Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Prospect Report: 2/27/26
Watson gets more opportunities with DeLauter out
Justin Lada
Feb 28
Chicago Cubs 8, Cleveland Guardians 6
Starter
Kahlil Watson (LF): 1-2, 2B - Watson could be benefiting some with Chase DeLauter missing a few games for “lower body soreness - hamstring.” He started this one and smoked a 111 MPH double off 2025 MLB rookie reliever Ryan Rolison. Now, Rolison certainly wasn’t good in 2025 in Colorado, but it’s a good chance for Watson to get some more reps and take advantage.
Pitchers
Parker Messick: 2.2IP, 4H, 2ER, 2K, HR - Messick sat his usual 92-94 and threw his sinker more in this game than he did last year, more than his changeup even. His sinker did not garner good results in 2025 in his MLB debut, so perhaps he is trying to fine tune it a little, which would make sense. Not sure we’ll see the same usage pattern, but it is interesting.
Jack Leftwich: 0.1IP, K - Came on to finish Messick’s last inning and got two whiffs out of three pitches with his curve and slider, sitting 94 with the fastball.
Jake Miller: 0.1IP, 3ER, 3BB - Rough outing for Miller, throwing just five strikes in 25 pitches. He threw his entire arsenal but nothing for strikes. Miller’s Double-A success in 2025 seemed to rely heavily on his sinker/cutter/change but no cutters here, and his curveball was his second most used pitch. Hard to read into it too much, but he didn’t succeed in Triple-A last year with the MLB ball either.
Jay Driver: 0.2IP, 2H, ER, BB, 2K - Driver’s sidearm slider was pretty effective in getting him two strikeouts, landing three for called strikes and five whiffs. But when he threw any kind of fastball, it was hit hard. He allowed two balls in play, both were hit hard and that led to the loss.
Notable Reserves
Joe Lampe (RF): 1-1, BB - Laced a 108 MPH single off journeyman reliever Gavin Hollowell and worked a walk. Also did a nice job not chasing low against Porter Hodge, who I think is a very nasty reliever.
Jonah Advincula (LF): 2-2, 2B, 3 RBI - A 101 MPH single off Hodge and a 103 MPH double off Hollowell. That’s definitely around the top end of exit velocity for Advincula, who doesn’t have a ton of power. But both hits were off MLB arms. Advincula, normally a very sound defender, did commit a throwing error.
Dayan Frias (PR-2B): 0-1, BB, RBI - This was Frias’ last game in camp as all WBC players are headed out to practice with their teams before games start this coming week.
Other Reserves
Cooper Ingle (C): 0-1 - Took over for Bo Naylor, who is also in his last game for now as heads off for Team Canada. Ingle will get a lot more games in the lineup now while Naylor is off in the WBC.
Jacob Cozart (DH): 0-1, K - Cozart should also see quite a bit of action as well behind Hedges.
Dean Curley (3B): 0-1
Milan Tolentino (SS): 0-2
Maick Collado (1B): 1-2
Jaison Chourio (CF): 0-2, 2K
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