Athletics calls outfielders Henry Bolteas first reported by Terrell Emerson. He’s not on the 40-man roster, but the A’s have cap space there, so they’ll only need a corresponding move from the 26-man roster when they officially pick up Bolte’s contract.
A 2022 second-round pick, Bolte is the hottest prospect in baseball right now. He recently had hits in 12 consecutive plate appearances (video link) and is sitting on a .348/.418/.658 batting line (157 wRC+) with twelve homers, seven doubles, three triples, 17 steals (in 19 tries), a 9.6% walk rate and a 22% strikeout rate and three appearances of 7. He averaged 90.4 mph off the bat to go along with a solid 43% strike rate.
The young outfielders have impressed in recent seasons, but both Tyler Soderstrom again Lawrence Butler they have failed in their expectations so far. Soderstrom is hitting .207/.293/.407. Butler is hitting just .179/.278/.282 on the season. Both players suffer from BABIP grades about 60 points above league average despite quality batted ball profiles. Soderstrom and Butler both average better than 90 mph off the bat with a strikeout rate of just over 48%. Both also walked at least 11% of their plate appearances. Both represent good regression candidates based on the strength of their connections.
Soderstrom and Butler usually hold the outside corners. However, he is a center fielder Denzel Clarke has been sidelined for several weeks with a bone injury in his left foot, giving Butler time in the middle. OA also offered the former second baseman Zack Gelof others ran in center, and he hit well in the new role, hitting .274/.328/.484 in a small sample of 69 plate appearances. His batted-ball luck is on the opposite end of the spectrum, about 50 points above league average, at .341. Presumably, his slash numbers will drop slightly, but Gelof is still enjoying his most productive stretch since 2023.
It is not yet clear how the external mix will be adjusted to include Bolte. He mainly played center field. OA are not calling him to sit on the bench instead of support, so it seems that Bolte will always manage the field. Soderstrom and Butler could play full-time corner roles, with Gelof perhaps mixing in all three positions in addition to working at second base and third base. It might be natural to think he might match up in right field with the lefty-swinging Butler, who is a career .221/.262/.378 hitter against lefties, but the righty-swinging Gelof has been even worse against lefties in his own career: .157/.238/.252. OA have some injuries in the field at the moment, with Max Muncy in IL as well Jacob Wilson possibly meeting him there.
However, it is moving, it is possible that Bolte will play every day. He is ranked fifth among A’s prospects on MLB.com, seventh on Baseball America and tenth on FanGraphs. Bolte advanced to the Prospect Hot Sheet at Baseball America, where JJ Cooper noted that he still likes to be hit in the zone but has the potential to improve and can absolutely punish mistakes in the zone.
There isn’t enough time left in the season for Bolte to accumulate a full year of major league service, so even if he continues to pan out, he’ll be manageable for six more years beyond the current season. May’s timing of his promotion means he will qualify as a Super Two player if he stays on permanently, making him eligible for compensation four times instead of three. Then, if Bolte reaches the peak, the A’s can always want to give the Super Two a purpose by signing him long-term, as they did with Soderstrom, Butler, shortstop. Jacob Wilson and the designated hitter Brent Rooker a few years ago.
