The A’s selected Simpson in the 15th round of the 2023 Draft following four solid years at the University of Washington. Shortly after, he began his pro career in the Arizona Complex League and ended the year at Single-A Stockton, where he hit .322/.373/.544 with four homers, 11 doubles and 16 RBIs in 29 games, leaving a strong first impression before embarking on his first full season in 2024.
Simpson is a cerebral player with a good understanding of the analytics side of the game and how to gameplan for every at-bat. This advanced approach should help him maintain a decent walk rate while keeping strikeout totals relatively low. There is some good power potential, as evidenced by his 18 homers as a senior at Washington, and his big 6-foot-4 frame has drawn some comparisons to Garrett Cooper.
Despite his bigger size, Simpson is a decent defender at first base and is also plenty capable of handling the corner outfield spots thanks to his sneaky effective athleticism. He plays the game hard, which caught the eye of many within the A’s organization who look forward to watching him go through his first full season after a productive first look.
