Rounding up Day 2 of the MLB Draft for the Oakland Athletics
Six of Oakland’s 11 picks have been pitchers.
The Oakland Athletics completed Day 2 of the MLB Draft by selecting six right-handed pitchers and two outfielders. The group is headlined by third round pick Steven Echavarria and fourth rounder Cole Miller.
Here are some quick notes on each of the A’s picks from Day 2:
Third Round: No. 72: Steven Echavarria, RHP, Millburn HS
Highschool right-hander that is committed to Florida. Echavarria is one of the younger players in the 2023 class. He’s got a fastball that was hitting 91-96 and reached 97 at times. He doesn’t have a standout secondary pitch, but has good feel for his slider and changeup. Echavarria allowed just two runs all season and racked up 80 strikeouts in 50 innings pitched. Also hit .305 at the plate with five home runs in 82 at-bats.
Fourth Round: No. 103: Cole Miller, RHP, Newbury Park HS
Another high school pitcher who is committed to UCLA. Miller’s fastball ticked up during the spring. He had a 1.34 ERA with 60 strikeouts and just 10 walks in 41 2/3 innings as a senior. The fastball is 90-92, but has been up to as much as 95 and has room to tick up even further as he gets stronger.
Fifth Round: No. 139: Nathan Dettmer, RHP, Texas A&M
Dettmer finished the 2023 season with a 6.19 ERA and 51 strikeouts in 52 1/3 innings. He was SEC Pitcher of the Week twice. He saw his walk rate nearly double in 2023 and struggled at times throughout the season. His fastball averages 93 mph and has touched 96, but is described as a low-spin heater. Dettmer has good sinking action on the pitch and has generated good ground ball rates while at A&M.
Sixth Round: No. 166: Jonah Cox, OF, Oral Roberts
Cox was a 2023 Perfect Game First Team All-American and led all Division I hitters with 114 hits. He compiled a 47-game hitting streak and finished the season hitting .412 with 11 home runs and 28 stolen bases. He played his first two seasons at Butler Junior College where he hit over .400 both seasons. Cox has good bat to ball skills, but is lacking in power. He is a plus runner and profiles as a good defender in center field.
Seventh Round: No. 196: Nate Nankil, OF, Cal State Fullerton
Nankil struggled in his first two seasons, but took a significant step forward as a senior. He hit .316/.384/.468 with five home runs and 21 doubles. He is lacking in power with unimpressive exit velocities. He has a plus arm and could slot into right field.
Eighth Round: No. 226: Jackson Finley, RHP, Georgia Tech
Finley is a two-way player out of Georgia Tech where he had a 6.47 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings. He hit .328 with 17 home runs and 79 strikeouts in 54 games. The A’s announced him as a pitcher and his fastball averaged 90 mph, but he has gotten the pitch up into the upper 90s at times. He has four solid offerings with a change up, slider and curveball. As a hitter, he had a 95.6 mph average exit velocity and was in the 90th percentile with a max EV of just over 110 mph.
Ninth Round: No. 256: Corey Avant, RHP, Wingate
Avant posted a 5.45 ERA in 22 appearances, mostly out of the bullpen. He allowed 16 earned runs in 13 2/3 innings in the MLB Draft League this summer.
10th Round: No. 286: Tom Reisinger III, RHP, East Stroudsburg
Reisinger was All PSAC East First Team after posting a 2.64 ERA to go along with 97 strikeouts in 71 2/3 innings. In three seasons at ESU, Reisinger had a 4.50 ERA to go along with 202 strikeouts in 150 innings.