It was far from a banner season for the A’s minor-league system in 2021, as injuries impacted the development of several top prospects, and a system already thinned by trades and promotions was stretched even more. Nonetheless, there were still several performances to remember.
There was a scintillating debut from their top 2020 pick, a 52-stolen base season, a Triple-A West home run champion, a Double-A Central ERA title winner, an Olympic silver medalist, some breakout performances from A-ball hitters, and more.
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With the 2021 season in the rearview mirror, it’s time to take one more look back and recognize the players who led the way at their positions in the A’s system this season. Some of these players will be on our A’s top prospect list next month. Others won’t crack those rankings, but are players worth keeping an eye on. Scouts may not drool over their tools, but their consistent in-game performances may eventually lead to surprising big-league careers. Seth Brown is a recent example of a player who was consistently on these All-Star lists but never considered a top prospect until suddenly he was a big leaguer.
With that in mind, here are our 2021 Oakland A’s minor-league All-Stars.
(Note: With one exception, players were only eligible at the positions where they logged the most games played this season.)
Catcher
Tyler Soderstrom (57 G (A), .306/.390/.568, 12 HR, 20 BB)
The only thing that could stop the A’s 2020 top pick this season was his health. He battled through a number of bumps and bruises throughout the season before a side injury ended his season in late July. The injury has proved a frustrating one, as he was on the verge of returning to the active roster several times before setbacks prevented it. Another recent setback will prevent him from participating in the AFL.
Health aside, Soderstrom exceeded all expectations in his first professional season. He was one of the league’s youngest players and one of its top hitters despite playing a demanding defensive position. He showed explosive power to all fields and an advanced approach that belied his lack of previous professional experience. Defensively, he looked more like a first-year pro, but did show improvement behind the plate. He also played a solid first base. Whether the A’s decide to keep Soderstrom at catcher or move him permanently to first base to avoid the wear-and-tear on his body remains to be seen. Either way, he’s the most exciting hitting prospect the team has had in several years.
A dozen will do it.
Top @Athletics prospect Tyler Soderstrom hits his 12th homer of the season on the 12th pitch of this at-bat for @stocktonports. pic.twitter.com/C1xAwhoWff
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 24, 2021
Honorable mention
Carlos Pérez (97 G (AAA), .269/.337/.572, 31 HR)
Triple-A Las Vegas got a ridiculous amount of offense from its catchers, as evidenced by the inclusion of two of them here. The veteran Pérez spent more time in left field or at first base toward the end of the season than he did behind the plate, but he still appeared in more games as a catcher than he did anywhere else. Wherever he played, he was a beast at the plate, leading the Triple-A West in home runs despite having only two at the end of June. He was a Triple-A West All-Star.
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Austin Allen (72 G (AAA), .317/.351/.584, 20 HR)
Allen has always been an outstanding minor-league hitter, and he had a big season for Las Vegas, both in terms of average and power. He struck out just 55 times in 281 at-bats and hit .424 during a red-hot month of August.
First base
Lawrence Butler (102 G (A, A+), .273/.367/.504, 19 HR, 75 RBI, 29 SB)
When last we saw Butler, he was a 19-year-old struggling to keep his head above water in short-season, where he hit .177 in 55 games. He emerged from the pandemic a different hitter, showing power, patience and the ability to work the whole field. He got better as the season wore on, as well. Butler played with Low-A Stockton for most of the season but hit so well with High-A Lansing after a late-season call-up that he could jump to Double A next season.
Butler is a dynamic athlete who played nearly as many games in the outfield as he did at first base this season, and he was a defensive asset at all the positions he played. He’s an above-average runner and the power should only continue to blossom as he fills out his 6-foot-3 frame.
.@itslaw1 goes oppo, crushing it out to Home Run Hill! pic.twitter.com/SFntgw0xtn
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) September 19, 2021
Honorable mention
Jonah Bride (78 G (AA), .265/.407.424)
Like Butler, Bride saw plenty of time at other positions besides first base. He played everywhere in Double-A Midland’s infield except shortstop and catcher this season, and he’s currently adding catching to his resume at instructional league. Bride, who had a 1:1 K:BB, will get to continue working on his catching at the Arizona Fall League. He’s a solid all-around hitter who grinds out at-bats and showed more power this season than he did with High-A Stockton in 2019.
William Simoneit (90 G (A+), .273/.360/.435)
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Simoneit, an undrafted free-agent signing last season, split his time between first base and catcher with Lansing. His long hair and beard make him look like a Viking, and he swung a mighty sword for the Lugnuts this season, hitting 10 home runs in 322 at-bats. Another hitter who grinds out at-bats, Simoneit played his best baseball in August and September and will enter 2022 on a high note.
Second base
Nate Mondou (85 G (AAA), .282/.371/.432, 8 HR, 20 2B)
Mondou, like Brown, has been a coach’s favorite since he was selected in the 2016 draft out of Wake Forest. Always one of the top contact hitters in the A’s system, Mondou has mostly flown under the prospect radar, but this year he drew notice from several scouts for his work in the Triple-A West. A quiet September dropped his batting average under .300, but for much of the summer, he was the catalyst at the top of the Las Vegas lineup despite starting the season at the back of the team’s depth chart.
Mondou hit for more power than he’s shown in past years while maintaining a solid K:BB (55:40). A left-handed hitter, Mondou handled lefties well (.333 in 75 at-bats). He also increased his defensive versatility, playing some third base, as well as making his first appearances in the outfield.
RBI double from Nate Mondou and we are up 4-1 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pyCg9Vi3xi
— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) August 2, 2021
Honorable mention
Max Schuemann (119 G (A+, AA, AAA), .271/.372/.388, 52 SB)
Schuemann technically played more shortstop than second base, but his 47 games played at second were the third-most among A’s minor leaguers behind Mondou and Joshwan Wright. Schuemann played at three levels in 2021 and he led the A’s system with 52 stolen bases in 57 chances. His best work came with Double-A Midland, where he hit .320 with a .398 OBP in 57 games.
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In addition to the middle infield, Schuemann played a lot of center field this season and can play anywhere on the field. He averaged more than four pitches per at-bat and got his swing into a better rhythm as the season went on. With his base-running ability and his defensive versatility, Schuemann could carve out a Tony Kemp-like role in the big leagues in the near future.
Shortstop
Nick Allen (89 G (AA, AAA), .288/.346/.403, 6 HR, 12 SB)
The numbers above don’t include Allen’s work for the silver medal-winning Team USA, for whom he provided an outstanding glove and a steady bat during both the qualifying and Olympic tournaments. Allen was outstanding throughout his time with Midland. He got off to a slow start with Las Vegas but finished the season by hitting .313 with a .371 OBP in 23 games in September.
Whatever Allen brings offensively is always a bonus because he is so good defensively at shortstop. He can also play an above-average second base and could easily slide to third base if a team needed him there. Allen is the best defensive player in the A’s system and may be the best defensive shortstop in minor-league baseball. He won’t hit for big power in the big leagues, but he works the opposite-field gap extremely well and can turn on an inside pitch on occasion. He has a very similar profile to longtime A’s second baseman Mark Ellis, but at shortstop. Allen should be a big factor for the A’s at some point in 2022.
Third-ranked #Athletics prospect Nick Allen quickly pulls the @RockHounds even. pic.twitter.com/k1uckiLVZu
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 9, 2021
Honorable mention
Angel Arevalo (27 G (Rk), .297/.438/.473, 9 XBH, 18:19 BB:K)
Most fans haven’t heard of Arevalo yet, but that’s likely to change next season when he makes his US debut. Signed in January out of Venezuela, Arevalo was a steady force in the Dominican Rookie League A’s lineup all season. He was the only position player from the A’s Dominican Academy invited to their US Instructional League. Arevalo has a mature approach at the plate, some pop in his bat and good speed. He just turned 18 last week and should add more power as he matures physically.
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Third base
Jordan Díaz (90 G (A+), .288/.337/.483, 13 HR, 24 2B)
Outside of Soderstrom, Díaz is arguably the best pure hitter in the A’s system. He’d never played above short-season before 2021, but he made the jump to High A look easy. He missed a little time at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (where he homered) and with a minor injury, but he was Lansing’s best hitter when he was in the lineup. He hit .314 from July 1 on. He also hit for more power as the season went on.
Díaz doesn’t walk a lot, but he has outstanding bat control and struck out in just 15.8 percent of his plate appearances. He has power to all fields already and is still filling out his frame. The A’s are looking for a defensive home for Díaz, who played more first base and left field during the final six weeks of the season than he did third base. Regardless of his defensive position, he can really hit and he just turned 21 in August. He was named to the High-A Central All-Star team.
How great was Jordan Díaz tonight?
Just watch: pic.twitter.com/kLT76f4yQZ
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) September 17, 2021
Honorable mention
Zack Gelof (36 G (Rk, A, AAA), .333/.422/.565, 7 HR)
Gelof joined the A’s organization after the draft so it didn’t feel right to give him the outright award for third base. But that I considered it is an indication of just how impressive Gelof was in his pro-debut season. The A’s thought he was a steal in the second round and he’s looked the part of a first-rounder thus far. Impressive power and plate coverage.
T.J. Schofield-Sam (105 G (A), .246/.323/.391, 9 HR)
Schofield-Sam’s overall numbers were only so-so, but the 20-year-old was a consistent force for Stockton after a poor month of May when he hit .154. He had an .823 OPS in September and offers an advanced approach for his age (20) to go along with power potential and good defensive instincts at both corner infield positions.
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Jeremy Eierman (60 G (AA), .247/.335/.448, 10 HR)
Eierman also overcame a slow start offensively and was playing his best baseball for the RockHounds when a quad injury shut him down in July. His 10 home runs and nine stolen bases in 60 games played are reflective of his power-speed skills. He also played outstanding defense at third, short and second. Eierman still struck out too much, but he was making more consistent contact at the time of his injury. He will have an opportunity during the AFL season to build off the strides he was making with Midland.
Outfield
Cody Thomas (59 G (AAA), .289/.363/.665, 18 HR, 20 2B)
An Achilles strain ended Thomas’ season in late July and likely prevented him from receiving a late-season call-up to the big leagues. He put up monster numbers in his first season in the A’s system, and he put up those numbers despite getting off to a slow start in May.
The former OU quarterback has prodigious power and is an outstanding athlete with a smooth swing. He shortened up his swing path this season, which led to more consistent hard contact. With Ramón Laureano out for the first part of 2022, Thomas is likely to be in competition for a spot on the A’s roster this spring.
A two-run BOMB in the 9th from Cody Thomas and the Aviators WIN!! 🎉 pic.twitter.com/qSZy7OEMCF
— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) July 6, 2021
Mickey McDonald (106 G (AA, AAA) .305/.402/.390, 23 XBH, 18 SB)
Like Mondou, McDonald went from being more of a coach’s favorite to a legitimate big-league prospect this season. Always an outstanding defender and good baserunner, McDonald cut down on his strikeouts this season and improved his walk rate. He also hit the ball with more authority, establishing a career-high in extra-base hits. He was a perfect 18-for-18 in stolen bases and was a spark plug for Las Vegas after a midseason promotion from Double A. In 56 games with the Aviators, he hit .333 with a .423 OBP.
McDonald played all three outfield spots at a high level. He also appeared at third base for the first time since 2018 and received solid marks for his work at the hot corner, as well.
Mickey McDonald's first AAA home run! #Athletics pic.twitter.com/RW48Yf2nx5
— Kim C (@Cu_As) September 30, 2021
Skye Bolt (51 G (AAA), .387/.492/.650, 9 HR, 32 BB)
Bolt wasn’t able to replicate it in limited big-league appearances, but he was arguably the Triple-A West’s top hitter for much of the time he was with Las Vegas this season. He hit the ball hard from both sides of the plate and for more power than at any time in his career previously. Bolt is still one of the A’s best defensive outfielders. He has a very similar skill set to the Giants’ Steven Duggar.
Skye Bolt with the TRIPLE ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/2vYQkTtDnP
— Las Vegas Aviators (@AviatorsLV) May 23, 2021
Honorable mention
Shane Selman (78 G (A+) .260/.362/.469, 12 HR)
Selman missed more than a month with an injury but still finished behind only Díaz on the Lugnuts in home runs. After struggling in his pro-debut season in 2019, Selman hit the ball hard consistently in 2021 while maintaining a grinding approach at the plate.
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Devin Foyle (99 G (AA), .257/.343/.434, 12 HR)
The left-handed-hitting Foyle struggled against lefties but was a force against right-handers for Midland, posting an .855 OPS and hitting 11 home runs in 283 at-bats versus right-handers. The lanky Foyle tapped into previously unseen power in 2021 and could be in line for an even bigger power bump when he gets out of the pitcher-friendly Double-A Central and into the Triple-A West.
Brayan Buelvas (88 G (A), .219/.306/.412, 16 HR, 17 SB)
Buelvas was one of the youngest players in the Low-A West this season. He had his ups and downs, but displayed impressive power for an 18/19-year-old playing above rookie ball for the first time. Buelvas is a power-speed dual threat with a plus throwing arm in the outfield. He’s still fine-tuning his approach, so this season seems like only a jumping-off point for him.
Starting pitchers
Colin Peluse, RHP (101 IP (A+, AA), 3.39 ERA, 109:26 K:BB)
The A’s were careful with all their pitchers in terms of workload coming off the missed 2020 season, and Peluse pitched on six days’ rest for most of the season. That kept his innings down and also allowed him to have plenty left in the tank at the end of the season, when he made the leap to Double A and had three impressive starts for the RockHounds to close out the season. While with High-A Lansing, Peluse never walked more than three in any of his 18 outings and walked just four in 22 1/3 innings during the month of August.
The hard-throwing right-hander sat mostly 92-95 mph in his starts, but he was able to get a few MPHs extra when he needed it. He paired that with excellent command of his slider and a solid changeup that improved as the season went on. He’ll enter 2022 as one of the A’s top starting pitching prospects.
If your fuel tank is empty, don't worry. Colin Peluse is out here pumping gas.
Eight strikeouts through four innings! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XcfEw3JcYf
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) June 6, 2021
Jack Cushing, RHP(111 2/3 IP (A, A+, AA), 3.22 ERA, 111:27 K:BB)
Like Peluse, Cushing was drafted in 2019 and was pitching in his first full professional season in 2021. Unlike Peluse, Cushing began his season in Low A, but he pitched so well, he actually reached Double A a few weeks ahead of Peluse. Utilizing outstanding fastball command, Cushing carved up A-ball hitters (2.80 ERA in 86 2/3 Low-A and High-A innings) before running into a little more trouble in Double A when he was focusing on his secondary pitches.
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Cushing doesn’t have Peluse’s velocity or sharp breaking slider, but his fastball command and ability to mess with hitters’ timing are both very advanced. The A’s have historically done well developing major-league starters with Cushing’s pitching profile, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see him emerge as an effective fifth starter for them in a year or two.
Jack Cushing DEALS https://t.co/JJYtIgCTR4
— Cobie Fletcher-Vance (@CFV_1) July 23, 2021
Jared Koenig, LHP (121 1/3 IP (AA), 3.26 ERA, 100:43 K:BB)
Koenig was signed out of independent ball before the season and had a breakout campaign in his first taste of affiliated baseball. He didn’t miss a start for Midland all season and earned a spot on the Double-A Central All-Star team after winning the league’s ERA title.
A crafty lefty, Koenig adds and subtracts off his fastball like a veteran and mixes in good command of his secondary pitches.
Brady Feigl, RHP (122 1/3 IP (AA, AAA), 4.71 ERA, 123:46 K:BB)
Feigl led the A’s system in innings pitched and had a 3.96 ERA in 102 1/3 Double-A innings before struggling a bit in five late-season Triple-A starts. Feigl doesn’t have one plus pitch, but he commands a deep arsenal well and showed improved swing-and-miss ability in 2021. He can hit 96 in shorter outings and sat 91-93 as a starter.
Honorable mention
Daulton Jefferies, RHP (77 IP (AAA), 4.91 ERA, 68:11 K:BB)
Badly timed injuries kept Jefferies from making a bigger impact at the big-league level this season, but he did everything the A’s could have hoped for at the Triple-A level and showed he could compete well at the major-league level. Health-permitting, Jefferies will be a part of the A’s plans in 2022.
Paul Blackburn, RHP (88 2/3 IP (AAA), 4.97 ERA, 80:27 K:BB)
Blackburn may have saved his career in 2021. One season away from minor-league free agency, he returned from the pandemic in better shape and throwing harder than in previous seasons. He was a consistent workhorse with Las Vegas and stepped into a difficult situation at the major-league level and held his own. Whether it’s with the A’s or another organization, Blackburn should get additional major-league opportunities now that may not have been open to him before this season.
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Brian Howard, RHP (110 2/3 IP (AAA), 5.86 ERA, 96:40 K:BB)
Howard’s overall ERA (5.86) wasn’t impressive, but he pitched much better than that number would indicate. The 6-9 right-hander had a 3.55 ERA in 50 2/3 innings away from Las Vegas Ballpark (7.80 ERA at home) and was the Aviators’ most consistent starter down the stretch.
Relief pitchers
Domingo Acevedo, RHP (32 2/3 IP (AAA), 2.48 ERA, 53:6 K:BB) , 67:17 K:BB)
The former Yankees top prospect was one of the few pitchers to find success from a run-prevention standpoint. He gave up just three home runs in 32 2/3 Triple-A innings and missed plenty of bats, while also throwing a lot of strikes. He pitched pretty well in limited major-league opportunities, and given the expected turnover in the A’s bullpen this offseason, he could enter spring training with a hold on a middle relief role.
Garrett Acton, RHP (53 2/3 IP (A, A+), 3.69 ERA, 87:18 K:BB),
Acton was an undrafted free-agent signing last season out of Illinois, and the Illini’s all-time saves leader continued to make life difficult for opponents late in games in his first pro season, which he split between Stockton and Lansing. A fastball/slider pitcher with an aggressive approach, Acton missed bats, didn’t issue free passes and worked quickly. He’s got a closer’s mentality and could move another two levels in 2022.
Garrett Acton (@gacton34) returned to the mound tonight for the first time since August 22. The result: dominance. pic.twitter.com/1C39r37B4j
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) September 4, 2021
Aiden McIntyre, RHP (51 IP (A+, AA), 2.82 ERA, 67:17 K:BB)
McIntyre has always been able to miss bats, but as a starter, he struggled to throw strikes consistently. That was not an issue for him as a reliever in 2021, when he posted a career-best walk rate while also trimming his pitches per at-bat and pitches per inning rates. McIntyre works effectively with his fastball in the upper part of the strike zone and developed a variation on his breaking ball this season, giving him hard and soft versions of the pitch to keep hitters off-balance. The changeup can also be a weapon, especially against lefties.
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Charles Hall, RHP (64 IP (A+), 2.11 ERA, 79:21 K:BB)
Hall landed on the High-A Central All-Star list after serving as the Lansing closer for much of the season. He saved 12 games and held opposing batters to a .191 average. He also allowed only three home runs all season. He isn’t overpowering, but Hall has a high spin rate on his breaking ball and has always gotten plenty of swing-and-miss, dating back to college.
Charles Hall's curve is a thing of beauty!
With Loons at 2nd and 3rd in the bottom of the 10th, Hall fans Carson Taylor, and we play onward at Dow Diamond. pic.twitter.com/TLk0tMQxaU
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) July 9, 2021
Ben Bracewell, RHP (59 2/3 IP (AAA), 4.07 ERA, 56:20 K:BB)
Bracewell’s season couldn’t have gotten off to a worse start, when he allowed 12 runs in 7 2/3 innings in May. He allowed just 15 runs in 52 innings the rest of the season and was named the Aviators’ pitcher of the year. Bracewell has done a bit of everything since joining the A’s system in 2014 and has been a non-roster invitee the past two spring trainings. He’s earned a big-league opportunity somewhere next season.
Honorable mention
Zach Jackson, RHP (28 IP (AA/AAA), 2.57 ERA, 47:13 K:BB)
A right hip injury ended Jackson’s season in July, which — considering how well Jackson was pitching at the time of the injury and how poorly the A’s bullpen performed in September — was one of the many small things that contributed to the A’s late-season collapse. The minor-league Rule 5 pick allowed only one earned run in 16 1/3 innings with Midland and then was pitching well for Las Vegas before the hip impacted his performance. His deceptive delivery makes his fastball play up. He could factor in a new-look A’s bullpen next season.
Jack Weisenburger, RHP (52 2/3 IP (A+/AA), 3.76 ERA, 74:36 K:BB)
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Weisenburger’s command wasn’t always consistent, which hurt him against more advanced hitters in Double A. Despite those issues, he still struck out 48 in 37 1/3 Double-A innings. He has some of the best pure stuff of any A’s minor-league reliever, and when he develops more consistent command, he’ll move to the big leagues quickly. He’ll be pitching in Mexico this winter.
James Naile, RHP (62 1/3 IP (AAA), 4.04 ERA, 51:15 K:BB)
This is likely the last season for Naile in the A’s system. Since joining the organization in 2015, he’s been a steady workhorse. After starting for most of his minor-league career, he moved to the bullpen with Las Vegas this season and was one of the team’s top pitchers. Always a strike-thrower, Naile induced more than two groundballs for every flyball, an effective way to pitch in the homer-happy Triple-A West.
Brock Whittlesey, RHP (56 2/3 IP (A, A+), 3.65 ERA, 62:11 K:BB)
An undrafted free agent out in 2019, Whittlesey had one of the best K:BB of any A’s minor-league reliever this season. He also allowed just four home runs and recorded six saves in seven chances. He’ll get a bigger stage this fall at the Arizona Fall League.
(Photo of Tyler Soderstrom: Grace Mikuriya / Stockton Ports)
