3 A's Prospects Who Could Debut Some Time This Season

With Spring Training now officially underway, it’s time to start looking forward toward the 2026 Athletics season. While there are going to certainly be some position battles up and down the lineup, there will be a few players who likely miss out on Opening Day roster spots, but will have the opportunity to make a big impact as the season progresses.

Nick Kurtz did exactly that for the A’s last season, and although it’s likely overly optimistic to hope they catch lightning in a bottle two years in a row, there will definitely be some prospects who make an impact throughout the 162-game season. Let’s take a look at three prospects who could make an impact at the MLB level this season.

Henry Bolte

Henry Bolte brings a mix of raw power and pure speed, something that would help benefit nearly any team at the MLB level once he reaches his prime. Although his power hasn’t been as notable during his time in the A’s farm system, he's not far removed from leading the state of California in home runs as a high school senior.

With that being said, there are certainly concerns about his plate discipline, as he does tend to strike out quite a bit. Last season he ended up with a 28.9% strikeout rate between Double-A and Triple-A. Regardless, with how well he’s performed overall in the minors, he’s making a beeline toward the majors.

Bolte started the season with the Midland RockHounds in AA, playing 80 games at that level. During that time, he batted .278, hit seven home runs, and stole 31 bases while only being caught twice. He was also very versatile in Midland. He played 39 games in right field, 32 in center field, and also spent some time in left field and at designated hitter.

Bolte was then called up to the Las Vegas Aviators in the middle of July, and didn’t look out of place. Primarily spending his time in right field, the 22-year-old appeared in 34 games for the Aviators and finished the season with a .300 batting average, two home runs, and 13 stolen bases at the level.

As previously mentioned, the main thing holding Bolte back is his strikeout rate, as he struck out 141 times in 114 games overall. At the end of the day though, it’s not something that will likely make-or-break his ability to make the major league roster at this point. If injuries become an issue for the Athletics’ outfield, Bolte will likely be one of the first call-ups.

The biggest obstacle for him could be that he's not on the 40-man roster yet, while the A's added Junior Perez this past offseason.

Leo De Vries

As the third-ranked prospect in all of baseball, it’s hard to argue that Leo De Vries isn’t going to be an impact player sooner than later. The Athletics don’t need to rush his development though, as they already have 23-year-old Jacob Wilson holding down the fort at shortstop and recent acquisition Jeff McNeil set to play second base this season.

The A’s acquired De Vries in July in a trade that saw Mason Miller head to San Diego, and he instantly made an impact in their farm system. Following the trade, he reported directly to the A’s High-A affiliate, the Lansing Lugnuts. In 15 games at that level, he recorded a .268 batting average, but of his 15 hits, two were triples and two were home runs. He also picked up four walks.

De Vries was then called up in the middle of August to the Midland RockHounds, where he played 21 games to end the season. As he moved up the farm system, his production moved up as well. With Midland, he batted .281, with five home runs and seven doubles. Being 18 in Double-A was impressive enough, but he then also took a step forward in his development as well.

While De Vries likely won’t be in Sacramento anywhere near the beginning of the season, as he’ll still have to start strong with Midland (or Las Vegas) then continue his high level, there’s a good chance he finds his way up to the big leagues before the 2026 season comes to an end. The only true question will be where to play him.

We’ll likely find out what the A’s have planned for him once he reaches AAA. He could help fill a role at third base, become a long-term solution at second base or move to the outfield. The first two options could also be on the table for Jacob Wilson, with De Vries sticking at short. Regardless, he should absolutely be ready to make an impact at some point this season.

Gage Jump

Overall, the A’s pitching staff was near the bottom of the league last season. They finished 2025 with the fourth-highest ERA in baseball, and were in the bottom-third of the league for strikeouts and opposing batting average.

Gage Jump certainly can’t fix all of that on his own, but he’s on the verge of making it to the majors, and a strong performance in Triple-A to begin the year could certainly push him towards making his debut this season.

Jump started 2025 with the Lugnuts in High-A, where he went 4-1 in five starts. He recorded a 2.32 ERA and struck out 45 batters.

It didn’t take long for him to get moved up to Midland, as he was called up in the middle of May, where again, he performed well. In his first two AA starts, he pitched a total of 12 innings and didn’t allow a run. By the end of May, his ERA was just 0.71 through four starts and he recorded at least six strikeouts in all four games.

He had a bit of a rocky performance by his standards in June (3.63 ERA), but quickly got back to form in July, allowing just three runs in five games, four of which were starts.

Had it not been for three bad games to end the season, as he allowed 18 earned runs in his final three starts, his numbers at the AA level would’ve been phenomenal for a 22-year-old pitcher in his first season in pro ball. This season, he’ll likely start out in Las Vegas with the Aviators, and a strong performance there could quickly see him get an opportunity in Sacramento.

As the 57th ranked prospect in baseball, it’s safe to say that Jump will be making an impact in MLB sooner than later if things go to plan. And if he’s lights out in Las Vegas, there’s no reason he can’t be pitching in the majors by the summer to aid a pitching staff that could certainly use some high ceiling arms.

The A's certainly have a lot of fire power coming up through their farm system, some of it we'll see take the field at the major league level this season, and others may take some seasoning in the minors. Given their young talent already in the big leagues and the prospects on the way, it seems like the future is certainly bright.