The displaced former Oakland squad completed its first season in Sactown with 76 wins, finishing out of the playoffs for a fifth straight season. However, the mood is not at all gloomy for this young squad. There is hope for the team in green and gold, and it may come as soon as 2026.
The A's have assembled some of the best young offensive talent in baseball, and there is once again excitement around this team. Led by slugging first baseman Nick Kurtz, there is a young core here that could be the start of something very special. Kurtz burst onto the scene in late April, and after three weeks of struggling, he turned it around and didn't look back, finishing with 36 home runs and a 170 wRC+ in just 117 games. It's not only Kurtz who is finding his way though; he is insulated with other quality bats, including the elite bat-to-ball skills of shortstop Jacob Wilson, the all-around hitting of infielder/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom, sluggers Brent Rooker, and backstop Shea Langeliers, who finished with wRC+ scores well above league average. And there are others who have the talent to fit into this group, such as Lawrence Butler, Zack Gelof, Denzel Clarke, and Max Muncy, but haven't yet shown consistency or sustained success.
Pitching was the main weakness of this squad, and their new home park didn't do them any favors. Playing in a PCL stadium for 81 games can put a serious strain on your pitching staff. Right-hander Luis Severino, their prized free agent signing from last offseason, publicly criticized the team's second division facility on multiple occasions. While we know they won't play here forever, pitching in a bandbox can wear on a staff. Like the offense, there is some hope with the pitching as well. Jacob Lopez came out of nowhere to be a very solid back-end option in the rotation. Luis Morales and Jack Perkins made solid debuts and look to be pieces to the pitching puzzle for the A's.
On the farm, the Athletics have enhanced their crop of talent, mostly through the trade of their closer, Mason Miller. Landing consensus top 5 prospect Leodalis De Vries, along with impact arms Braden Nett, Henry Baez, and Eduarniel Nunez was a very nice return and could be a game-changing deal. Left-handers Gage Jump and 2025 first-round pick Jamie Arnold could both be #2 or 3 starters on a contending team, and sluggers Tommy White and Devin Taylor are intriguing bats who could provide impact as soon as 2026.
If anything, this team will be entertaining, but they will probably be good sooner than we think. There is a lot to be excited about for the loyal A's fans.
Clarke was rough in his first taste of the big leagues in 2025, with a 75 wRC+ in 159 PA with 3 HR, 6 SB, and a whopping ten strikeouts for every walk. Clarke needed some time to adjust to big league pitching, but splitting his season in half shows that he was making those adjustments. In his first 24 games (80 PA), he slashed .195/.225/.260 (30 wRC+) with a 2.5% BB rate and a 45.0% K rate; in his last 23 games (79 PA), he slashed .268/.325/.493 (122 wRC+) with a 5.1% BB rate and a 31.6% K rate. The plate discipline is still not great, but it’s an improvement, and Clarke will get the opportunity to play every day and further improve it via his elite defense in CF. With his power and speed, Clarke is at worst a 15/15 guy, but has the upside for 30/30 if it all comes together.
Tommy White
White was seen as a power over hit player coming out of the draft, but as a prospect for the A’s, he’s been the opposite, with contact rates routinely above 80% and ISOs mostly average to below average. White still has plus raw power, and he did hit 12 homers in 93 games, but hasn’t been able to get to that power as much as you’d like due to a ground ball rate north of 50%. If White can lift the ball more, his blend of contact and power will make him rise quickly through the minors and into the majors, where the A’s don’t have an established everyday player at third base.
Dynasty Sells
Luis Severino
Severino had a rough year in 2025, but was still a solid streaming option in some situations because of his massive home/road splits, as a result of the A’s home ballpark being a bandbox that didn’t have the amenities for him to continue his rhythm. He had a 6.01 ERA at home, and a 3.02 ERA on the road, and while his home park allowed more fly balls to leave the yard, he actually benefited more from fly ball luck on the road than he was hurt by it at home: he had a 4.48 xFIP at home, and a 4.78 xFIP on the road. If Severino gets traded in the offseason, he could be seen as a buy-low option because of his home/road splits, but his xFIP shows that his home numbers were more indicative of his talent level than his road numbers.
Lawrence Butler
Butler took a step back in 2025 and slashed .234/.306/.404 (96 wRC+), but still put up good numbers from a fantasy perspective with 21 HR & 22 SB. Part of the struggles were due to his platoon splits — he had a 106 wRC+ vs RHP and a 52 wRC+ vs LHP — and as a result, he got routinely benched against lefties starting in August, which would reduce his playing time if it continued in 2026. In addition, his overall numbers dipped as the season went along. Despite seeing a larger percentage of righties in the second half, he had a wRC+ of just 70 after the all-star break, as opposed to a 109 wRC+ in the first half. Butler could bounce back in 2026, but if he continues to get platooned, he may not get the playing time necessary for another 20/20 season.
Top Fantasy Prospects
Players are in order of their fantasy prospect ranking from our September end of season list.
The biggest surprise of the 2025 MLB trade deadline came when the Athletics sent Mason Miller and J.P. Sears to the Padres in exchange for a pile of prospects, headlined by none other than De Vries. At first glance, De Vries’ full-season line of 15 homers and an .806 OPS hardly jumps off the page given his pedigree and hype in fantasy circles. However, he was just 18 years old for the entire 2025 season, and made the jump to Double-A with the Athletics, a promotion that kickstarted his hottest stretch as a professional. The switch-hitting shortstop crushed five home runs and hit .383 in September, good for an OPS of 1.271 on the month, despite being nearly six years younger than the average age at the level. He also compensated for his tendency to chase pitches by posting excellent contact rates in his first taste of Double-A. De Vries looked every bit like a top-five prospect in baseball to close out the season, and he has a strong chance to reach Triple-A in 2026. He may still move off of shortstop down the road, but continued development could see him assume a key role in the Athletics’ ongoing youth movement at the major league level in 2027. - Lucas Morel
Although the end of Jump’s season was rough, the year as a whole should be viewed as a success. He broke into our top 100 early by showing elite command paired with big strikeout potential. After a promotion to Double-A, he faced a tougher test but still held his own. On the year, Jump posted an impressive 21% K-BB rate with opponents hitting just .213 against him; there’s legitimate No. 2 starter upside here. His ability to miss bats while also generating ground balls and limiting walks makes him especially appealing in dynasty formats. If the A’s get aggressive, Jump could debut as early as 2026, though 2027 remains the more likely timeline. - Tom Gates
A popular pre-season candidate to go off the board first in the 2025 MLB draft, Arnold looked less than dominant in some key starts during his junior season at Florida State, and fell to the Athletics with the eleventh pick instead. The southpaw may prove to be a steal at that spot in the long run, as he still has the stuff to occupy a mid-rotation role in the majors for quite some time. The Athletics have made strides in their pitching development over the last couple of years, and they will be salivating at the chance to work with Arnold’s plus-grade slider, emerging fastball, and his raw but promising changeup. His uniquely low release point and seemingly effortless delivery could help him move up the minor league ladder quickly, but much will depend on whether the A’s can help him refine his pitch usage to maximize his potential. For now, he should be considered a top ten FYPD target this offseason and a borderline top-60 prospect overall. - Lucas Morel
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
Prospects| NPB| Pitching guy| Brandon Tew is an operations analyst for Sports Info Solutions, a sports analytics company that has been in business providing data to MLB teams and media since 2003. Visit their website at SportsInfoSolutions.com
Director of Dynasty Content - Canadian born and raised, moved to Arkansas with my wife and two sons Ezra and Ari. Followed and played baseball my whole life; played dynasty for 25+ years.
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
As Director of Pro Scouting, I lead a talented group of evaluators as we break down future stars. You can find me at random California League games throughout the season!
