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Not an expert just someone that gets paid to cover the minor leagues for a very large pay site.

Johnathan Rodriguez is our No. 8 Guardians prospect. Who should be No. 9?

Rodriguez had a breakout 2023 campaign and was added to the 40-man roster. Could he be the solution in the outfield?

By Brian Hemminger@BrianHemminger Feb 2, 2024, 10:00am EST 7 Comments / 7 New
Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

Powerful prospect Johnathan Rodriguez is our No. 8 prospect, earning 31% of the vote on Thursday and squeaking past some tough competition by just over 20 votes.

Rodriguez was the youngest player selected in the 2017 MLB Draft, selected in the third round out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico.

At the time, he was known for having a cannon arm and a beanpole frame with a ton of projection for added power after he filled out.

Cleveland took its time with Rodriguez, repeating him in then-Arizona Rookie League in 2017 and 2018 despite him posting above average wRC+ both seasons. He only played in short-season Mahoning Valley in 2019, again posting a 123 wRC+, but he didn’t make his full-season debut until 2021 when he slashed .314/.363/.450 at Single-A.

His power finally arrived in 2022 as he started the season at High-A Lake County, bashing 21 home runs in 79 games, good for a 148 wRC+ and earning a promotion to Double-A, where he clubbed five more.

He began 2023 at Double-A and dominated, clubbing 18 more home runs with a 137 wRC+, then continued to rake after being promoted to Triple-A with 11 more bombs in 47 games while walking at a 12.4% rate, the highest he’d posted since 2017 in the rookie league.

Rodriguez has some swing and miss to his game with a 32.7% strikeout rate in Columbus, but he also sported a respectable batting average at Triple-A last season, slashing 280/.376/.560 for the Clippers. After being left to the wolves for the Rule 5 Draft for two consecutive years, Rodriguez forced Cleveland’s hands and they added him to the 40-man roster in the offseason.

Here’s him bashing a homer in Spring Training and having it called by Matt Underwood. We might be hearing Underwood call a few of Rodriguez’s bombs in the regular season in 2024.

Jaison Chourio, OF (Age 18)

2023 (CPX): 189 PA, .349/.476/.463, 1 HR, 19 SB, 20.1 BB%, 19.6 K%, 147 wRC+
2023 (A): 42 PA, .200/.310/.229, 0 HR, 1 SB, 14.3 BB%, 35.7 K%, 65 wRC+

Younger brother of top 3 overall prospect Jaxon, has showcased elite eye, speed and contact as he advanced to full season in his age-18 season.

Alex Clemmey, LHP (Age 18)

2023: Second round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft.

Standing 6-foot-6 with a 99 mph fastball and a filthy curveball, Clemmey had one of the most electric arms of all high school prep prospects for 2023, but lacks command.

Will Dion, LHP (Age 23)

2023: (A+) 4 GS, 33.2 IP, 1.87 ERA, 2.44 FIP, 30.8 K%, 7.5 BB%
2023: (AA) 15 GS, 83.0 IP, 2.60 ERA, 3.03 FIP, 26.7.8 K%, 7.6 BB%

Nicknamed “Baby Kershaw” for his similar pitching style to Clayton. Dion the most impressive season of any full-season pitcher in Cleveland’s MiLB in 2023.

Welbyn Francisca, SS (Age 17)

2023 (DSL): 179 PA, .316/.419/.500, 3 HR, 11 SB, 13.4 BB%, 19.6 K%, 144 wRC+

The top-rated international signing by Cleveland in 2022, Francisca impressed in his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League.

Angel Martinez, SS (Age 22)

2023 (AA): 437 PA, .245/.321/.392, 11 HR, 10 SB, 8.5 BB%, 19.0 K%, 96 wRC+
2023 (AAA): 154 PA, .268/.320/.401, 3 HR, 1 SB, 6.5 BB% 23.4 K%, 78 wRC+

A top international signing in 2018, Martinez has been one of the team’s best international prospects as a middle infielder, although he had a down year in 2023.

Jose Tena, SS (Age 22)

2023 (AA): 362 PA, .260/.353/.3750, 4 HR, 16 SB, 11.3 BB%, 28.7 K%, 103 wRC+
2023 (AAA): 66 PA, .350/.394/.667, 4 HR, 0 SB, 6.1 BB%, 25.8 K%, 157 wRC+
2023 (MLB): 34 PA, .226/.294/.290, 0 HR, 0 SB, 8.8 BB%, 38.2 K%, 66 wRC+

In a crowded middle infield, Tena was slightly above average in Double-A, then had a great Triple-A performance in a small sample size before making his MLB debut in 2023.

Ralphy Velasquez, C (Age 18)

2023 (CPX): 28 PA, .348/.393/.739, 2 HR, 1 SB, 10.7 BB%, 17.9 K%, 151 wRC+

Cleveland’s No. 1 draft pick in 2023. Velasquez has strong hit and power tools and showcased them in a limited sample size at the complex league.
Poll
Who should be the No. 9 Cleveland Guardians prospect?

Jaison Chourio
Alex Clemmey
Will Dion
Welbyn Francisca
Angel Martinez
Jose Tena
Ralphy Velasquez

view results

No 8 is way too high for JRod. I've been enjoying following him for nearly a decade slowly ascending the minors until he suddenly became a slugger in the middle of 2023. I would be thrilled if he turns out to be the power hitting RF we need.
But prospect No. 8 should be a multi talented youngster like Chourio or Francisca or Velasquez I'd think

Baseball America rates Guardians farm system Number 19

19. Cleveland Guardians

Top 100 Prospects (2): OF Chase DeLauter (29), SS Brayan Rocchio (80)
The Guardians’ ability to develop and produce starting pitchers remains impressive, as RHPs Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams and LHP Logan Allen demonstrated in 2023. But Cleveland’s postseason hopes will be helped if OF Chase DeLauter or 1B Kyle Manzardo can bring needed power to Cleveland.

BA is not as big a Manzardo fan as some evaluators. I wouldn't think the current system would rank much higher since the top prospects have largely graduated and now they're starting a new core of very young guys; if Francisa Chiourio and Velasquez continue to develop as they did in their first years; and if new pitchers like Clemmey and Walters progress they should move toward the Top 10 teams; with a much higher ceiling in case Daniel Espino gets back to where he was a year or two ago, ie. among the Top 10 of all prospects. We also haven't seen 2022 number 2 pick Justin Campbell yet so there are some chances for a big move up the rankings.

Previous ranks
2023: 4: from which 3 starting pitchers graduated
2022: 12
2021: 11
2020: 19
2019: 15

I suppose I've oosted BA's full top 30, maybe not; anyway thet are now presening lists of "just missed" for each team. Cleveland gets:

Cleveland Guardians
Tim Herrin, LHP
BA Grade: 40/Medium

Track Record: Herrin rose through the minor leagues after being drafted in the 29th round in 2018. He made the Guardians’ Opening Day roster in 2023 for his major league debut and then split the season between Cleveland and Triple-A Columbus.
Scouting Report: Herrin has a big, powerful build and attacks hitters with a solid fastball-slider combination. In 2023, his fastball averaged 96.6 mph and he threw a lot of strikes with the pitch. His slider flashes above-average and can be a swing-and-miss pitch at its best but isn’t as consistent. He also can mix in a curveball, but it’s a clear third offering. Herrin pitches with average control.
The Future: Herrin was much tougher on lefthanded hitters than righthanded hitters in the big leagues thanks to his fastball, which suggests he’s perhaps best suited as a lefty specialist. If he can refine his approach in his second big league season, there’s still some room for growth, even for a player who will be 27 on Opening Day.

Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 50 | Control: 50

In case I didn't post it before here's the BA list. There are paragraph writeups on each of these guys I can insert too.

1. Chase DeLauter
OF

2. Brayan Rocchio
SS

3. Daniel Espino
RHP

4. Kyle Manzardo
1B

5. Juan Brito
2B

6. Angel Martinez
2B

7. George Valera
OF

8. Jaison Chourio
OF

9. Ralphy Velazquez
C

10. Alexander Clemmey
LHP

11. Joey Cantillo
LHP

12. Welbyn Francisca
SS

13. Deyvison De Los Santos
3B

14. Petey Halpin
OF

15. Angel Genao
SS

16. Jackson Humphries
LHP

17. Rafael Ramirez
SS

18. Andrew Walters
RHP

19. Dayan Frias
3B

20. Jose Devers
SS

21. Robert Arias
OF

22. Kahlil Watson
SS

23. Jose Tena
SS

24. Jake Fox
OF

25. Johnathan Rodriguez
OF

26. Cade Smith
RHP

27. Parker Messick
LHP

28. Justin Campbell
RHP

29. Jhonkensy Noel
OF

30. Gabriel Rodriguez SS

For those who pay a lot of attention to these names, this is a New Gabriel Rodriguez. Now we have 2 of them in our farm system, both IF's. Now that we are down to one Logan Allen, here's some new guys to mix up.

OF Robert Arias was the big $ International signing last month; SS Rafael Ramirez is the BA breakout candidate; LHP Jackson Humphries is a high school lefty from 2022 draft who debuted erratically last summer in Arizona. IF Angel Genoa was the top international guy from 2021
They go on the Teenage Prospects of the Future list along with OF Chiouro, SS Francisca and C/1B Velasquez.
You never know, perhaps one of them will develop as effectively as Junior Caminero.

Picking out some interesting guys from the list:

Rated: NO. 20
Jose Daniel Devers
Born
05/17/2003 in Samana, Dominican Republic
Profile
Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 140 / Bats: R / Throws: R

BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Devers, the younger brother of Marlins prospect Jose Devers and the cousin of Red Sox all-star Rafael Devers, signed with the Guardians in 2019 out of the Dominican Republic but the pandemic delayed his professional debut until 2021 in the Arizona Complex League. He moved up to Low-A Lynchburg in 2023, had a breakout season and earned postseason all-star honors in the Carolina League.

Scouting Report: Devers has the kind of disciplined, hit-over-power approach that so many of Cleveland’s hitters employ. He does a nice job of controlling the strike zone and uses his plus speed well on the bases. He came on strong in the second half of the season and did a better job driving the ball as he got more used to facing older competition. Devers is a standout defender at shortstop with all the tools to man the position. His speed and instincts give him above-average range and his plus arm and athleticism play well.

The Future: The Guardians left him off the 40-man roster and unprotected in the Rule 5 draft, where he went unpicked, though that shouldn’t be taken as any slight to a 20-year-old who has yet to play above the Carolina League. Devers has exciting upside and will look to build on his breakout campaign when he advances to High-A Lake County in 2024.

Scouting Grades Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60

No. 15 ANGEL GENAO
BA Grade: 45/High

Track Record: Genao was Cleveland’s top signing in the 2021 international market. He made his professional debut the following year in the Dominican Summer League and his U.S. debut in 2022. He suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee during spring training which delayed his start to the 2023 season until late May. He recovered to turn in a solid season at Low-A Lynchburg as a 19-year-old.

Scouting Report: Genao is a switch-hitter with an advanced, disciplined approach at the plate. He controls the strike zone well thanks to a feel for the barrel and swing decisions that belie his age. His profile has always been hit-over-power and his 6-foot, 165-pound frame doesn’t suggest much power. He has more power in his righthanded swing but he’ll need to more consistently elevate the ball if he’s to make the most of it, though he did rank in the top 10 in the Carolina League with 20 doubles. Genao evenly split his time between shortstop and third base. His infield actions, hands, arm strength and baseball IQ play well at shortstop, but he’s only an average runner now and his range may end up being better suited for third base.

The Future: Genao so far has lived up to his pre-signing billing and has put himself on an accelerated track. He’s quickly joined the Guardians’ burgeoning group of young infielders and has significant promise, though he’s still a long way from realizing it. He’ll still be 19 on Opening Day in 2024 as he moves up to High-A Lake County.

Scouting Grades Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60

Rockies To Sign Bradley Zimmer To Minor League Deal
By Darragh McDonald | February 6, 2024 at 5:27pm CDT

Outfielder Bradley Zimmer and the Rockies are in agreement on a minor league deal, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. The ISE Baseball client will also receive an invite to major league Spring Training.

Zimmer, now 31, was once a first-round draft pick and top 100 prospect, with evaluators noting his potential to be a true five-tool talent. He has gone on to provide excellent speed and defense but he developed a strikeout problem as he climbed the minor league ladder that has prevented him from being a valuable contributor at the plate.

To this point in his career, he has 975 plate appearances at the major league level and has been punched out in 33.9% of them. That’s well beyond the league average, which was 22.7% in 2023. Zimmer’s 7.8% walk rate is also subpar, though only slightly. His combined batting line of .213/.298/.333 translates to a wRC+ of 74, or 26% below league average.

But the other parts of his game have generally lived up to the hype. He has 42 steals in 50 tries, with his sprint speed usually ranking near the top of league leaderboards. On defense, he has played all three outfield spots and racked up 14 Outs Above Average, 15 Defensive Runs Saved and a grade of 7.8 from Ultimate Zone Rating.

Those are some nice qualities, but the hitting problems have prevented him from carving out a meaningful role in the bigs. He was drafted by Cleveland and spent the first few years of his career with them, until he had exhausted his option years after 2021. He led to him bouncing around in 2022, getting traded to the Blue Jays, before being claimed off waivers by the Phillies and then going back to the Jays on another waiver claim.

He was non-tendered by the Jays and signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers for 2023. He was released in mid-May and signed another minors pact, this one with the Red Sox. Between those two organizations, he put up a batting line of .210/.326/.346 at the Triple-A level last year while striking out in 37.3% of his trips to the plate.

Despite his warts, Zimmer is a solid fit for the Rockies. It has been reported this offseason that they are looking for a left-handed hitting outfielder who can play all three outfield slots, which would apply to Zimmer. With Charlie Blackmon likely to be in the designated hitter slot most of the time, the club’s remaining outfield mix leans right-handed. Nolan Jones is left-handed but Kris Bryant, Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle and Sean Bouchard are all righties. Michael Toglia is a switch-hitter but hasn’t clicked in the big leagues yet and still has options.

Bryant is likely ticketed for regular work at first base this year, leaving two spots available next to Jones for that group. Doyle is fairly similar to Zimmer, in that he’s an elite defender and runner but has big strikeout issues. He received 431 plate appearances in the big leagues last year but was punched out in 35% of them while slashing just .203/.250/.343. He stole 22 bases and received excellent grades for his glovework but the offense is clearly a work in progress, and his Double-A and Triple-A strikeout rates are also above 30%.

As for the others, Goodman hit just .200/.247/.386 in his first 77 MLB plate appearances. He has hit well in the minors but is considered a poor defender who may end up at first base in the long term. Bouchard has some decent offensive numbers but missed most of last season due to injury, is considered a poor defender and is now about to turn 28 years old.

With neither of Goodman or Bouchard considered assets in the field, it would make sense to have Zimmer on hand as a late-game defensive replacement or pinch runner. His left-handed bat also could create some platoon opportunities, but he’s still not great at the plate even with the platoon advantage. He’s hit righties for a .216/.305/.350 line and 80 wRC+ in his career, compared to .204/.276/.285 and a wRC+ of 56 against southpaws.

Zimmer is only 31?

Seems like he's been around forever.

That's one of those Hope Springs Eternal spring time stories. Sure ''the other parts of his game have generally lived up to the hype. " but it is well established that he can't hit major league pitching.

And I dread the possibility that we'll be saying the same thing about DeLauter in half a dozen years, see the faint praise given him yesterday in Articles. But it's Spring, so I expect DeL to be a star.