.5% | 47.8% | 16.4% | 35.8% | 40.5% | 25.8% | 33.7% |
Scouting Report:
Tyler Solderstrom was a massive riser in the 2020 draft and ended up being taken 26th overall by Oakland. There’s plenty of raw power in his bat and its becoming more apparent. He does spray the ball well and has a conistsent swing path that helps launch and barrel up balls regularly. While he does recognize off-speed well, he will still strikeout at a higher rate. But when he starts to cut that strikeout rate down he’ll be a force at the plate. Overall, I don’t believe that he sticks at catcher going forward. I think he’ll be more of a corner infielder as he’s spent time at first and has taken some reps at third. However, he is a bat first prospect and his bat is what will ultimately carry him to the majors.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
3. Max Muncy SS | Stockton Ports (A)
19-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’1″ | 180 lbs. | ETA:
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 45 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .129 | .206 | .129 | .335 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 35.3% | 8.8% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .000 | -1 | 27.3% | 50.0% | 16.7% | 33.3% | 45.0% | 20.0% | 35.0% |
Scouting Report:
Muncy became a quick riser in his prospect status after a fine showing on the showcase circuit in the summer of 2020. He showed a really advanced plate approach and a feel for the barrel. The A’s selected Muncy 25th overall in the 2021 Draft.
Muncy made his pro debut last summer for the ACL A’s. He looked uncomfortable and overmatched at times and had a poor offensive showing. It is important to note though that he had a very brief showing as he only accumulated 31 ABs. He slashed .129/.206/.129 with 12 SO in those 31 ABs. Muncy looked a lot better in instructional ball last fall though. His struggles can be accredited to a lack of experience vs pro pitching. He should hit a lot better next year in a full season and as he gets more exposure against pro level pitching. Muncy has the potential to become a very high level contact hitter who could hit near .300 regularly. He has a very laid back and mature approach at the plate. He does not chase pitches a lot which should help him to put up a slightly above average SO rate. Muncy will draw his fair share of walks as well due to his advanced approach. Muncy’s frame is wiry and skinny but he has shown decent power for his size and should develop league average power. He has shown the ability to split both gaps for doubles and he should be able to do the same as his HR power develops.
Defensively Muncy is currently getting an opportunity to play SS. He moves decently well laterally and has smooth actions. It is unlikely he will stick at the position as his arm strength is average at best. He does have an accurate arm though. This should allow him to slide over to 2B quite easily. Muncy has good versatility which should allow him to move around the diamond quite easily if needed.
Written By: Milton Dauber (@MiltonDauber)
4. Pedro Pineda OF | Stockton Ports (A)
18-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’1″ | 185 lbs. | ETA:
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 55 | 45 | 55 | 50 | 55 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .237 | .368 | .361 | .728 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 35.0% | 15.4% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .124 | 105 | 30.7% | 41.5% | 20.8% | 37.7% | 44.6% | 26.8% | 28.6% |
Scouting Report:
Pineda made strides in the Arizona Complex League last year and held his own as one of the youngest hitters there. He displayed excellent bat-to-ball skills and hit all fields well. His power potential is below average, but he is more gap-to-gap rather than over the fence. While his hit tool is easily above-average his speed and ability to get on-base remain his best traits. Pineda’s eye is good but he can struggle with off-speed pitches in any count. However, He had an impressive .368 on-base percentage and walked at a 15% walk rate in 117 PA. In the end, the Athletics system got a major boost this offseason, the younger core of Pineda, Soderstrom, Cusick, and Langaliers is something Athletics fans should enjoy when all are fully matured.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
5. Zack Gelof 3B | Midland Rockhounds (AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’3″ | 205 lbs. | ETA:
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 60 | 40 | 55 | 60 | 55 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .333 | .422 | .565 | .988 | 7 | 13 | 2 | 23.6% | 12.4% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .232 | 156 | 11.7% | 45.4% | 22.7% | 32.0% | 44.1% | 32.4% | 23.5% |
Scouting Report:
I’m just gonna go out and say that Zack Gelof is probably the most underrated prospect in baseball to date. He’s put up impressive numbers since being drafted in the second round in 2021. Last year, he advanced three levels and made a debut in Triple-A already. Gelof has a straight up stance with a wide base and a small leg kick for a load. His hit tool is easily plus as he barrels balls up and sprays the ball well. He’ll have below-average power but he’ll be able to pop 9-14 home runs a year. He’s a quality defender at multiple positions and has the chance of being something very special for the Athletics going forward. I’m hoping that he starts getting the hype he deserves sooner rather than later because the Athletics have a definite all-star in Gelof.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
Risers:
1. JT Ginn RHP | Midland Rockhounds (AA)
23-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 200 lbs. | ETA:
| FB | CB | CH | Control | Role |
| 60 | 60 | 50 | 55 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 92 | 18 | 18 | 3.03 | 1.05 | 21.9% | 5.9% | 0.29 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 13.2% | 3.85 | 61.6% | 18.4% | 20.0% | 53.8% | 18.5% | 27.7% |
Scouting Report:
A healthy Ginn is a bulldog on the mound, not just because he went to Mississippi State, but he’s got a dominating demeanor with two plus pitches in his arsenal. His worst pitch is his changeup, but even that is big-league average. He’s a groundball pitcher that will post decent strikeout numbers and eat a lot of innings with the amount of ground ball he’s able to produce. There’s plenty of life in his mid-90s fastball that help contribute to that groundball percentage as he can run it in on hitters and fooling them. Ginn’s biggest concern is if he can stay healthy or not as he already has TJ under his belt.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
2. Euribiel Angeles SS | Lansing Lugnuts (A+)
20-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 5’11” | 175 lbs. | ETA:
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 70 | 35 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .329 | .392 | .445 | .837 | 4 | 19 | 7 | 15.7% | 8.1% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .115 | 125 | 10.3% | 49.7% | 17.0% | 33.2% | 46.7% | 26.4% | 26.9% |
Scouting Report:
Angeles has been sneaky good since debuting in 2019 as a 17-year-old. He hit .301/.359/.376 with a 105 wRC+ in Rookie-ball. Angeles had one of the most advanced bats in the Padres system before being shipped off to Oakland for Sean Manea. There’s little power projection but he’s a solid gap-to-gap hitter and will be a consistent extra base hit machine as he matures. Depending on how he develops, he might have a future at third base with his good arm strength and range. He shows above-average speed to round out his tools. It’ll be interesting to see how he develops with Oakland, he’s struggling in his first year but at the age of 20, there’s still plenty of time for Angeles to turn into a potential starter for Oakland going forward.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
3. Nick Allen SS | Oakland Athletics (MLB)
23-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 5’8″ | 165 lbs. | ETA: 2022
| Hit | PWR | FLD | SPD | ARM | Role |
| 50 | 30 | 70 | 50 | 60 | 5 |
| AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | HR | SB | CS | K% | BB% |
| .288 | .346 | .403 | .749 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 20.0% | 7.6% |
| ISO | wRC+ | SwStr% | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| .115 | 97 | 9.9% | 47.5% | 22.2% | 30.3% | 37.4% | 20.7% | 41.9% |
Scouting Report:
The Oakland Athletics have a Gold Glove defensive shortstop in the making. His defense was already highly credited heading into the draft, but his bat had question marks. Since his signing, Allen has continued to possess a phenomenal glove, showing outstanding range and soft hands, making hard plays look easy, and his bat has developed nicely. It won’t be a big factor in a lineup, but he will keep up, and with his bat and Gold Glove defense, Allen would make any starting lineup. He’s got a smaller stature, but height doesn’t matter in baseball and he will wow people with his glove.
Written By: Austin Farmer (@AustinF0421)
4. Ryan Cusick RHP | Midland Rockhounds (AA)
22-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’6″ | 235 lbs. | ETA:
| FB | CB | SL/CUT | Control | Role |
| 70 | 60 | 40 | 45 | 5 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 16.1 | 6 | 6 | 2.76 | 1.16 | 50.7% | 6.0% | 0.55 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 17.8% | 1.23 | 55.6% | 22.2% | 22.2% | 34.5% | 41.4% | 24.1% |
Scouting Report:
Cusik had arguably the best raw stuff in all of college baseball over the past 3 years. It was no surprise the Braves took him 24th overall in the 2021 Draft despite some meager stats. In a brief pro debut last summer Cusik had 2.76 ERA with a 34/4 SO/BB ratio and a .242 opponent batting average across 16 â…“ IP.
To be fair Cusik has never really put up stats that match his raw stuff and potential. He has sky high potential but needs some development and fine tuning especially with his mechanics in relation to his command. With that said, his 1-2 FB CB combo is straight filthy. His FB sits 95-98mph and he will regularly get up to 100/101 mph. He also has hefty arm side ride and occasional sink to the pitch. He commands the pitch decently but has the tendency to be around the middle of the plate too often. Cusik’s secondary offering is a downer CB that has a high rpm and a ton of vertical break to it. His CB is absolutely filthy and hitters hit for an extremely low average against it. While he currently mainly uses it as a K pitch out of the zone, if he can learn to land it for strikes more consistently he could improve upon the already high level of dominance he has with the pitch. Cusik will also mix in a cutter/slider from time to time as a feel pitch. His cutter is nothing special though. Whether he scraps the pitch and learns a CH or something else, it stands true that he does need to add a usable tertiary pitch to his arsenal.
While his command fared better in his pro debut than in his 2021 collegian season, Cusik struggled with command. He can be erratic and miss far out of the zone or leave pitches right down the middle. This stems from a stiffness natural to the mechanics in most taller pitchers (6’5+) like himself. If he can learn to move more athletically on the mound and harness his command, Cusik has the potential to be a very high level pro pitcher.
Written By: Milton Dauber (@MiltonDauber)
5. Joey Estes RHP | Lansing Lugnuts (A+)
20-Years-Old | Bats: R | Throws: R | 6’2″ | 190 lbs. | ETA:
| FB | CH | SL | Control | Role |
| 60 | 45 | 55 | 55 | 4 |
| IP | G | GS | ERA | WHIP | K% | BB% | HR/9 |
| 99 | 20 | 20 | 2.91 | 0.96 | 32.1% | 7.3% | 0.64 |
| SwStr% | xFIP | GB% | LD% | FB% | Pull% | Cent% | Oppo% |
| 15.3% | 3.78 | 33.2% | 22.3% | 44.5% | 45.8% | 29.7% | 24.6% |
Scouting Report:
Joey Estes was one of the more minor pieces of the Athletics haul for Matt Olson this last off-season. Let’s just say, I’m very high as Estes and Oakland landed a good pitcher in Estes. He has a very aggressive delivery with a lot of moving parts but he repeats them consistently and tunnels his pitches well. In terms of stuff, Estes has a fastball that touches high-90’s with good late life on it. His best secondary is a slider that has good horizontal bite to it. It does have a tendency to hang but overall he has solid command of it. His last pitch is a changeup that’s another look for hitters but won’t be anything too special. It’ll be interesting to see what the Athletics do with Estes as he does have a higher effort delivery and a three pitch mix as a starter isn’t ideal. Worse case scenario for Estes is he’s a good back-end reliever but he still has the ceiling of a back end rotation starter.
Written By: Drake Mann (@drakemann4)
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