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Inside The As

Sneaky MLB Draft Talent A’s Can Target After Round 1

Everyone's all hyped up about the first round, but there's some sneaky talent in Rounds 2-4.
Dylan Quinn|
Jul 5, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) removes pitcher Mason Barnett (63) from the game against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
Jul 5, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) removes pitcher Mason Barnett (63) from the game against the Miami Marlins during the sixth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Athletics

All of the hype is around the A's first-round pick on draft day, but the A's could grab some sneaky talent in the second and third rounds.

There's been buzz around Chris Hacopien, Tyler Bell, Hunter Dietz, and Ryder Helfrick specifically for the A's first-round pick.

We've seen Helfrick as well as Justin Lebron as good first-round options for the A's as well. Both have potential through the roof and are both very close to being MLB-ready. That means we could see them hit the big leagues as early as next season.

We've also talked about a few other prospects the A's could consider selecting, but everyone we've mentioned is first-round talent. As we know, the draft spans 20 rounds, and there's a ton of talent outside just the first round.

Peyton Bonds, Rutgers Outfielder

Bonds is the nephew of Bay Area legend Barry Bonds and could join the A's organization somewhere in the third or fourth round. His potential could have a team go underslot earlier in the draft as well.

The Rutgers product is listed as the 81st-ranked prospect in the draft class. He comes with a 55-grade hit tool, 50-grade run, 50-grade arm, and 60-grade fielding.

The A's do have a history of picking Rutgers players in those early rounds, as both Ryan Lasko and current A's rookie, Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, have been selected in the last few years.

Bonds is 6'5 and weighs 230 pounds, and has that good frame with great hitting potential. He batted .352 in his senior season and really flashed that 55-grade hit tool. He would join a crowded room of A's outfield prospects, but would immediately become one of the most exciting to watch.

Savion Sims, High School Right-Hander

Another really exciting prospect is the high school right-hander, Savion Sims. Sims attended Prestonwood Christian in Texas, and the flamethrower comes with a very big frame.

The towering 6'8 pitcher is currently the 85th-ranked prospect in the draft. He is just 19-years-old, and his stuff could have him in the higher-level minor leagues very quickly.

He comes with a 70-grade fastball, which is very elite. He routinely hits triple digits on the fastball and also pairs it with a nice slider. His pitch mix is identical to Mason Miller's and is also similar to likely top-10 selection Jackson Flora.

The only issue with Sims is his control. He only has a 45-grade control, but if the A's player development team could get him to control his stuff, he could be a super scary reliever within the next few seasons.

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Dylan Quinn
DYLAN QUINN

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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