The Athletics have selected two supremely talented outfielders in each of the last two First-Year Player Drafts. Eric Kubota (Director of Scouting) and other A’s decision makers bet on Kyler Murray a few weeks ago and North Carolina high schooler, Austin Beck, in 2017.
Every team says their selected talent possesses characteristics unique to each draft. However, with the A’s two most recent first-rounders, the inherent risk in both picks shows consistent application of a high-risk, high-reward philosophy.
Murray is a two-sport athlete whose upside the A’s have continually said they value higher than the risk assumed by playing football in 2018.