Athletics 2025 top 20 prospects: Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson lead the way

New York Times

05-02-2025

The peripatetic Athletics have a nice group of potential major-league starters in their upper levels, mostly fourth or fifth starter types, and they might have a legitimate offensive star in their top pick from last year's draft, Nick Kurtz. The system remains very shallow, however, with almost nobody here from international free agency and fewer prospects from trades than you'd expect given how active they've been.
(Note: Tools are graded on a 20-80 scouting scale; ages as of July 1, 2025.)
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Kurtz was the best hitter in a loaded Wake Forest lineup last spring, leading the team formerly known as the Oakland A's to take him with the No. 4 pick, after which he continued to rake in his pro debut. He hit .368/.520/763 in 50 PA between High A and Double A, hurt his hamstring, then hit .353/.450/.608 in 60 more PA in the Arizona Fall League. He's limited to first base — the horror — so he needs to hit, but so far he's hit everywhere, and it's especially promising that he's been swinging the bat more since he signed, as he walked a ton in college (78 times last spring) and could look passive at the plate. He's up from swinging 33 percent of the time in college to 38 percent in the minors, and that'll probably increase a little more as pitchers realize just how good his ball/strike recognition is. When he does swing, he makes extremely hard contact; his 90th percentile exit velocity at Wake Forest was over 111 mph, and he continued to hit the ball hard in his brief time in the minors. There's a good chance for 30-homer power with 70-80 walks or more per season, and that's going to make him a star and possibly the best player in the Sacra … er, the Athletics lineup.
Wilson reached the majors last year, almost exactly a year after the Oakland A's (they were still Oakland then, I'm not letting that go) took him with the No. 6 pick. He suffered a hamstring injury in his first game, but returned to hit .250/.314/.315 with a 9.7 percent strikeout rate — pretty much in line with expectations. He's an extreme contact hitter with no power, with low average and peak exit velocities that back that up, averaging 85.8 mph in the majors and just 84.0 mph in Triple A. He had 186 balls in play between Triple A and the majors; only 24 of them were hard-hit (95 mph or harder), and only four were above 102 mph.
The one surprise in his MLB debut was that his defense was worse than advertised; scouting reports on him in college (including my own) had him as a plus defender at short, with excellent hands and at worst above-average range, but his range was just average in Triple A and below that in the big leagues, especially moving to his left or right. I had him as a soft or second-division regular in last year's reports, and I'm sticking with that — I think he's a little better than he showed in the majors, but I'm concerned that we all overrated the defense, and the bat isn't going to make up for that.
'Tommy Tanks' is a good example of why not to get too excited about a college hitter's freshman performance, as everyone did with Spencer Torkelson. White was the NCAA Freshman of the Year at NC State, transferred to LSU, and never got any better — or worse, mind you, so he's still a solid prospect, and a good get for the A's at pick No. 40 in the 2024 draft. He makes a lot of hard contact and has grade-70 power, while he's worked on his defense enough to have a shot at staying at third base rather than moving to first. His main issue at the plate has been expanding the zone, and he hasn't made any real progress in that department since the breakout first year. If the Athletics can help him swing at strikes, he has 30-homer upside with his tremendous exit velocities and a swing that gets the ball in the air.
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Barnett was the best prospect the Athletics added at the 2024 trade deadline, acquiring him from the Royals as part of the return for Lucas Erceg. Barnett was even better after the trade than he was before, with a 2.61 ERA in seven Double-A starts, striking out 31.1 percent of batters and walking just 7.8 percent. He has a four-pitch mix where everything at least can show you above-average, with a plus slider that has a sharp vertical break as his best pitch. His arm action is longer than you'd like, but he can repeat it enough for average-to-55 control and I think he'll get to average command in time. He might be a mid-rotation starter and should be able to take turns in Oakramento this summer.
I said last year of Perkins: 'it's a starter package, though, if he can miss more barrels.' He did just that, and also got more chases last year, projecting as a fourth starter with one or two more adjustments. Perkins still sits 95-96 with an out-pitch in his short slider that's tighter than it was a year earlier, mixing in the occasional curve, cutter, and changeup. He barely uses his changeup and as a result, lefties had a .371 OBP against him last year, albeit without much other damage; his pitch selection to lefties was just irrational last year, as he threw them more sliders than any other off-speed pitch. His changeup has good fading action, and if he threw it more, he might learn to trust it — and throw it closer to the zone, as he throws too many 58-foot changeups along the way. His arm action is extremely short but he repeats it, and if he can hold lefties down more he can start some games in the majors this year.
Morales developed substantially as a pitcher last year, as compared to 2023 when he was more of a thrower, succeeding on pure stuff alone. He spent the whole season in High A, making 22 starts and throwing 81 innings with a 4.22 ERA, 84 strikeouts, and 36 walks (10.7 percent). He sits 96-97, touching 99, with a plus slider, and his changeup made huge strides last year, with much more consistent location and better results to match. His arm is loose and quick, and beyond very early hand separation his delivery works. The A's finally let Morales loose at the end of the summer; he hadn't thrown over 80 pitches in any pro outing before August, then went 86, 96, 96, and 81 in four straight outings. They weren't good outings, mind you, but at least he had to work deeper into a game and try to get out of some trouble. He's a potential No. 2 starter if it all clicks, still with some significant reliever risk around the command and his ability to mix all his pitches.
The A's third-round pick in 2024, Kuroda-Grauer is a plus runner and has elite contact skills, but his lack of power or strength plus the swing shape mean he puts a ton of balls on the ground. He's definitely a middle infielder in the long run and could end up an average defender at short or a 55 at second base, with his arm a bit of a question for the left side of the infield. If he could work the count a little more to get on base, or get just a little more loft in his swing for some line drives, he might end up with everyday upside. His most likely outcome is as a utility infielder.
The story remains the same for Clarke — he's got 70 raw power and 70 speed, his body belongs in the Olympics, and he struck out 30 percent of the time last year as a 24-year-old in Double A, where he'd spent half of 2023 as well. He actually regressed somewhat at the plate, swinging at pitches out of the zone far more often than he had at the same level the year before. He will play in the majors, maybe as an up/down guy because his speed and power are so good, and if I thought he could keep his strikeout rate to 28 percent or so in the majors, I'd say he could be a regular. The last year-plus makes me take the under on that.
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Muncy — again, no relation to the guy in Los Angeles — was the A's first-round pick in 2021, a bet on a good athlete who might have some long-term upside with the bat. He's progressed slowly, with the odds of him becoming a regular dimming as he's moved up the ladder. He's a solid-average defender at shortstop with excellent instincts and plenty of arm, and he's come into average power, even peaking at 109 mph last year in Triple A. His swing decisions lag behind the rest of his game, as he's too prone to chasing out of the zone (31.4 percent last year in Triple A) and whiffs too often overall, making him much more likely to be a quality backup at shortstop than an everyday player. He's still just 22 this year and got to the top rung fairly quickly, so there is time for him to take another step or two forward as a hitter.
Beers was the A's 19th-round pick in 2021 out of Michigan and he's made himself a prospect by performing and improving at each stop, finishing last year in Triple A. He comes from a low release height and gets good carry on his 93-94 mph four-seamer, pairing it with a short low-80s sweeper that runs from a 45 to a 55 and that he uses to right- and left-handed batters. The fastball's hard enough to hit that, with his control and the way he just goes after hitters, he might be a fifth starter in the big leagues at some point later this year.
Echavarria signed in the third round in 2023 and made his pro debut in Low A last year, where the New Jersey high school product struggled to throw strikes and miss bats as his stuff was down a little from where he was as an amateur. He's yet another example of a teenaged prospect hurt by the lack of short-season baseball, as he would probably have been fine there but wasn't ready for full-season. He's been up to 97 in the past with an average curveball, while last year he was more low 90s and went to a short slider as his breaking pitch, with some promise to his straight changeup as a third pitch. He'll have to keep working on that last one, as lefties tagged him for a .316/.431/.474 line in 2024. His season wasn't quite as bad as the 6.55 ERA implies; his ERA was at 4.68 on Aug. 9, but he had two disaster starts in his final three outings, allowing 10 runs in 1 2/3 innings in one and six runs in two innings in the other. He's a project, a projectable one, probably three-to-four years from anything.
Hoglund has bounced back enough from the 2021 Tommy John surgery that initially looked like it might have been the end of his major-league aspirations to project once again as a fifth starter. He's 90-93, as he was prior to the surgery, with at least 55 control, maybe plus, and maybe 55 command as well. He's got a cutter/slider that's functional enough, missing a surprising number of bats in Double A last year, at least, while his changeup is a 45 and he did have some trouble with lefties. He might be a long reliever instead, especially if the platoon split widens as he moves up, but his command is so good he might be able to work around his deficiencies.
Morris was the return from the Mets for Paul Blackburn and was in the midst of a strong first full season in the minors, including a 3.43 ERA with solid peripherals for High-A Brooklyn, but after the trade he got crushed at the same level in seven starts for Lansing. He's a sinker/sweeper guy who has a full complement of pitches, up to 95-96 on a four-seamer with a curve and change, with a ground-ball rate of about 47 percent before the trade and over 52 percent afterward, and he's got a long history of throwing strikes and limiting walks. Lefties hit him hard last year, as his two main pitches tend to run in toward them, and he needs to ramp up the use of his changeup to stop them. He pitched at the University of Nevada, a horrible environment for pitchers, and always competed there despite the adverse conditions. He should be a back-end starter if something hasn't gone awry since he left the Mets' system.
Jump was the A's third pick in last year's draft, coming in the competitive balance round B (No. 73 pick), bringing a 92-95 mph fastball with good ride and big spin rates on two different breaking balls. It's a violent delivery that he doesn't repeat well, and he has already had Tommy John surgery, missing all of 2023, after which he transferred from UCLA to LSU. He pitched extremely well for the Tigers, including a low walk rate (6.5 percent), but was worked really hard toward the end of his last year there. I'm most curious whether he can keep that walk rate down as he faces better hitters. It's a starter's arsenal and a reliever's delivery. Choose your fighter.
Holman had never stayed healthy for a full year until he went into a strict relief role in 2024, starting in Double A and ending up in the majors, attacking hitters with a 93-95 four-seamer and a split-change that misses bats, along with a solid-average slider that he didn't use much in the majors. He was untouchable in the minors last year, even with the majority of his innings coming with Triple-A Las Vegas, posting an ERA of 0.55 in 48 2/3 innings with a 29 percent strikeout rate. He should spend this year in Schmoakland's bullpen and could end up a good setup man.
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Thomas was Oakland's 2022 third-round pick out of Mercer, but a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder delayed his pro debut until 2023, when he was somewhat overmatched by High-A pitching. He was better last year in Double A and Triple A, hitting 31 homers between the two levels and bringing his strikeout rate down to just under 25 percent. He's got some plus power at the top end but doesn't make much hard contact overall, with a hard-hit rate of just 37 percent in Triple A. His bigger issue is that his ball/strike recognition is poor, with consistently high chase rates on all pitch types, and his walk rates reflect that — his best was 8 percent in Low A. His arm limits him to left field, and he isn't likely to get on base much, so he has to bang to be a regular. It's much more likely he's a bench bat who can back up in left and maybe DH.
Miller was the A's 2023 fourth-round pick out of a Southern California high school, but he needed Tommy John surgery not long afterward and has yet to make his pro debut. He should be back this spring, and probably pitching with his elbow ligament in the best shape it's been in since he was a junior. Before the surgery, he had a low-90s fastball with a promising slider and the beginnings of a changeup, showing an easy arm action that was pretty consistent pitch to pitch. He also offered quite a bit of projection to his body, probably another 25 pounds or so, and might end up in the mid-90s if all goes well with his rehab.
Green started strongly in his junior year at Cal but his performance cratered once it became clear he couldn't adjust to off-speed stuff. He's got 55 power from his excellent bat speed and is an above-average to plus runner, enough to potentially stick in center. His pro debut was more of the same — he went to Low A, hit .289/.368/.464, and struck out 26 percent of the time facing mostly younger pitchers. There is everyday upside here, as long as he can make a significant adjustment to recognize non-fastballs.
Bolte is a great athlete, looks the part of a big leaguer, has plus power, runs plus, and strikes out a third of the time — or more — just about everywhere he plays. He misses strikes, which is by far the most concerning part; he's even cut down on his swing since high school, and he still whiffs in the zone way too often. He's physically talented and despite the huge strikeout rates he still hit .278/.393/.519 in 69 games in High A before really struggling in Double A, striking out almost 40 percent of the time there. At 21, he's too young for me to say he can't do it; I'd go very slow with him from here on out, especially since the A's Triple-A affiliate plays in such a hitter's park.
Oakland's (yes, they were still in Oakland then) first-round pick in 2022, Susac hit .257/.300/.434 as a 23-year-old in Double A last year, drawing just 16 walks in 88 games. There's enough power here to give him backup catcher potential, and since framing is one of his weaknesses, he'll do better in Triple A and if MLB adopts the automated strike zone.
Ryan Lasko, their 2023 second-round pick, had a very disappointing first full pro season, going to Low A as a 22-year-old college product and hitting just .225/.359/.322 with a 26.4 percent strikeout rate. He made more contact after a July promotion to High A but the .245/.341/.342 line he posted there isn't going to move the needle. He has more raw power than those .100 ISOs indicate, and he can still play center field. His entire approach has to change to get him back on the map. … Shortstop Myles Naylor's first full pro season didn't go as planned, as the No. 39 pick from the 2023 draft — and younger brother of current big leaguers Josh and Bo — hit .192/.321/.322 in Low A with a 34.6 percent strikeout rate. His hit tool was a question even before the draft, and he fell into some bad habits at the plate. He might need to go back to the same level again before moving up.
Wilson will be their starting shortstop. Holman will probably be in the Opening Day bullpen. Barnett, Perkins, Hoglund, and Beers could all make some starts over the course of the year. I wouldn't be surprised to see Kurtz up by midyear, given how he raked in his pro debut.
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The Athletics gave Dominican outfielder outfielder Pedro Pineda a $2.5 million bonus in January 2021, but he still hasn't gotten above Low A, and was actually sent back to the complex from full-season ball last May because he was struggling so badly.
Last year's sleeper pick, Morales, did make progress but still wasn't a top-100 consideration yet. I'm very curious to see how Cole Miller looks in his return from Tommy John surgery. And to be honest, there aren't many other candidates here.
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(Top photo of Kurtz: Norm Hall / MLB Photos via Getty Images)