A's Make Big Ammy Haul

Post date: Jul 17, 2010 1:56:07 PM

Travis Harrison, Kenny Diekroeger, Jackie Bradley Jr, and Manny Machado were A's 1st round haul

General Manager Matt Veasey of the Philadelphia Athletics had been preparing the organization for the 2010 WFBL Amateur Draft for quite some time. A number of trades and other maneuverings over the past couple of seasons had left the club with 9 overall selections, including 4 in the first round and the overall #1 pick.

In the immediate run-up to the 'Ammy', Veasey led the scouting efforts that included looks at all of the top collegiate, high school, and international amateur talent available. On Wednesday July 14th, 2010, all that trading and pre-draft scouting paid off when the A's added those 9 new prospects to the organization Minor League system.

With the first overall pick in the draft the A's selected Florida high school shortstop Manny Machado. The #3 overall pick in the most recent MLB Draft back in June, Machado, a 6'2, 180lb shortstop, was coveted by Veasey and the A's scouts for months, so much so that the team made a big trade last month with Horsham to move into the top slot. "This kid is a long, lanky, fluid shortstop who we think can both stay at that premium position and continue to add strength as he gets a bit older" said Veasey. "If we're right on him, we think we have a future shortstop with pop in his bat".

Two picks later, the A's took University of South Carolina outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr with the #4 overall selection. "Bradley is a pure baseball player who has all the tools to be a great all-around player and leader, and who is just growing into his power, and who we really believe is going to be an impact outfielder for us, and who we think can come fast" said Veasey.

But the club wasn't done picking in the first round yet. With the 8th and 9th overall selections the A's chose Stanford freshman shortstop Kenny Diekroeger and California high school outfielder Travis Harrison. "Diekroeger is really going to start making a big name for himself at the collegiate ranks over the next year or so, and is going to end up a top MLB draftee. He has impact ability and is a true middle infielder" said Veasey. On Harrison, the GM stated "Travis can hit, hit, and hit some more, and with big time power. He has played some at 3rd and the outfield, but we project him as a long term legit 5-tool outfielder."

In the 2nd round the A's selected more offense from the Florida high school ranks, and another outfield-infield combo, by taking 6'4, 200lb high school 3rd baseman Nick Castellanos and impact shortstop Addison Russell. In the 4th round it was LSU outfielder Mike Mahtook, and the club's Ammy efforts wrapped with the 5th round selections of California shortstop Christian Lopes and the team's only pitching selection in big righthander Asher Wojciechowski from The Citadel.

The A's began to really emphasize top end talent and bulked up their scouting efforts over the past three years, resulting in the addition of prospects such as Rick Porcello, Stephen Strasburg, Anthony Rendon and others to the system. "We really believe that our increased emphasis on building talent from within, and obtaining high upside young talent through trades and the draft, is going to position us to be strong throughout this coming decade" said Veasey. The A's also have multiple 1st round picks in the next two Ammys to come in 2011 and 2012, so will look forward to at least a couple more summers of adding premium young talent to the system.