What to Expect from Athletics Catcher/First Baseman Tyler Soderstrom

The 2023 season has not been kind to Oakland, but there have been bright spots. A number of young players have looked like promising pieces, and the A’s will hope that C/1B Tyler Soderstrom can perform at the MLB level. The former first round pick is set to join Oakland three years after he was drafted by the Athletics. Here’s a closer look at Soderstrom.

A Look at Soderstrom

The son of former Giants pitch Steve Soderstrom. Tyler Soderstrom was a high-prized MLB Draft prospect three years ago. Scouts lauded Soderstrom’s hit tool and power, and those assets made him a first round pick by the Athletics in 2020.

Soderstrom quickly ascended the ranks in the Athletics organization, as he made his AAA debut with Las Vegas just two years after being selected by Oakland. The 21-year-old hit .306./.390/.568 across 57 games in 2021, then belted 29 home runs across three levels in 2022.

This season, Soderstrom hit .254/.303/.536 with 20 home runs and 37 extra base hits across 69 games with Las Vegas. In a hitter-friendly league, those power numbers are not too much of a surprise. The A’s prospect does strike out a fair amount, as his career MiLB K% rate of 26.0% would rate as below-average in the Majors.

The 21-year-old flexes an open stance and impressive bat speed, not much of a shock given how well Soderstrom can drive balls. His power is his biggest asset, as he doesn’t project to be a high batting average hitter, nor a slugger that will walk a lot.

Defensively, Soderstrom split time between catcher and first base. The A’s may elect to keep Soderstrom at first to preserve the bat in the future, but scouting reports do commend his arm strength at catcher. For right now, expect him to see time at both first and behind the plate.

Soderstrom is one of two notable A’s prospects that will get the call this weekend. Infielder Zack Gelof will also reportedly join the Athletics.

A Look at the Athletics

It’ll be interesting to see how Oakland works Soderstrom into the lineup. While the A’s don’t have a deep lineup by any means, catcher Shea Langeliers and first baseman Ryan Noda have shown value.

Langeliers, acquired from the Braves in the Matt Olson trade, hit ten home runs in the first half. Noda, meanwhile, hit 26 extra base hits and posted a .381 OBP over his first 85 games.

With Esteury Ruiz and Ramon Laureano on the IL, there is a path for Brent Rooker — who’s split time between DH and the outfield this season — to play the field, and rotate Soderstrom at catcher, first, and the DH slot to get him regular time.

The second half of the 2023 campaign will be all about the young prospects for the Athletics, as Oakland will have two of the team’s best hitting prospects up in the Majors for the second half. For a team with virtually nothing to play for from a competitive standpoint, the focus is clearly on player development and to see what Oakland has on its roster.