What to know about ‘massive haul' of prospects A's got for Olson

The Athletics' fire sale has officially begun, with two of their biggest stars on the move already. 

After trading starting pitcher Chris Bassitt to the New York Mets on Saturday, Oakland turned around and traded All Star first baseman Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves on Monday. 

The Olson trade netted the A's four Braves prospects, including the first and second-overall prospects. 

Oakland will receive OF Cristian Pache, C Shea Langeliers, SP Ryan Cusick and SP Joey Estes, sources tell ESPN. Massive haul for Matt Olson, the Braves’ new first baseman.

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2022

Highlighted by catcher Shea Langeliers and outfielder Cristian Pache, who rank 68 and 69 on MLB.com's Top-100 prospect list, the A's receive a huge boost to a rather depleted farm system. 

In addition to Pache and Langeliers, Oakland will receive Atlanta's No. 6 and 14 prospects in right-handed pitchers Ryan Cusick and Joey Estes. In total, the A's received four of the Braves' Top-15 prospects in exchange for Olson. 

Here is what you need to know about the four newest A's:

Shea Langeliers

The right-handed hitting catcher was drafted ninth overall by Atlanta in 2019. The 24-year-old played in his first full season in the minors last year, hitting a combined .256/.339/.494 with 22 home runs and 53 RBI in 97 games for both Double-A Mississippi and Triple-A Gwinnett. 

Four years older than A's top prospect Tyler Soderstrom -- also a catcher -- Langeliers is much closer to the major league level and has already been assigned to Oakland's Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas since the trade. 

Baseball America's scouting report on Langeliers: 

"Langeliers’ defense is his primary asset, led by his plus-plus arm. He threw out 42% of attempted base stealers in 2021 and routinely records pop times to second base in the 1.90-second range with pristine accuracy. Pitchers love throwing to Langeliers and he has the makeup and baseball IQ to manage a staff, although he still needs to improve his pitch framing and mobility to become a true plus defender. Langeliers has continued to show above-average power as he’s moved further away from a hamate injury in college, and his 22 home runs came while playing his home games in a difficult hitter’s park."

Cristian Pache

The most recognizable name of the four prospects, Pache is an outfielder who is ready to help Oakland immediately at the big league level. 

With Ramon Laureano still on the A's roster ... for now, Pache (a center fielder) has a chance to play right away for Oakland, depending on where he fits best amongst the three outfield positions. 

The 23-year-old hit .265/.330/.414 with 11 home runs and 44 RBI in 89 games with Atlanta's Triple-A affiliate before being called up to the major league squad, where he struggled mightily, hitting .111/.152/.206 with one home run and four RBI in 22 games with the eventual World Series champion Braves squad. 

Baseball America's scouting report on Pache: 

"Pache’s 80-grade defense in center field is unimpeachable, but his bat remains a question mark. He has timing issues at the plate and often has to decide whether he’s sitting on fastballs or breaking stuff, which creates inconsistencies. He has long had issues with a pull-heavy approach and posted the highest strikeout rate (27.5%) of his minor league career in 2021. Pache has gone back and forth with various handsets the Braves have tried to incorporate to get him in better position to hit, with varying levels of success. He has the strength to hit 20 home runs, but he projects to be no more than a below-average hitter."

Ryan Cusick

The 22-year-old right handed flame thrower played two-plus years for Wake Forest before being drafted by the Braves with the No. 24 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. In college, he posted a career 10-10 record with a 5.01 ERA in 158 innings pitched while recording 206 strikeouts to 79 walks. 

Making six starts for Atlanta's Single-A affiliate in Augusta, Cusick posted an 0-1 record with a 2.76 ERA in 16 1/3 innings pitched. He currently ranks as Oakland's No. 7 prospect. 

Baseball America's scouting report on Cusick:

"A massive, 6-foot-6, 235-pound righthander, Cusick has thrown hard since his prep days in Connecticut. His fastball sits in the upper 90s and touches 102 mph with life, making it a dominant, plus-plus pitch that gets swings and misses in the strike zone. His fastball command has underwhelmed at times, but the pitch is overpowering enough to dominate hitters even without pinpoint accuracy."

Joey Estes

This 20-year-old right handed pitcher is an intriguing arm for the A's. Drafted 239th overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, the Braves took a flyer on a young arm who blossomed last season Augusta. 

Estes posted a 3-6 record with an outstanding 2.91 ERA in 99 innings pitched. He struck out 127 batters, while walking just ... 29 (!!!). Good for an 11.5 strikeouts-per-nine mark. 

Baseball America's scouting report on Estes: 

"Estes’ best skill is his feel for filling up the zone. He gets ahead in counts frequently, though as he climbs the minor league ladder he’ll need to do a better job finishing off hitters with quality chase pitches. Despite his strike throwing and three-pitch mix, some scouts believe he profiles best as a reliever, with a bit of effort in his delivery."

RELATED: Olson thanks A's, calls trade to Braves 'bittersweet'

After shipping off Olson and Bassitt, A's fans (rightfully) will need time to process the reality that there might not be many big stars on the field for Oakland this season, with more trades seeming increasingly likely at this point. 

Once those feelings are processed, fans can feel good about the haul that the organized received for Olson on Monday. Highlighted by Langeliers and Pache, the A's have two exciting prospects they've added to the mix.