Elephant Rumblings: Draft begins this weekend

MLB news roundup

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

Can the A’s pick another winner in the first round of the MLB Draft this year? They have the 11th pick, so they’re less likely to have a talent like last year’s No. 4 overall pick Nick Kurtz available when their turn comes around on the first day of the draft on Sunday. But not every superstar was a highly touted draft prospect—Mike Trout was picked 25th overall in 2009; that worked out okay for the Angels.

Plus, the A’s deserve credit for picking absolute studs in 2023 and 2024 despite relatively bad luck with the draft lottery. Surely we all would have preferred Paul Skenes over Jacob Wilson on draft day in 2023; some were apprehensive about Wilson’s slight build and apparent lack of power. Skenes has pitched as advertised, but how eager would you be to trade J Willy for the Pirates’ ace today?

The A’s have shown themselves to be pretty shrewd—or very lucky—with their picks in recent years. Martin Gallegos at MLB.com notes that the A’s infield and outfield was comprised entirely of their own draft picks in last Friday’s 11-2 blowout against the Giants.

A’s scouting director Eric Kubota told Gallegos that the A’s have been following a “best available player” approach rather than picking based on specific needs. I know you folks love projecting draft picks—and I sense that many of you feel the A’s might want to go after some pitching this time around, which they haven’t done with their top pick since drafting A.J. Puk in 2016.

We can’t assume that the best player available will be a pitcher once the first ten picks are off the board. Regardless, we’ll soon know who this year’s top pick will be, and if that player proves as good as Wilson and Kurtz have so far it will bode very well for the A’s future, indeed.

A’s Coverage

• The Athletics beat up on the Braves 10-1
• With recent picks already in Majors, A’s turn attention to ‘25 Draft
• A’s Brent Rooker Wants to be in the Home Run Derby
• Former New York Mets Prospect Named a Notable Riser in First Half

MLB News & Interest:

• MLB 2025 Mock Draft 3.0: Kade Anderson jumps to No. 1; Aiva Arquette stays in the Northwest ($)
• MLB Power Rankings: Blue Jays, Red Sox climbing; playoff odds then and now ($)
• How all 30 teams can upgrade at Trade Deadline
• Fantasy baseball starting pitching ranks for the second half of the 2025 MLB season ($)
• Yankees Moving Jazz Chisholm Jr. Back To Second Base
• White Sox Reinstate Luis Robert Jr.
• Nationals Name Henry Blanco Bench Coach
• Dodgers To Recall Alexis Díaz For Team Debut
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

It’s a 120 yard dash.

Doggone it, J Willy got another boo boo.

Man do I love the gold on white jerseys.