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Inside The As

Two Pitching Options in Draft for Athletics This Weekend

The A's have plenty of great options at pick No. 8, and will look to select their next superstar before their move to Las Vegas.
Dylan Quinn|
Jun 20, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (left) and bench coach and director of hitting Darren Bush (right) before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Jun 20, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (left) and bench coach and director of hitting Darren Bush (right) before the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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Athletics

The MLB Draft is quickly approaching, as this Saturday, the Athletics will get to add another high-end prospect to their farm system. The team holds the eighth overall selection.

We have discussed the flamethrower Jackson Flora out of UC Santa Barbara as a possible fit; however, he's the best arm in the draft. He will likely get taken before the A's get a shot to snag him.

You never know what the other scouts see, as we saw Jamie Arnold fall from being the fourth-ranked draft prospect all the way down to the A's at pick No. 11.

Justin Lebron and Ryder Helfrick have also been discussed as fits for the A's with the pick, and could both be available at the A's selection. If they decide to go in a different direction, they will have plenty of options.

Arkansas Left-Hander, Hunter Dietz

Arkansas Razorbacks' Hunter Dietz (32) pitches the ball as Auburn Tigers take on Arkansas Razorbacks at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala. on Friday, April 3, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The A's selected left-hander Jamie Arnold last summer, and also grabbed LSU lefty Gage Jump in 2024. Both Arnold and Jump will look to be in the future A's rotation, and now they could look to add another southpaw to it.

Gage Jump has been earning his spot in the rotation, and Dietz could learn from Jump and the other southpaws in the A's organization.

Hunter Dietz posted a 3.57 ERA in 85.2 innings pitched in 16 starts for Arkansas this season. He has flashed true ace potential, and the A's player development could really take advantage of his strong arsenal.

He has a disgusting five-pitch mix, including three pitches with an elite 60-grade. His 6'6 frame also makes him a super high-potential arm, and he could be a true future star in Major League Baseball.

High School Left-Hander, Gio Rojas

Yet another lefty starting pitcher who could join the A's organization this weekend, as high school southpaw, Gio Rojas, is the 8th-ranked prospect in the draft class.

This does mean a team above the A's could go underslot and grab Rojas for a cheaper price and land the electric 19-year-old arm.

Rojas comes with a 60-grade fastball and slider, and a 50-grade changeup. He doesn't have Dietz's extensive pitch mix and lacks college baseball experience.

The Miami commit sits in the high-90s and has hit 98 miles per hour, and complements that with a sweeping slider. The slider is his go-to putout pitch, and he relies heavily on those two pitches.

If the A's elect to go with a pitcher on Saturday, they could look at one of these two left-handers as their selection.

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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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