Cleveland Sports Forum

civ ollilavad wrote:thursday games:


CLE HiA #25 Aaron Bracho, 2B 2 0 0 0 .154 BB (6),

So concerning is Bracho since this is 2 years in a row after he looked so promising.

Minor League Report: 8 top performing prospects from the Cleveland Guardians minor leagues
by Chad Porto4 days ago Follow @ChadNerdCorp

The Cleveland Guardians have some prospects to keep an eye on

The Cleveland Guardians are a team with options, we’re seeing that now with guys like Oscar Gonzales, Steven Kwan, and others stepping up for the team as they look to battle their way back to the playoffs. The team has called up most of their top AAA prospects but that doesn’t mean we’ve seen all of the team’s best.

While it’s fair to say not many of the names on this are ready for major league action, they’re all names you really should be paying attention to, because they’re having one hell of a start to their seasons.

For clarity, we’re not including any players from the Guardians rookie or foreign rookie teams, as they’re mostly playing against the barest bones competition.

So from Lynchburg to Columbus, which eight prospects should you get to know? Let’s find out.

Eight prospects from all over the Cleveland Guardians minor leagues you should keep an eye on
AAA Columbus
2B Mitchell Tolman (28) – .303/.412/.523, OPS .934 (6 HRs, 28 RBIs)

SP Peyton Battenfield (24) – .282 ERA, 40 Ks, 20 BBs (60.1 IP)

The two names that stand out most from AAA are Mitchell Tolman and Peyton Battenfield. I’d be surprised if Battenfield isn’t called up eventually this season, especially with the injuries to the staff. He’s an intriguing prospect that may get his shot. Tolman is far from a “prospect” but he’s put together enough .300 seasons that the Guardians may rely on him should anyone get injured for a long stretch of action.




AA Akron
OF Will Brennan (24) – .311/.382/.504, OPS.886 (4 HRs, 29 RBIs, 17 Walks)

OF George Valera (21) – .283/.393/.500, OPS .893 (8 HRs, 32 RBIs, 29 Walks)

SP Logan Allen – 3.83 ERA, 73 Ks, 17 BBs (54.0 IP)

AA Akron is where the hitters are at the moment. Both Will Brennan and George Valera are on their way to the Majors within the next two seasons, Brennan maybe even by the end of this season at this rate. Logan Allen, on the other hand, is someone who is likely to be moved to AAA Columbus sooner rather than later. He’s got Ace talent and it’s possible we see it on display come September.

A Lynchburg
SP Rodney Boone (22) – 1.85 ERA 63 Ks, 8 BBs (48.2 IP)

SP Will Dion (22) – 1.22 ERA, 55 Ks, 10 BBs (44.1 IP)

Lynchburg is the only minor league team the Guardians have who aren’t in Ohio (Virginia) but the talent they have are clearly destined for Cleveland sooner rather than later. The amount of wicked arms the A-class teams have is insane.

A Lake County
SP Gavin Williams (22) – 1.40 ERA, 67 Ks, 14 BBs (45. IP)

Speaking of great arms in A-ball, Gavin Williams may be the best young prospect of them all. While his stats are in line with the other A-ball pitchers, Williams has only given up seven earned runs in 45 innings pitched and zero home runs. The Guardians rotation in 2025 is going to be wicked.

NEXT: The Cleveland Guardians have already given up on these 5 players

of those guys

Will Brennan promoted about 10 days ago to Columbus, where he's hitting just as well as for Akron
Gavin Williams promoted to Akron, making his first AA start today
Boone promoted to Lake County, made his debut, very successful one, a day or two ago.

i guess he doens't include Bo Naylor since he is a "known" rather than an unknown prospect.

for example Brennan went 4-4 for the Clippers yesterday and a walk and 2 rbi. Hitting 361 with 872 OPS since his promotion

sharing the OF with Will Benson who singled, walked and stole his 13th base' OPS 826
and full time RF Nolan Jones who wen 2-4 with 2 rbi and in his first week back is hitting 400 with 1059 OPS

meanwhile another cruddy start for Tobias Myers 7 runs 8 hits 2 walks in 2 2/3 innings. Next time they need to clear a spot on the 40 man roster, he's prime candidate. ERA no2 5.72

and my candidate for the bullpen, Nick Mikoajchak with a perfect inning; ERA 0.93

nothing for the prospects in Akron yesterday; Naylor 0-5 Rocchio 0-4 Valera 0-3 with a walk
OPS: Naylor 879; Valera 858; Rocchio 619

Tanner Burns 2 2/3 2 hits 2 runs 3 strikeouts

Gem by struggling Doug Nikhazy for Lake County:
6 2/3 innings 1 hit 1 walk 10 K no runs; ERA 3.35; walks have been the biggest problem

Noel single and walk
Martinez ditto
Planez returned recently, grand slam, his 3rd homer;
Gabriel Rodriguez started well, but not lately 0-4 now 252

Jake Leftwich another top arm in Lynchburg 6 innings 1 hit no walks 8 K; scoreless
Tolentino single and walk; Jake Fox 2 walks as usual

civ ollilavad wrote:for example Brennan went 4-4 for the Clippers yesterday and a walk and 2 rbi. Hitting 361 with 872 OPS since his promotion

Perhaps Brennan will indeed be up sooner than later.

Boone debuted for Lake County on Friday: 5 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 2 walks, 8 singles

his former teammate Will Dion hot so hot on Friday, 5 1/3 7 3 3 2 4

Friday both Naylor and Valera had very good nights

Bo singled doubled and homered and walked
George singled and doubled and drove in 4

And Xzavion curry fans 12 in 7 innings, 5 hits, 2 runs, no homers this time

He's only hitting 216 but Jhonkensy Noel now leads the Midwest League with his 15th homer. Struck out 30% of his at bats. He's young for the league so it's hard to tell if he'll develop into anything beyond a Bobby Bradley or a Russell Branyan

George Valera on the other hand sure looks the real deal; he hit his 12th double, 8th homer and drew his 32nd walk. He's hitting 280/387/497 at age 21 in AA. Expect him to reach Columbus some time this summer and since he's already on the 40 man roster there's every reason he'll get a look see in the majors too, if nothing else as a 27th man for one of the numerous doubleheaders ahead of us.

in June: 333/422/590

Gavin Williams debuted in AA with 5 2/3 innings of one run [a homer] one hit pitching, maybe I posted that yesterday.

When I see a Baseball America story with a headline like this:

14 Lower-Profile Draft Picks Who Have Raised Their Stock Significantly In Only A Year

I can be almost sure Cleveland name[s] will make the list.

And among a few choices who were possible, the clear pick was:

Tanner Bibee, RHP, Guardians
Cal State Fullerton (fifth round)

The Guardians have a habit of identifying talented college pitchers with characteristics they can build upon. Bibee was eligible for the five-round 2020 draft but went unselected. Bibee returned to Cal State Fullerton, where he had a solid but unspectacular season. But the pitcher who emerged this season at High-A Lake County was different from the 2021 version. Bibee showed increased velocity on his fastball by sitting mid 90s and touching 99 mph. His trio of secondaries, led by a sweepy slider and changeup have been effective bat-missers while landing in the zone at a high rate. Bibee’s combination of stuff and pitchability have allowed him to emerge as one of the breakout players from the 2021 college class.

Successful Rodney Boone, Will Dion and Jack Leftwich are candidates for that consideration, too, but not with stuff as good as Bibee's