Grant Holmes - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	RHP	10	45

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CT	SL	CH	Cnt/Cmd
45	40	55	45	50	40	40/40

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Joe Drake

Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 226 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2014 Round 1 (LAD)
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Shorter frame for pitcher but well built. Broad shoulders, filled out; wide back; pronounced butt and strong thighs. Long legs for frame. Frame is close to maxed if not maxed. A touch on the thick side. Visibly frustrated when he can't find the zone. Quiet confidence on the mound, knows when he's made his pitch. Live arm. Shoulder injury caused him to miss most of 2018; Biceps tendinitis in early 2019.

Delivery & Mechanics: Full windup; leg kick to the letters, hands mimic the leg. Sits into drive leg a little and gets into glutes pretty well. Arm action drops down behind butt and whips through at 3/4s slot. Average separation; arm generally on time. Moderate effort, finishes high. Leg kick almost disappears from stretch, pace quickens slightly. Quick pick move.

Fastball: 94-95, t96; some ride and solid run. Blows it by hitters at the top of the zone, paints corners on both sides of the plate and can run it in on the hands of righties for groundballs and pop-ups. Can reach back for more when he needs it; holds velo from stretch. Do it all pitch. Yanks it low gloveside when he overthrows. A little too straight to live over the heart. Grade: 55

Cutter: 90-93; slight cut and depth. Used mostly against righties to induce weak contact. Not a swing and miss pitch. Grade: 45

Slider: 82-85; tight spin with sharp, late bite. Steep, vertical shape with a little sweep to it, 11-5. Manipulates shape a bit, slowing it down a touch for more depth. Gets whiffs with regularity, really fools hitters. Mirrors fastball well and hitters struggle to pick it up out of the hand. Confidence to throw it in any count. Very consistent early in outings, but starts to hump when he gets tired. Grade: 50

Changeup: 88-89; Solid fade, some have more tumble than others, tunnels well with fastball. Limited use, even 2nd time through lineup. Limited separation from fastball. Noncompetitive locations. Lacks feel. Grade: 40

Control and Command: Pounds the edges of the zone, locates chase pitches effectively when he's on. Super efficient, keeps hitters on their toes, doesn't let them relax. Loses the release occasionally, but can recover mid-inning. Command not as strong from the stretch, missing by a little in each direction and leaving the slider up; fades a bit as he tires, too. Tendency to miss up armside or yank it low gloveside. There are days where he can't find the release at all and the outing goes south quickly. Control: 40 | Command: 40

Overall: Holmes has struggled to stay healthy throughout his pro career, but still has an above-average fastball/slider pairing. Command drives his effectiveness as he's either pounding the edges of the zone or working behind in 3-ball counts -- he has issues maintaining his release from inning to inning. Holmes is either excellent or struggling without much in between. Worked his way up to 5-inning outings at the end of 2019, but probably best in a bulk role out of the pen where maintaining command for long stretches won't be a factor. Good chance his stuff plays up in shorter stints which gives him a shot at high-leverage work.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Spot Starter, Long Reliever or Low Leverage Reliver
Risk: Extreme

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Jeff Criswell - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	RHP	9	45

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cnt/Cmd
45	40	55	45	60	50	45/40

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Anthony Franco

Age: 22 yr
Height: 6-4
Weight: 225 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 2
RuleV: 2023

Physical Description: Listed at 6'4, 225. Good frame; long, muscular build with a little more room for mass in the lower half.

Delivery & Mechanics: Fringe athlete, delivery looks a bit stiff. Shorter arm action than expected for someone this tall- allows him to get his arm up near his head by foot strike. Lack of athleticism more of an issue at release. Struggles to get over front hip and finish pitches glove-side. High 3/4 arm slot with notable head movement at release.

Fastball: Mostly 93-95 MPH as a starter, can get up to 97. Sinker profile, pitch has good arm-side tail but doesn't have the carry at the top of the strike zone that plays for whiffs. Grade: 55

Curveball: Also looked to feature a mid-80's power curve as an occasional fourth pitch. Possibly a variation on his slider but the curveball is a little more north-south. Doesn't have bat-missing action on its own but works as a sporadically used offering to keep opposing hitters off balance. Grade: 45

Slider: Shows a good, vertically oriented slider. Doesn't have much lateral movement but has enough power and bite to get whiffs below the strike zone, particularly against right-handed hitters. Grade: 60

Changeup: Flashes an above-average changeup with good velocity gap and some arm-side fade. Figures to be a developmental focus in pro ball because feel was inconsistent and usage was sporadic at Michigan. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Imprecise fastball location. Has a tendency to miss up and arm-side with the heater. Because the fastball doesn't have great carry, that could lead to authoritative contact against higher-level hitters. Between freshman year as a reliever and shortened junior season, has had somewhat limited reps. That could lead to some late command development (his walk rate improved each year in college) but fringe athleticism that inhibits his ability to work to his glove side probably means he winds up in the bullpen. Control: 45 | Command: 40

Overall: Criswell shows mid-rotation stuff on his best days. He backs up a low-mid 90's sinker with a plus slider, and he flashes a deceptive changeup that could mitigate the platoon problems that sinker-slider pitchers tend to face. He'll need to refine the consistency of the secondaries (particularly the changeup) but his pitch mix is rather promising. The bigger obstacle to Criswell emerging as a rotation fixture is command. He's not a very good athlete who ran fairly high walk rates in college. Unless he dramatically improves his ability to locate the fastball, he's probably best suited as a reliever, albeit one with the repertoire depth to work multiple innings effectively.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Long Reliever or Low Leverage Reliever
Risk: High

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Jhoan Paulino - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	3B	31	35

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 20 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 176 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 IFA
RuleV: 2021

Overall: The A's signed Paulino for $300,000 out of the Dominican Republic. Paulino was signed as a shortstop but has already slid over to third due to his frame. His defense and raw power are the carrying tools. He has a plus arm and sold hands. The power is immense, and he puts on displays during batting practice but hasn't unlocked it during games yet. He's an extreme risk due to his lack of feel for the zone and inconsistent contact skills.

OFP: 35
Risk: Extreme

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Brayan Buelvas - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	OF	12	45

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 19 yr
Height: 5-11
Weight: 155 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2018 IFA
RuleV: 2022

Overall: Buelvas was part of Oakland's 2018 international class, signing for $100,000 out of Columbia. The undersized outfielder had a strong showing in his stateside debut, hitting .300/.392/.506 as one of the youngest players in the AZL. It's a well rounded skill set but the hit tool does have a shot at becoming plus down the line. He will take his walks and will hit the ball hard consistently. He's also got a shot at sticking in center, and could move a little quicker than expected due to his polish and good baseball feel.

OFP: 45
Risk: High

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Pedro Pineda - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	OF	7	45

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 17 yr
Height: 6-1
Weight: 170 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2020 IFA
RuleV: 2024

Overall: Pineda was the prize of the A's 2020 free agent class, signing for just under $4 million. Pineda is one of the most explosive athletes in the class with appealing power and speed tools, wrapped in a projectable frame. He has a long swing and will have some swing and miss issues, but his bat speed masks some of those issues currently. He will have enough defensive skills to fit in any outfield spot, and he has the offensive skills to be a strong run producer. Pineda has the raw skills to become one of the better players in this class.

OFP: 45
Risk: High

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Logan Davidson - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	SS	6	45

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	40	50	45	55	60

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Geoff Pontes

Age: 23 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2019 Round 1
RuleV: 2022

Physical Description: Tall, lean, long limbed; wiry strong, twitchy, high level of conditioning. Looks like he can add 15 to 20 pounds of good mass in the coming years. High level athlete.

Hit: Switch-hitter, advanced approach, can border on passive. Swing and approach are stronger from the left side than the right. Similar setup on each side, slightly open stance, front leg starts from toe plant to leg kick, deep bend in his knees, wide extension from base during swing, hands start high. This is where the similarities end between Davidson's lefty and righty swing end. His right handed swing is aggressive with a high level of effort leading to a longer swing path, and subsequently a lack of barrel control. From the left side his movement is more natural, more fluid, free and easy. Leading to a short compact swing that does a good job of staying inside the ball. That said there is absolutely zone miss from both sides of the plate. It's a Jekyll and Hyde strong side platoon switch-hitting profile. Grade: 40

Power: Bat speed, and raw strength lead to plus batting practice raw power. Ability to pull balls over the wall from the left side. Power grade is above average to borderline plus versus right handed pitching. But is below average in game versus left handed pitching as his right handed swing's contact woes sap power. Loft in bat path from the left, more uppercut finish from the right. Some projection to add more in game if right handed hitting improves. Grade: 50

Field: Elite range, and body control, but below average hands present Davidson with a unique conundrum. Despite natural infield actions and twitch, he struggled in many of my looks at short during his amateur career. I will note he looked better in my follow up research, watching around 16 Vermont games during the writing of this report. It's fringe average defense at shortstop long term with the skills to move anywhere on the diamond. Grade: 45

Arm: Above average arm, good online carry and zip, quick release, fairly accurate in terms of throws to first. Shows the athleticism to make smooth throws in the run. Grade: 55

Run: Easy plus speed, flys out of the box and utilizes his speed well on the bases. Above average to plus base stealer, with good range in the field and quick first step. Grade: 60

Overall: A very difficult overall read, as Davidson has a variety of loud tools but a lack of overall substance on either side of the ball. This leads to fundamental questions around his ability to become either a league average hitter or fielder. Conversely, he possesses all the necessary skills to become both or better, leaving his range of outcomes rather wide. He could be a strong side platoon bat with fringy utility defense across the board or an above average regular. There's more risk than the usual college shortstop, putting him in recent company of players like Brady McConnell.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Utility or Platoon
Risk: High

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Nick Allen - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	SS	5	45

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
45	40	50	30	70	60	60

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Tyler Henninger

Age: 22 yr
Height: 5-8
Weight: 166 lbs
Hits/Throws: R/R
Acquired: 2017 Round 3
RuleV: 2021

Physical Description: Short, compact build. Fair muscular development. Live, athletic body. Little room to fill out, not the body type to add much weight or strength.

Hit: Square stance, hands high at the head with a vertical bat. Body upright, legs slightly bent with wide base. Minimal hand load, small leg kick timing mechanism. Very little weight transfer. Average bat speed with linear bat path. Line drive approach, uses the whole field. Good bat to ball skills thanks to exceptional hand eye coordination. Tough with two-strikes. Strike zone awareness improving, needs to lay off FBs up. Shouldn't launch ball, contact approach needed. Grade: 50

Power: Below-average raw power, with well below-average game power. Lacks necessary strength to adequately drive the ball with authority. Power isn't bottom of the scale, but it's fairly close given his build. Future power will be XBH variety, finding gaps and utilizing speed. Grade: 30

Field: Double-Plus defender, makes it look easy. Instinct to make plays apparent. Clean and quick footwork. Impressive range, moves exceptionally well to both sides. Soft hands with a quick transfer. Catches everything, reads hops well. Handles routine plays effortlessly, shows ability to make highlight-reel plays. Gold glove potential. Grade: 70

Arm: Strong, accurate arm with proper throwing mechanics. Carries through the bag. On target. Short, quick release. Exceptional DP turns. Ability to throw from all angles. Executes throws from deep in the hole and while charging the ball. Throws out good runners. Grade: 60

Run: Plus runner. Light on feet. Gets out of the box well with excellent acceleration. Smart runner who takes extra base when he can. Ability to go 1st to 3rd easy. Definite base stealing threat. Grade: 60

Overall: Allen will always be a glove first player. The defensive ability will get him to the big leagues by itself. He makes it look easy with exceptional range, footwork, and hands. He has a lightning quick transfer and is able to make strong throws from all angles accurately. Gold gloves are very much in the question for him. Offensively, he has good bat to ball skills that make him tough with two-strikes and will allow him to spray the ball to all fields. He lacks the ability to drive the ball with authority, but can still collect XBH using his line drive approach and plus speed. Once he's one base, he becomes a stolen base threat. He looks like a guy that you can pencil in at SS everyday who will have a major impact defense and provide some offensive ability.

OFP: 45
Role: 40 - Below-Average Player: Bench or Platoon
Risk: Moderate

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Daulton Jefferies - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	RHP	4	50

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CT	SL	CH	Cnt/Cmd
50	50	55	45	45	60	70/60

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Tyler Henninger

Age: 25 yr
Height: 6-0
Weight: 182 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2016 Round 1 CBA
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Ordinary build. Fair muscular development. Legs more developed than upper body. Athletic body. Some room to fill out and get stronger.

Delivery & Mechanics: Semi-wind up; tall and fall. 3/4 arm slot with above-average arm speed and minimal effort. Solid deception due to slow, methodical delivery until foot strike then explosive quick action. Smooth, fluid arm swing. Hides ball well behind body. Limited extension with short stride. Fluid and athletic motions allow delivery to be repeated well.

Fastball: Sits 92-94 mph. Can run it up to 95 mph. Does it easily. Riding life with good downward plane. Jumps on hitters. Very consistent. Plus command, rarely misses spot. Ability to throw to both sides of the plate. Gets swing and misses with velocity and location. Plays up due to the plus command of it. Grade: 55

Cutter: Mixes in occasionally. Sits 88-90 mph. Short tilt, bites when gets on top. Looks like slider but with velocity. Good control with average command. Shows feel, but needs reps. Grade: 45

Slider: Sits 80-82 mph. Small, downward tilt with occasional bite. Shows decent feel with ability to get swing and miss. Around the zone frequently. Commands fairly well, occasionally will back up. Potential to be an out pitch. Grade: 45

Changeup: Power change. Sits 87-89 mph. Can touch 90 mph. Good arm side fade, falls off the table late. Ability to get lots of swing and miss, very effective versus RHH. Generates good deception due to arm speed. Locates extremely well, consistently hits spot. Definite out pitch. Grade: 60

Control and Command: Advanced feel for pitches. Simple, repeatable delivery makes hitting spots easy. Around the zone frequently, rarely walks hitters. Exceptional command with FB/CH combo. Works both sides of plate, seldom off target. Control: 70 | Command: 60

Overall: Jeffries control and command has been stellar his entire minor league career. Along with that he has developed a FB/CH combo that is lethal and will drive his success. He has the ability to throw both pitches where he wants and gets a ton of swing and miss with them. The pairing alone should warrant him some success as a big leaguer. He also shows a feel for a fringe-average slider and cutter that need more work, but could turn into average offerings. There is injury history which is concerning and he will have to continue to develop his inning totals. There is enough from the slider to see it developing into an average offering down the line, but even with it being a fringe-average pitch, his command and FB/CH combo is good enough to make him a long term major league starter.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - #3 SP or Above-Average High Leverage Reliever
Risk: High

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Robert Puason - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	SS	3	50

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	50	50	45	55	60	60

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Matt Thompson

Age: 18 yr
Height: 6-3
Weight: 165 lbs
Hits/Throws: S/R
Acquired: 2019 IFA
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Tall, slender frame. Would be one of the taller shortstops in the big leagues if he sticks there. Quite possibly not done growing either. Really small calves. Carries a good frame with room to add significant weight, but should retain athleticism. Tied for largest signing bonus in 2019 free agent class at $5,100,000.

Hit: Switch-hitter with the same stance from both sides, he starts shoulder width apart with an open stance. His front heel off the ground as his toes dig in. As he starts his swing it's a big leg kick and coil, he gets compact while keeping the hands in a strong hitting position. Swing is geared more for power than contact. He has long levers, and those could be problematic for him as the swing is long. Was consistently late on fastballs, so that's something to check on as he gets into actual games. Grade: 50

Power: Swing aimed towards driving the ball. Gets the barrel on the ball but lacks the present strength to drive the ball with authority consistently. When he stays on his back foot he can drive the ball, but oftentimes he gets caught on his front foot and lacks the strength to create damage. A contact noted that he potentially could have above-average to plus raw as he fills out. Could develop into a star if the power arrives, but I'm not convinced yet. Grade: 45

Field: Has good enough hands and footwork to stick at shortstop long term, only thing that could get in the way of that is his frame. He's already 6'3", and is still growing. He's got a strong arm and is quick enough to cover some ground. Grade: 55

Arm: His arm might be his best tool, it's a plus arm and he can make all the throws. If he has to move to third he will slot in just fine. Strong and accurate, he could even end up throwing harder as he adds strength. Grade: 60

Run: Puason is a plus runner for now but will slow down as he bulks up. He takes such long strides and gets up to top speed very quickly. He's a really good athlete as well. Grade: 60

Overall: Not difficult to see why Puason got $5.1 million from Oakland after being linked to the Braves for so long up until their international troubles. His bat lags behind the rest of his game for now, but he has a chance at becoming an above-average hitter with plus power in addition to being a strong defender. He could be a future middle of the order bat while sticking up the middle, making him a potential franchise player. We aren't there yet, and he's on the must watch list as we get him into competitive games for the first time in 2021.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: High

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Tyler Soderstrom - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	C	2	50

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	Hit	Power	Field	Arm	Run
50	50	60	55	45	60	50

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Mike Kinsela

Age: 19 yr
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/R
Acquired: 2020 Round 1
RuleV: 2024

Physical Description: Strong, athletic, well put together build with good strength and high-level athleticism for the catching position. Plus body overall.

Hit: Soderstrom is advanced in his approach and his swing plan, with plus bat speed, a clean path, and overall one of the highest-profile hit tools of the 2020 prep draft class. He covers the plate well and is consistently on time, with hard contact in all directions vs. high quality pitching, including lefthanded arms. There's a ton of upside with the bat here overall. Grade: 60

Power: As he's come into more strength the power has shown up more and more, and the raw power is likely plus at the time of this writing. The swing is more geared for gap-to-gap power and he can turn and burn pull-side, though it's unlikely that he's ever a 30+ home run guy. The realistic outcome is good average/good OBP with 30+ doubles and 20+ home runs. Grade: 55

Field: Soderstrom is a little unrefined behind the plate, yet he's done a nice job getting more athletic and explosive in his lower half but is still behind his offensive skills as a defender. He receives and throws well but lags behind in terms of blocking and other particulars. His athleticism and other tools allow for potential projection at 3rd base or in a corner outfield spot. It's potentially a very versatile defensive profile, but one unlikely to be above average. Grade: 45

Arm: Plus tool, plays behind the plate, from the outfield, and across the infield aiding in the aforementioned potential defensive versatility. True carry with zip out of the hand and a quick release. Grade: 60

Run: Soderstrom has shown above-average speed in his amateur days, though as primarily a catcher it's likely that speed ticks down over time. Regardless, he'll likely be one of the fastest, most athletic catchers in the big leagues should that be his long term defensive home. Grade: 50

Overall: Offense-first profile with high-level hitting tools and some defensive versatility. Should be an above-average big league bat with below-to-fringe average defense in several spots. Regardless, should hit and hit in a big way.

OFP: 50
Role: 50 - Average Everyday Regular
Risk: High

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A.J. Puk - Scouting Report

Rank History

Year	Team	Position	Team Rank	OFP
2021	OAK	LHP	1	55

Grades Update: Feb 2021

OFP	Role	FB	CB	SL	CH	Cnt/Cmd
55	60	70	45	60	50	50/45

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Feb 2021 Report

Evaluator: Jake Boes

Age: 26 yr
Height: 6-7
Weight: 248 lbs
Hits/Throws: L/L
Acquired: 2016 Round 1
RuleV: On 40-Man Roster

Physical Description: Tall, intimidating frame at physical projection. Every bit of listed vitals. Sloping shoulders, long arms; thick, strong core. Workhorse lower-half with strong, sturdy thighs and legs. Feet fit for NBA; overall build like a 90's power forward. Played quarterback for his high school football team. Injury history includes Tommy John surgery in April, 2018 and shoulder debridement (cleanup) in September, 2020.

Delivery & Mechanics: Standard lefty 3/4 slot with moderate effort. Stretch-exclusive with plus arm speed; arm path appears to begin hooking back before quickly clawing near the ear. Generates impressive extension and deception from tall, strong frame. Works as far to the first base side of the rubber as possible. Repeats delivery well, although sometimes the arm lags too far behind the body. Finishes on a locked front knee. Surprising athleticism for his size.

Fastball: 95-98 t100 with nasty run in on right-handed batters; heavy usage that is thrown with conviction to any hitter in any count. Movement and velocity generate consistent swings and misses in and out of the zone against lefties and righties both. Inconsistent command; misses trend mostly high or glove side. Overall, a double-plus offering with no development necessary for the pitch to reach projection. Grade: 70

Curveball: Show-me offering at 81-83; modest, 1/7 movement and underutilized within the pitch mix; best when he lives around the bottom of the zone with it. Average potential but needs to be thrown more to realize its ceiling. Grade: 45

Slider: 87-90 with sweeping, late run. Moves it around all four quadrants of the zone; cutter action in the upper third. Lacks the depth necessary to make it a legitimate out pitch, especially in the upper-velocity band, but generates enough horizontal movement to generate swings and misses to warrant a plus grade. Grade: 60

Changeup: Straight change in the same velocity band as the slider; maintains arm speed; compliments fastball well; pitch lacks fade, but has the makings of an average pitch long-term. Grade: 50

Control and Command: Average control and fringy command; fills the zone with all pitches but inconsistent with hitting the glove; the quality of his stuff mitigates most of the misses; sequencing is predictable and fastball-heavy. Walk totals should allow him to start long-term. Control: 50 | Command: 45

Overall: The key for Puk is to stay healthy; he has the stuff and control to stick in the rotation, but multiple arm issues, including TJS and a shoulder debridement, may force him into a relief role. Even as a reliever, though, Puk's high-octane fastball and plus slider should propel him to a high leverage relief role in a bullpen long-term.

OFP: 55
Role: 60 - #3 SP
Risk: High

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