Farm systems are hard to gauge in general because prospects are difficult to assess in general. One moment you’re all gung ho about Daniel Robertson and then Ryon Healy comes out from just left of nowhere and warrants the excitement. Remember when Michel Ynoa was going to be the next great thing, perhaps one of the "3 aces" along side Fautino de los Santos and Raul Alcantara? Now one is in the bullpen, one is out of options and trying to impress, and one is killing it on the 3rd shift at IHOP.
So perhaps the A’s current situation isn’t all that unusual.