Soderstrom has generated a .278 average and .889 OPS across 36 plate appearances over his last eight games with High-A Lansing.

EDGE Analysis

The 20-year-old's numbers were in dire straits as recently as May 13, when he carried a .173/.263/.346 slash line over his first 29 games. However, Soderstrom's current surge has seen him lace five of 10 hits for extra bases, a sample that includes another three home runs to push his season total to seven. The promising prospect's 26.0 percent strikeout rate is currently a tick higher than last season's 24.0 percent figure at Low-A Stockton, but he's also been partly victimized by a .223 BABIP.

Soderstrom is hitting just .156/.224/.338 with three homers, 10 RBI and eight runs across 22 games for High-A Lansing.

EDGE Analysis

After wreaking havoc at Low-A Stockton last year, Soderstrom came into 2022 with great expectations and lofty rankings on a lot of prospect lists. However, the 2020 first-rounder has been lost at the plate to open the season, having collected just a single multi-hit game (in which he hit two of his three home runs) while seeing his walk rate sink to 7.5 percent and his strikeout rate climb to an alarming 30 percent. It's worth noting that Soderstrom, who was drafted as a catcher and mostly played behind the plate last year, has been used as the first baseman or DH in five straight games now. It's possible that this year's issues have to do with the strain of catching (which likely was responsible for ending his season prematurely last year) catching up to him. Most analysts agree that his future isn't behind the plate, and perhaps making that move to a less stressful position will lead to better results. He did hit a 111 mph double while starting at first base on Thursday, according to Lansing broadcaster Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, so perhaps that's a sign that he's starting to come around.

Soderstrom reported to minor-league spring training at full health after he was sidelined for the final two months of the 2021 season plus the Arizona Fall League with an oblique strain, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The injury spelled an early end to an impressive professional debut season for the 20-year-old catcher, who was a 2020 first-round selection. He saw action in 54 games for Low-A Stockton, slashing .306/.390/.568 with 33 extra-base hits and a 10.8 percent walk rate across 254 plate appearances. Soderstrom profiles as one of the top backstop prospects in all of baseball, but his bat remains firmly ahead of his glove at this stage of his development, making it uncertain whether he'll stick behind the plate long term. He's expected to begin the 2022 campaign at High-A Lansing.

Soderstrom was placed on the 7-day injured list at Low-A Stockton on Tuesday because of a back issue, Athletics Farm reports.

EDGE Analysis

Soderstrom hasn't played since July 23. because of a collarbone injury, and it now sounds like he's also hampered by some sort of back problem. The severity of the latest issue isn't clear, so it's not known how long the Athletics expect their top prospect to be on the shelf. The backstop has slashed .306/.390/.568 with 12 homers and 49 RBI across 222 at-bats with Stockton this season.

Soderstrom has been sidelined since July 23 after taking a foul tip to the collarbone, Melissa Lockard of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The catching prospect was hit by the foul ball July 20, although he did play July 23 and go 2-for-5 with a home run. It's unclear what injury Soderstrom is dealing with and whether he's at all close to returning to the field for Low-A Stockton, where he's hit .306 with 12 home runs and 49 RBI in 57 games this season.

Soderstrom is hitting .315/.400/.575 with 10 homers, two steals, 43 RBI and 36 runs across 50 games for Low-A Stockton.

EDGE Analysis

The No. 26 overall pick from last year's draft, Soderstrom is just 19 years old -- two years younger than the average player in the Low-A West league -- but he's already showing an impressively advanced approach at the plate in his first pro season. He's drawing walks at a 10.9 percent clip, he's kept the strikeouts low enough (23.5 percent), and he's hitting the ball to all fields with authority. Soderstrom made a great impression in major-league spring training this year, and he seems poised to rocket through the organization -- particularly if the A's elect to move him off the catcher position, which would be a boon to his fantasy value while accelerating his timeline. They haven't said anything about doing so just yet, but Soderstrom's prospect profile isn't all that different from the likes of Bryce Harper and Wil Myers, who were both catchers at the outset of their careers. Accordingly, it may not be long until Soderstrom is routinely mentioned among the top few prospects in the game.

Soderstrom is 2-for-5 with two doubles and an RBI over his first six Cactus League games.

EDGE Analysis

The 26th overall pick of the 2020 first-year player draft, Soderstrom lost out on his first opportunity for extended professional development with the cancellation of the 2020 minor-league season. The 19-year-old is gaining from the experience of being around the big-league club this spring, however, and he hasn't looked out of place over the small sample of at-bats thus far. Soderstrom is thought to have a bright future at catcher and will likely start the 2021 season at either the Rookie or Low-A level.

The Athletics announced Monday that Soderstrom will report to big-league spring training as a non-roster invitee.

EDGE Analysis

After being selected in the first round of the 2020 first-year player draft, Soderstrom didn't get the chance to make his debut in affiliated ball due to the cancellation of the minor-league season. The assignment to major-league spring training will thus give the Athletics a greater opportunity to evaluate Soderstrom against higher-level competition, even though he won't be a serious candidate to break camp with the big club. Look for the 19-year-old backstop to make his professional debut at the rookie-ball level.

Soderstrom, the 26th overall pick in the 2020 first-year player draft, signed Monday for a $3.3 million bonus, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. The rookie will report to the Athletics' alternate summer camp site according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.

EDGE Analysis

Soderstrom's monetary haul is particularly impressive when considering it's the largest sum awarded to a prep catcher in the bonus-pool area and checks in considerably higher than the $2,653,400 slot value. The 18-year-old will have an opportunity to begin his development as a professional immediately with his participation in the team's summer camp, and even if the 2020 minor-league season is cancelled outright, Soderstrom projects to remain in a pool of up to 30 players that will continue training at an alternate site during the regular season.