Athletics Land Solid Talent on Day 2 of MLB Draft
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The 2026 MLB Draft has been completed, and overall, the A's had a really strong class of college players, along with a few high school prospects.
In the first round, the A's held the 8th overall selection and picked Georgia Tech star Drew Burress. Burress was ranked as the No. 7 prospect in the draft, but many expected the outfielder to be selected in the top five picks.
This is such a steal for the Athletics at 8th overall!
— Andrew DeCeglie (@Andrew_FBB) July 11, 2026
Drew Burress in 2026:
.358 / 16 HR / 60 RBI / 10 SB
43 K : 49 BB
Arguably the most complete hitter in the draft.
I had him 4th on my big board! pic.twitter.com/0OdaynER2v
We also discussed how the A's made a few strong picks on Day 1 outside the first round as well. They went after a couple of high-potential arms, which is certainly a need for the organization.
On Sunday, Day 2 of the draft, they had a very impressive day. It's certainly difficult to land talent in the later rounds, but the A's have managed to do a good job of doing just that.
Nathan Aceves, UC Santa Barbara Right-Hander
TWO Santa Barbara arms made our stock watch this week.
— Over-Slot Baseball (@OverSlot_) February 17, 2026
Everyone knows who Jackson Flora is.
Let us tell you about sophomore Nathan Aceves though, who sat comfortably in the mid-90s in his start against Southern Miss this weekend. READ👇pic.twitter.com/5n0XBJ2kbq
Aceves is a right-handed pitcher from UC Santa Barbara and would be overshadowed by the fourth overall selection, Jackson Flora.
We have discussed Flora as a fit for the A's before the draft, and how he seems like the next Mason Miller. Flora was the Friday starter for UC Santa Barbara, and Aceves would follow him up on Saturdays.
Nate’s going pro ‼️
— UC Santa Barbara Baseball (@UCSB_Baseball) July 12, 2026
With the 351st pick in the 12th round of the #MLBDraft, the Oakland Athletics select Nathan Aceves!#GoChos | #ChosInThePros pic.twitter.com/pFwrJ2vYXN
Aceves features a 50-grade fastball and a notable 60-grade changeup, which is his go-to put-away pitch.
If he can work on his command, he could become a really solid starting pitcher for the A's, and he was a ranked prospect and a high school powerhouse for a reason. Now it will be the A's player development team's job to improve his control and build up the rest of his arsenal.
Alex Sosa, Miami Catcher
In the sixth round, the A's would go over slot to select Miami's Alex Sosa. This catcher is an intriguing prospect with a high ceiling.
Miami's backstop has a 55-grade power tool, which you certainly don't see often in Day 2 draft picks. His hit tool will certainly need some work, but the A's will just have to work on improving that, and he already has good pop.
6.172 OAK
— Perfect Game Draft (@PG_Draft) July 12, 2026
C Alex Sosa (@CanesBaseball)
L-R
Athletic catcher with emerging power, strong on-base skills and polished defensive ability behind the plate@PGCollegeBall pic.twitter.com/koWudcM2Xd
Teams were worried about Sosa's ability to hit for batting average, and not only that, but also his ability to play catcher at the next level. Because he's not a great defensive catcher, there's a strong chance he ends up at a different position in pro ball.
Because the A's went the first 17 rounds without drafting a "true" catching prospect, hopefully that will mean the organization sees a true future with their All-Star backstop, Shea Langeliers.
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Dylan Quinn grew up playing baseball, and also enjoyed watching and writing about his favorite team, the A’s. Being a diehard A’s fan from New Jersey is certainly not common, but he loves the team and all of the current and former players so much. Quinn currently attends school at Penn State Scranton where he plays baseball.
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