Oakland A’s prospects: Tyler Soderstrom on consistency and catching

LANSING, Mich. — After an up-and-down season in 2021 that included an oblique injury and a trip to the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, Oakland A’s prospect Tyler Soderstrom is searching for consistency in 2022.

Our exclusive chat with Oakland A’s prospect Tyler Soderstrom

Standing in front of the dugout for the High-A Lansing Lugnuts, the 20-year-old Soderstrom was mentally preparing for another start behind the plate as the Great Lakes Loons paid a visit to Lansing. Across the diamond, Los Angeles Dodgers top prospect Diego Cartaya had just finished taking batting practice. The pair of catchers with plenty of MLB potential were squaring off with their teams later in the evening and the moment wasn’t lost on Soderstrom.

“You’re always watching other guys, seeing how they’re doing things differently maybe than you are and try and take bits and pieces from that,” Soderstrom said. “Everyone is different though. You can’t try and model yourself out for someone else because you’re just a different person, but you can take little bits and pieces every day.”

Drafted by the Oakland A’s with the 26th overall pick in the 2020 MLB draft, Soderstrom is back behind the plate for the Lugnuts after an early-season thumb contusion caused him to be slotted at first base rather than at catcher. He played 33 games at first base (starting 32) as the thumb progressed.

“Injuries are frustrating, but I’m comfortable at first,” Soderstrom said. “I’m comfortable really anywhere, but it’s good to be able to get back behind the plate.”

Lansing manager Phil Pohl said Soderstrom’s hitting and athleticism made the decision to move him to first during that period an easy one.

“Any time you can show some versatility, it’s never going to hurt your stock,” Pohl said. “It was a way for us to get him on the field, give him some at-bats, and keep his development moving forward. He’s done a great job over there.”

In his first season at High-A, Soderstrom is slashing .245/.308/.469 through his first 76 games (286 at-bats). He has also showed off his power, logging 14 home runs.

That power was on display against Great Lakes as Soderstrom lifted a triple off the left-center wall, one of 33 extra-base hits he has on the season so far.

“I want to say it’s natural, but I worked hard too growing up, countless hours and days spent in the cage with my dad,” Soderstrom said about his power and swing. “I want to say it’s a little bit of natural and also a lot of hard work was put into it as well.”

Soderstrom’s dad, Steve, a first-round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 1993, has been a source of knowledge for him about the game and what it takes to succeed. However, the younger Soderstrom is blazing his own trail thanks to his work ethic and natural skills, Pohl said.

“When you look at him, everything you want to see on paper, he has in person,” Pohl explained. “He’s a big body guy. He’s physical and he has an easy swing that absolutely launch baseballs. That’s something you love to see as a coach, as a scout, or as a front office guy.

“What he’s brings to the table as far as his skills always jumps off the paper. Now we’re starting to see him put those skills into action a little more consistently, which is exactly what we want to see.”

That consistency is exactly what Soderstrom is hoping to see at the plate and behind it as well for the rest of the season and beyond.

“I just have to stay healthy. The key is to stay on the field and get the reps you need to move through the system,” Soderstrom said. “The biggest focus for me this offseason was trying to stay as healthy as I could during this season and it’s been going good so far.”