For as thrilled as the A’s were to select Jacob Wilson with the sixth overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft, the excitement level was equally as high when they landed Steven Echavarria two rounds later.
Signing Wilson for an under-slot bonus created flexibility for the A’s to go over slot in the third round to take Echavarria and sway him away from a commitment to the University of Florida by signing him for $3 million, a figure that is considered more typical for a first-round pick.
Following the Draft, Echavarria was sent to the instructional league, and though he only pitched six innings there, his performance was enough to generate some buzz entering the offseason.
“A lot of people are very excited about him,” said A’s director of player development Ed Sprague. “It was a pretty small sample size. He hadn’t done anything for a while, so really, after we drafted him, it was just getting him built up. He threw six innings in instructs and looked really good. We’re excited for him to get his pro career kicked off.”
Before Echavarria enters his first professional season, he will be among the organization’s top prospects participating in next week’s inaugural Spring Breakout showcase when Oakland’s prospects square off against the Giants’ prospects at Hohokam Stadium.
Echavarria, ranked as the A’s No. 7 prospect by MLB Pipeline, brings a four-pitch mix that features a fastball that consistently hits 96 mph and has reached up to 98 mph, carrying ride up in the zone that lends to a good amount of swing-and-miss. Other pitches in his arsenal include a sweeping slider, a curveball and a low-80s changeup. He also throws a 92-93 mph two-seamer down in the zone, which should develop more consistent velocity as he grows into his 6-foot-1 frame.
Echavarria’s dominant run as a senior at Millburn High School in New Jersey, going 8-1 with a 0.28 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 50 innings, earned him NJ.com’s Pitcher of the Year honors in 2023, setting up the 18-year-old for a highly anticipated pro debut this upcoming season.