From what I've seen, not too many people are impressed by Oakland's return in Wednesday's Andrew Bailey trade. Josh Reddick is probably a step up from Ryan Sweeney, and he's under team control for a lot longer, but the two prospects - Miles Head and Raul Alcantara - aren't big-time prospects. Why don't we check in with John Sickels to see if either of these guys might be underrated, shall we?
On Head:
Head features above-average power potential, but will have to prove that his swing and plate discipline will work against advanced pitching. He lacks the speed to play an outfield corner, and spent 2011 at first base. He has experience at third and may move back to the hot corner, where his arm will play well but his range may not.
On Alcantara:
Alcantara is a classic projection prospect. He already throws 90-95 MPH and should sustain his peak velocities more readily as he matures physically. His curveball and changeup are inconsistent, but they exist, which is more than a lot of pitchers his age can say. He throws strikes and keeps the ball down, collecting grounders at a decent clip and avoiding homers.
Click through for more detail. Sickels gives each player a C+ prospect grade, with the potential to contribute in the majors, but far greater potential to do little of consequence.