A 10th-round selection by the A’s in the 2024 MLB Draft out of Boston College, Leary underwhelmed a bit in his first taste of pro ball upon joining the organization. His first full season as a pro went much better, as he began the year at Single-A Stockton and earned a promotion to High-A Lansing, where he held his own over a 33-game stint. Between the two levels, Leary hit .269 with a .798 OPS in 126 games.
Leary has above-average power potential which showed up in stints last season, with an ability to hit to all fields after working with the A’s to tighten up his swing. He can draw a decent amount of walks, but his 130 strikeouts last year highlight some swing-and-miss issues that will need to be corrected for him to fully take advantage of that power.
Leary might be one of the better baserunners in the entire organization, evident by his 56 stolen bases in ‘25 while getting caught only eight times. Defensively, he can move around well, but his below-average arm likely limits him to left field, though the A’s plan to work with him on his quickening up his release to see if his positional versatility could expand to the other two outfield spots. The A’s are still trying to figure out just what type of player Leary might end up being, but there were some encouraging signs in his first full year.
