This story was excerpted from Martín Gallegos’ A’s Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
At first, it was hard for the A’s to describe the inaugural MLB Draft Lottery as anything other than disappointing.
Despite entering the night with a 16.5 percent chance at landing the No. 1 overall pick because the club finished 2022 with the second-worst record in baseball (60-102), the Ping-Pong balls did not fall in Oakland’s favor. The A's came away with the No. 6 selection.
As time went by, the disappointment slowly dissipated. Now, with one day left until the Draft, the A’s scouting department is filled with excitement for what will be the club’s first top-6 selection since 2017.
“The Draft is Christmas Day for every organization,” A's assistant GM and director of player personnel Billy Owens said. “Hope springs eternal across the landscape of MLB and the culmination of frantic work canvassing every element of amateur baseball. Dreams are made on Draft Day and optimism prevails throughout our industry.”
Here's more Draft information about the A's:
First pick and bonus slot: No. 6 overall, $6,634,000
Additional first-day picks: No. 39, $2,202,500 (Competitive Balance Round A); No. 41, $2,094,900 (second round)
Total bonus pool: $14,255,600
Last three first picks:
2022: Catcher Daniel Susac, University of Arizona
2021: Shortstop Max Muncy, Thousand Oaks (Calif.) High School
2020: Catcher Tyler Soderstrom, Turlock (Calf.) High School
Best pick of the last 10 years, per MLB Pipeline: Third baseman Matt Chapman (2014, first round)
Who might the A’s take sixth overall? The overwhelming opinion among prospect sites seems to be a college hitter. MLB Pipeline Draft experts, Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis, even seem to agree on the specific player. Both have had TCU third baseman Brayden Taylor going to the A’s in each of their latest mock drafts. Taylor, the 2023 Big 12 Tournament MVP, is rated by MLB Pipeline as the No. 15 overall prospect in this year’s Draft.