The A’s have an amazing 13 rookies that could help them at some point in 2012 as the rebuilding has begun. Here is a look at them:

Brad Peacock: 24-year old righty starting pitcher Brad Peacock came into this season as the Nationals’ #3 prospect according to Baseball America. The A’s got Peacock as part of the return for Gio Gonzalez. Peacock pitched in 3 games (2 starts) for the Nationals last year and he was 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP. He also pitched in 25 games (23 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year in which he was 15-3 with a 2.39 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Peacock has now pitched in 113 games (101 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 34-38 with a 3.93 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Peacock should be in the A’s opening day rotation.

Derek Norris: 23-year old righty swinging catcher Derek Norris came into this season as the Nationals’ #9 prospect according to Baseball America. He was also part of the return for Gio Gonzalez. Norris played in 104 games in AA-ball last year and he was 70 of 334 (.210 avg, .813 OPS) with 75 runs scored, 20 homers, 46 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He has now played in 431 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 353 of 1,419 (.249 avg, .861 OPS) with 278 runs scored, 69 homers, 232 RBIs and 38 stolen bases. Norris could make a run at the majors in the second half of the 2012 season.

Tom Milone: 25-year old lefty starting pitcher Tom Milone came into this season as the Nationals’ #13 prospect according to Baseball America. Milone was also part of the return for Gio Gonzalez. Milone pitched in 5 games (all starts) for the Nationals last year and he was 1-0 with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. He also pitched in 24 games (all starts) in AAA-ball last year in which he was 12-6 with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. He has now pitched in 91 games (86 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 37-22 with a 3.05 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP. Milone will be in the A’s rotation at the start of the 2012 season, how long he keeps the job is up to him.

Yoenis Cespedes: 26-year old righty swinging CF Yoenis Cespedes was signed to a huge deal over the winter. He played in 90 games in Cuba last year and he hit .333 with a 1,091 OPS as he cranked out 33 homers and drove in 91 runs. Cespedes is going to be the starting CF for the A’s in 2012 and he has already cranked his first major league homer in the series against the Mariners in Japan. He has a huge upside.

Jarrod Parker: 23-year old righty starting pitcher Jarrod Parker comes into this season as the A’s #1 prospect according to Baseball America. Parker pitched in 1 game (1 start) for the D-Backs last year and he was 0-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP. He also pitched in 26 games (all starts) in AA-ball last year and he was 11-8 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Parker has now pitched in 70 games (all starts) in his first three years in the minors and he is 28-19 with a 3.49 ERA and a 1.29 WHIP. Parker was the key to the Trevor Cahill deal over the winter, so I expect him to get a lot of starts for the A’s in 2012.

Jermaine Mitchell: 27-year old lefty swinging outfielder Jermaine Mitchell comes into this season as the A’s #5 prospect according to Baseball America. Mitchell played in 130 games in AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 178 of 536 (.332 avg, .960 OPS) with 115 runs scored, 15 homers, 78 RBIs and 27 stolen bases. Mitchell has now played in 645 games in his first six years in the minors and he is 689 of 2,413 (.286 avg, .815 OPS) with 420 runs scored, 49 homers, 287 RBIs and 129 stolen bases. Mitchell might get his first crack at the show in 2012 with the A’s at some point in the year.

Michael Taylor: 26-year old righty swinging outfielder Michael Taylor comes into this season as the A’s #6 prospect according to Baseball America. He played in 11 games for the A’s last year and he was 6 for 30 (.200 avg, .614 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 1 homer and 1 RBI. He also played in 93 games in AAA-ball last year in which he was 95 of 349 (.272 avg, .816 OPS) with 51 runs scored, 16 homers, 64 RBIs and 14 stolen bases. Taylor has now played in 534 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 581 of 1,966 (.296 avg, .846 OPS) with 310 runs scored, 67 homers, 347 RBIs and 74 stolen bases. The A’s hope that this is the year that Taylor finally breaks through in the show.

Chris Carter: 25-year old righty swinging 1B/OF Chris Carter comes into this year as the A’s #7 prospect according to Baseball America. Carter played in 15 games for the A’s last year and he was 6 for 44 (.136 avg, .310 OPS) with 2 runs scored. He has now played in 39 games in his first two years with the A’s and he is 19 of 114 (.167 avg, .480 OPS) with 10 runs scored, 3 homers, 7 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Carter also played in 81 games in A+AAA-ball last year in which he was 89 of 320 (.278 avg, .915 OPS) with 58 runs scored, 21 homers, 79 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. He has now played in 754 games in his first seven years in the minors and he is 802 of 2,832 (.283 avg, .919 OPS) with 524 runs scored, 170 homers, 586 RBIs and 32 stolen bases. The A’s hope that this is the season that Carter not only makes it to the show for good, but that he excels.

Collin Cowgill: 25-year old righty swinging outfielder Collin Cowgill comes into this year as the A’s #11 prospect according to Baseball America. Cowgill played in 36 games for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 22 of 92 (.239 avg, .604 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 1 homer, 9 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He also played in 98 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 140 of 395 (.354 avg, .984 OPS) with 95 runs scored, 13 homers, 70 RBIs and 30 stolen bases. Cowgill has now played in 360 games in his first four years in the minors and he is 418 of 1,397 (.299 avg, .873 OPS) with 275 runs scored, 47 homers, 234 RBIs and 72 stolen bases. Cowgill could work his way into P.T. in the A’s outfield in 2012.

Andrew Carignan: 25-year old righty reliever Andrew Carignan comes into this season as the A’s #17 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 6 games (0 starts) for the A’s last year and he was 0-0 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP. He also pitched in 33 games (0 starts) in A+AA+AAA-ball last year and he was 1-0 with 8 saves, a 1.85 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP. Carignan has now pitched in 132 games (0 starts) in his first five years in the minors and he is 9-8 with 40 saves, a 2.94 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP. He should be able to help the A’s out of the bullpen in 2012.

Ryan Cook: 24-year old righty reliever Ryan Cook comes into this season as the A’s #24 prospect according to Baseball America. He pitched in 12 games (0 starts) for the Diamondbacks last year and he was 0-1 with a 7.04 ERA and a 2.48 WHIP. He also pitched in 48 games (0 starts) in AA+AAA-ball last year in which he was 1-5 with 19 saves, a 2.21 ERA and a 1.03 WHIP. Cook has now pitched in 104 games (56 starts) in his first four years in the minors and he is 19-26 with 19 saves, a 3.74 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Cook could help the A’s out of the bullpen in 2012.

Josh Donaldson: 26-year old righty swinging 3B/C Josh Donaldson comes into this season as the A’s #20 prospect according to Baseball America. Donaldson played in 14 games for the A’s last year and he was 5 for 32 (.156 avg, .487 OPS) with 1 run scored, 1 homer and 4 RBIs. He also played in 115 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 116 of 444 (.261 avg, .783 OPS) with 79 runs scored, 17 homers, 70 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He has now played in 488 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 480 of 1,789 (.268 avg, .815 OPS) with 300 runs scored, 68 homers, 325 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. Donaldson is likely to open the 2012 season as the A’s starting 3B, how long he keeps the job will be up to him.

Eric Sogard: 25-year old lefty swinging infielder Eric Sogard comes into this season as the A’s #22 prospect according to Baseball America. Sogard played in 27 games for the A’s last year and he was 14 of 70 (.200 avg, .572 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 2 homers and 4 RBIs. He has now played in 31 games in his first two years with the A’s and he is 17 of 77 (.221 avg, .615 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 2 homers and 4 RBIs. Sogard also played in 79 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 94 of 315 (.298 avg, .791 OPS) with 55 runs scored, 5 homers, 37 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He has now played in 520 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 600 of 2,033 (.295 avg, .793 OPS) with 340 runs scored, 30 homers, 273 RBIs and 59 stolen bases. Sogard will likely be a utility infielder in 2012 for the A’s, but he could get some P.T. at 3B.

21-year old righty swinging outfielder Michael Choice came into this season as the A’s #3 prospect according to Baseball America and he’s showing why in the minors this year. Choice has played in 100 games in A-ball so far this year and he is 115 for 397 (.290 avg, .951 OPS) with 73 runs scored, 28 homers, 71 RBIs and 9 stolen bases. He has now played in 130 games in his first 2 years in the minors and he is 144 for 506 (.285 avg, .954 OPS) with 94 runs scored, 35 homers, 97 RBIs and 15 stolen bases. Choice is going to likely be put on the fast track to Oakland as long as he keeps raking like he is right now.

The A’s have dealt 30-year old righty swinging outfielder Matt Carson to the Rays likely for cash considerations. Carson played in 90 games in AAA-ball for the A’s this year and he was 105 for 368 (.285 avg, .876 OPS) with 61 runs scored, 19 homers, 65 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Carson played in parts of two years with the A’s. He played in 46 games for the A’s and he was 20 for 100 (.200 avg, .580 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 5 homers, 14 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Carson didn’t have a future in Oakland, so they did him a favor by dealing him to Tampa.

33-year old righty reliever Willie Eyre has opted out of his minor league deal with the A’s and he has become a free agent. Eyre pitched in 39 games (2 starts) in AAA-ball for the A’s this year and he is 4-5 with 9 saves, a 3.48 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Eyre has pitched in 92 games (2 starts) in parts of three years in the majors and he is 5-6 with 1 save, a 5.14 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. The A’s aren’t going to miss Eyre as they are loaded in the bullpen.

26-year old lefty swinging outfielder Jermaine Mitchell has been recently promoted to AAA as he’s starting to open some eyes in the A’s organization. Mitchell has played in 79 games in AA+AAA-ball so far this year and he is 116 for 328 (.354 avg, 1.026 OPS) with 71 runs scored, 10 homers, 53 RBIs and 18 stolen bases. He also has an amazing 13 triples so far this year. Mitchell has now played in 594 games in his first six years in the minors and he is 627 for 2,205 (.284 avg, .812 OPS) with 376 runs scored, 44 homers, 262 RBIs and 120 stolen bases. If Mitchell keeps playing and hitting the way he is right now, he could get his way to Oakland by the end of the 2011 season.