Why the A’s drafted an additional catching prospect with their first spherical decide
OAKLAND — A’s first-spherical draft pick Daniel Susac obtained to soak it all in on Tuesday night at the Coliseum.
The 21-12 months-aged Sacramento native got paid handsomely, chatted up with players he grew up watching and was launching property operates in entrance of his family members in the course of batting observe.
Susac soaked in the exhilaration upcoming to the batting cage on Tuesday in advance of the A’s performed the Astros all by himself, but when it comes to becoming a heralded catching prospect in the A’s farm method, he’s rarely alone.
The A’s have accrued really a little bit of talented catching depth in their minimal league procedure. It begins at the prime on the important league roster with homegrown talent and Gold Glove Award winner Sean Murphy, who is underneath regulate by 2026.
Even if Murphy is included to the list of popular A’s gamers to be traded, there are a great deal of other catchers ready to seize an chance.
Very first in line is the A’s No. 1 prospect, Shea Langeliers, who was obtained in the trade that sent Matt Olson to Atlanta. His time in the main leagues could occur knocking just before the finish of the 2022 season, as flashed his possible in the course of the Futures Sport this thirty day period at Dodger Stadium where by he was named the MVP.
Right at the rear of Langeliers in the A’s prospect rankings is 2020 initially-spherical draft choose Tyler Soderstrom, who has strike .275 with 27 dwelling operates through his very first two seasons in the minimal leagues.
So with these kinds of a crowded catcher’s depth chart, why did the A’s come to feel the need to spend $3,531,200 – slot value for the 19th overall choose in this year’s MLB draft – on Susac?
Obtaining a glut of expertise at one of the most vital position on the diamond is a excellent issue in accordance to A’s director of scouting Eric Kubota and A’s manager Mark Kotsay.
“We think he’s a very great catcher, I never believe you could at any time have enough gamers no make any difference what positions they participate in,” claimed Eric Kubota, director of A’s scouting. “We come to feel really great about our catching depth … we truly feel like we extra a quality catcher to the mix.”
“Anytime you can stockpile catchers, shortstops and centerfielders I think that’s a bonus,” Kotsay claimed. “You know, obviously all those are fairly demanding positions. Not just physically on the subject, but from a standpoint of teams and the requirement to have them.”
For Susac, acquiring a listing of gifted opponents at his placement is a good dilemma to have as well.
“I consider it is brilliant, it is extra brains to pick,” Susac explained. “It’s always great to be around fantastic level of competition for the reason that the most effective players get the very best out of just about every else.”
Susac currently noticed the competitive mother nature of MLB life by way of his brother Andrew, who was a next-spherical draft decide by the San Francisco Giants in 2011. Andrew performed only 87 games with the Giants as he served as the backup to legendary Giants catcher Buster Posey in 2014 and 2015.
“He’s been substantial for me heading through this system,” Daniel claimed. “I think it is a great source that I think a good deal of persons don’t have but getting that I’m heading to get the most out of inquiring issues each and every working day about baseball, slight league lifestyle, important league existence.”
Susac appears to have the essential talent to make it as a MLB catcher.
All through his junior period at Arizona, he hit .366 with 12 property operates and 62 RBI in 64 game titles and was a semifinalist for the Buster Posey Nationwide Collegiate Catcher of the 12 months Award. He even now has a couple of years right before he’s envisioned to get there in the majors, but one excellent that could make Susac stand out from the relaxation of the pack is his leadership, which he said he discovered when setting up as Jesuit High School’s quarterback in Sacramento.
“I feel playing numerous sports as a child served me a good deal,” Susac claimed. “Being a quarterback I think actually assisted me and also becoming a catcher. It is two big leadership roles that you variety of have to do or else you are likely to get eaten alive.”
