Under the Radar Prospects: Athletics

The A's are the subjects of this week's installment of under the radar prospects

The Oakland Athletics are the subjects of this week’s installment of Under the Radar Prospects. Among the five players featured this week is a power hitting outfielder that punishes the baseball, an infielder that knows how to get on base, a player that has defied expectations all the way to the big leagues, a southpaw that missed bats on his way to the 40-man roster, and a Taiwanese hurler with an interesting mix of pitches and excellent command.

Colby Thomas, OF - Oakland Athletics

The Athletics selected Colby Thomas in the third round of the 2022 draft out of Mercer University. The 23-year-old outfielder made his debut a year later and proceeded to put up one of the better minor league campaigns of any player in the Oakland system. Overall, Thomas hit .286/.351/.493 with 18 homers and 25 stolen bases over 126 games played. Thomas’ plate discipline is an issue as he’s prone to chasing bad pitches, which scouts believe will be fully taken advantage of by opposing pitchers in the upper levels. Currently, Thomas is hitting .284/.339/.539 with 6 home runs and 8 stolen bases over 25 games with a 21.4 K% and 4.5 BB%.

Thomas has an enticing profile with plus power and plus speed that allows him to excel both defensively and offensively. He can generate high-end exit velocities and is rising up the Athletics prospect rankings; the only question that remains is whether his approach at the plate will cause him to struggle as he moves to the upper levels of the minor leagues.

Brennan Milone, INF - Oakland Athletics

The Athletics picked up Brennan Milone in the 6th round of the 2022 draft. Since his selection, Milone has showcased a propensity for drawing walks and hitting for power. During his first full season in 2023, Milone hit .285/.398/.488 with 17 home runs; Milone also walked in 14.8% of his plate appearances. Defensively, Milone is a work in progress as the A’s are looking for a place to put him on the field. He started out as a second baseman, but switched to third in 2023; now he is primarily playing first base. Milone isn’t off to as exciting a start as his 2023 campaign as he is hitting .225/.314/.382 with three home runs in 24 games at Double-A thus far, with his walks dropping to a 10.8% and strikeouts rising to 23.5%.

Brett Harris, 3B - Oakland Athletics