Cleveland Sports Forum

MLB is further reducting the minor leagues; now cutting maximum number of players under contract from 175-to-165
And moving the Arizona summer league to pre-draft days, so newly signed draft picks will be restricted to team's Arizona and Florida camps. Here's a full writeup
from BA

No one can fully predict what will happen with the reduced 165-player minor league roster limits, but baseball officials weighed in with predictions for 2024, some of which we heard over and over.

Surprise Pitchers Emerge
Almost everyone we asked said they believe that some pitchers will benefit from the reduction in the total number of arms each team can carry. A later-round pick or less-touted international signee who would have been slotted into a low-leverage relief role in the past will get to either start or jump into a tandem-starter role under the new roster restrictions, because teams will need them to handle more innings.

Given a chance to start and work more consistently, some of those pitchers will prove they are worthy of a larger role. Some may develop a pitch that they wouldn’t have gotten a chance to work on in a smaller role. Others will stand out because of their ability to shoulder a heavier workload without seeing their stuff diminish.

The change should give some pitchers a chance to shine.

“We’ll probably get surprised by a few guys during the year. That is one of the positives of this,” one pitching coach said.

More Tandem Starters
Using piggyback starters in Class A has become more popular in recent years. The idea is to have two pitchers working four to five innings an outing each and usually alternating who starts and who enters in the middle innings. Using tandem starters keeps any young pitcher from logging too many pitches in a start, but it allows a team to keep more pitchers on a starter’s development track.

This year, it will also be a potentially useful way to cover innings.

Partner Leaguers In Demand
Pretty much everyone expects the partner leagues will become a robust source of stretched-out and available arms if a team gets crushed by injuries. Less charitably, some also admit that these are the pitchers who will most likely be asked to carry heavier workloads to fill necessary innings to ensure the team’s best prospects aren’t overworked.

Versatile Position Players
Multiple teams said they expect to carry an extra pitcher (or two) on minor league rosters, especially early in the season. That will in many cases mean that teams will carry one or even two fewer position players. The player who can play anywhere on the field will have more value as a farm director’s friend by filling holes whenever and wherever they arise.

Fewer Players Get Cut In Spring Training
A quirk of the new rules is that players cannot be moved to the 60-day injured list until mid March. If a team has 10 or more players slated to move to the 60-day IL, then the drop from an offseason limit of 175 players to an in-season one of 165 players could largely be handled by those IL moves. Where in the past teams came to camp with 15-20 extra players who had to be cut before Opening Day, nowadays there’s no need to make significant spring training cuts. And with teams worried about covering innings and at-bats in case of injuries in April—before partner leagues start up in May to provide another source of reinforcements—players who may have been cut in the past will be kept around as roster insurance.

Putting The Ball In Play
We’ll have to see if this prediction comes true, but some coaches suggested the new roster limits could play a role in helping reduce the trend toward pitchers throwing fewer and fewer innings while emphasizing strikeouts.

“The sinker is going to make a comeback because you have to get quick and easy outs,” one pitching coach said. “It’s been all four-seam fastballs, power curveballs and sliders and no constraints. So many pitches and games were played a particular way. Now you may need to sneak outs quickly. We’ll see the comeback of the changeup and sinker. We’re all going to see the rollover ground ball on the second pitch of an at-bat as a positive.”

Bye Bye To The Org Catcher
In the past, many teams have carried an extra catcher or two on the roster who served in a role much like a hockey team’s emergency goalie. The catcher might travel with the Triple-A team or stay back in the complex. Unless there was an injury or spot created by a promotion, they wouldn’t be on the active roster. But they were around to catch bullpens—or catch rehabbing pitchers at the complex—and handle some of the grunt work to keep the regular catchers from wearing out.

There’s still a need for catchers to handle these jobs, but with spots on the 165-player roster at a premium, those jobs may turn into seasonal staff positions where a recent college catcher is hired to handle the role, without ever being signed as a minor league player.

The Developmental List Withers
In recent years, many organizations have made liberal use of the developmental list. Teams are allowed to take a player off the active roster to work on adding a new pitch, tweaking a swing or becoming proficient at a new position. Because they aren’t on the active roster, they can work on becoming comfortable with the new skill before they are thrown back into actual games.

Notable recent examples include the Rangers sending righthander Jack Leiter to the developmental list three times in 2023 as he worked on his delivery, and the Astros using a month on the developmental list to help outfielder Corey Julks tap into his power more consistently.

The developmental list still exists, but those players still count toward the 165-player limit. So if a team is tight up against the roster, there will be less ability to take a healthy player off a team for a few weeks during the season to try to make significant development changes.

“We will lose some developmental opportunities,” a farm director said. “It definitely will make projects like that tougher. We’ll have to work around it and do what’s best for the players.”

Cut-Down Days Move To July
If spring training is less likely to see the mass releases of the past, the situation will be reversed in July. Teams who are up against the 165-player limit will have to clear 15 to 20 roster spots or more to have the room to sign their draftees. In most cases, that will mean fringe roster players get a couple of months to make their case for sticking around post-draft. But there are coaches and front office officials who worry that they will need to release productive org players at midseason to make the numbers work.

More Position Players Pitch
If a team gets hammered with rainouts, injuries or extra-inning games, there won’t be as many readily available pitchers to bring in as reinforcements. That means that teams may be even more willing to turn to a position player to pitch if a game begins to get out of hand.

It’s been a staple in the minor leagues long before position players pitching became commonplace in the majors, and it may become even more so in 2024.

The Long-Shot Who Will Never Get Their Shot
There is some truth to MLB’s often repeated point that there are players in every organization who have little to no chance to reach the majors. A reduction of 450 minor league roster spots does not mean that 450 potential big leaguers are being cast aside.

As one GM put it, there are always players in your organization that you know you could let go if needed. Those are going to be the vast majority of players caught up in these cut downs.

But there are undoubtedly going to be a few players who could have clawed their way to the majors in an alternate universe who will never get the chance now that rosters are being reduced, much in the same way as there were potential big leaguers who hung up their cleats when a 40-round draft was turned into a 20-round draft in 2021.

Some players who don’t get drafted decide to stick it out and play in the partner leagues, formerly known as independent leagues. The same will be true of players who get released to get to these roster reductions.

But some will decide that this being released is their off-ramp from baseball. And past history shows that there will be some potential future big leaguers who will now walk away to never fulfill that dream.

BA lists the top rookies with Manzardo at number 19

19. Kyle Manzardo

1B, Guardians | Age: 23

No team is as starved for home runs as Cleveland, which ranked last in MLB with 124 last year and next-to-last in 2022. One obvious place to improve is first base, which makes Manzardo one of the Guardians’ X-factors. He may be up to the task after hitting 17 homers at Triple-A and showing well in the Arizona Fall League.

Key number: 6
The number of home runs Manzardo hit in 22 Arizona Fall League games to rank second in the league.

Prospects in action Wednesday:

Brito, Juan Cleveland Guardians MLB 2 0 0 0 0 1 nothing exciting yet
De Los Santos, Deyvison Cleveland Guardians MLB 2 0 0 0 0 0 that's for sure
Halpin, Petey Cleveland Guardians MLB 2 0 0 0 0 1
Manzardo, Kyle Cleveland Guardians MLB 0 1 0 0 1 0 on base machine
Martinez, Angel Cleveland Guardians MLB 2 1 2 0 1 0 great start to his spring
Rodriguez, Johnathan Cleveland Guardians MLB 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 SB
Tena, Jose Cleveland Guardians MLB 1 0 0 1 1 0

Cantillo, Joey
Cleveland Guardians
2 1 1 1 0 1 1 OK

they're creating a spring breakout series with each time fielding a roster of their top prospects, except guys who are busy in major league camp or on the DL or too inexperienced. CLE opens vs CIN. A brief summary:

What To Watch For: In the 2023 Arizona Fall League, Chase DeLauter and Kyle Manzardo were the deans of the desert. Now, the duo is at the head of Cleveland’s talented Spring Breakout group. The pair should provide plenty of power in the middle of the lineup, and each could push for a spot in the big leagues by year’s end. Its lefties ahoy on the hill, where the Guardians can send out Alexander Clemmey, Jackson Humphries and Will Dion (whose delivery is basically a Clayton Kershaw carbon copy).

C

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Chase DeLauter has already been enjoying a spring breakout. And now, he’s headed to the capitalized version.

DeLauter, the No. 1 prospect in the Guardians’ system and the No. 31 prospect in the game, per MLB Pipeline, was one of 23 players named to the organization’s MLB Spring Breakout roster Thursday.

That will give the highly touted 22-year-old outfielder yet another chance to shine during a camp in which his performance in limited time in the Cactus League has been a spring highlight.

The Guardians took DeLauter out of James Madison University with the 16th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, but left foot surgery delayed his professional debut until the middle of last season. Finally, he debuted in pro ball last June and wound up slashing an impressive .355/.417/.528 across three levels in 2023, finishing the year with Double-A Akron.

Complete Spring Breakout coverage | FAQ | Buy tickets
This spring, the Guardians have employed not just their 40-man roster and non-roster invitees in big league games, but also a pool of players in what’s called “depth camp.” DeLauter is one such player, and he entered the week having gone 4-for-8 with a homer, a double and a walk -- sparking even more excitement about his potential to impact a Cleveland club in need of outfield power in 2024.

“For me, I’m not a numbers guy,” DeLauter said earlier this spring. “Like, I’m not trying to hit a certain amount of homers. ... It’s just be healthy, let my game do its game and we’ll see what happens.”

And we’ll see what happens when DeLauter suits up among some other promising Guards prospects in a first-of-its-kind spring showcase of the game’s future.

How to tune in: MLB Digital (MLB.TV, MLB.com, MLB App), Guardians Radio, Gameday

What is Spring Breakout? MLB Spring Breakout is a four-day event showcasing baseball’s future: the current stars of Minor League Baseball. The inaugural edition will be held from March 14-17 at Grapefruit and Cactus league stadiums during Spring Training. A series of 16 exhibition games will be played between teams comprised of each MLB organization’s top prospects, creating a new touchpoint on the baseball calendar that celebrates our sport’s budding talent.

Here's the Guardians' Spring Breakout roster with MLB Pipeline's rankings:

PITCHERS
Alex Clemmey, LHP, No. 9
Jackson Humphries, LHP, No. 14
Parker Messick, LHP, No. 23
Andrew Walters, RHP, No. 27
Will Dion, LHP, No. 28
Justin Campbell, RHP, NR
Doug Nikhazy, LHP, NR
Ryan Webb, LHP, NR

CATCHERS
Kody Huff, C, NR
Cooper Ingle, C, NR
Bryan Lavastida, C, NR

INFIELDERS
Kyle Manzardo, 1B, No. 2 (MLB No. 59)
Angel Genao, SS/3B, No. 12
Kahlil Watson, SS/2B, No. 16
Jose Devers, SS/3B, No. 21
Alex Mooney, SS, No. 22
Rafael Ramirez, SS, No. 25
CJ Kayfus, 1B/LF, NR

OUTFIELDERS
Chase DeLauter, OF, No. 1 (MLB No. 31)
Jaison Chourio, OF, No. 6
Petey Halpin, OF, No. 17
Jake Fox, OF/2B, No. 20
Joe Lampe, OF, NR

"Next Year In Cleveland" just wrapped up their numbers 50 through 26 prospect list.
I'll start posting their numbers 25 through 1.

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50 Aaron Bracho
49 Tommy Mace
48 Doug Nikhazy
47 Bryan Lavastida
46 Jose Devers
45 Juan Benjamin
44 Jose Pirela
43 Jackson Humphries
42 Jacob Bibin
41 Ethan Hankins
40 Tommy Hawke
39 Nate Furman
38 Trenton Denholm
37 Jake Fox
36 Davis Sharpe
35 Christian Knapczyk
34 Cade Smith
33 Jose Tena
32 Ross Carver
31 Angel Genoa
30 Cooper Ingle
29 Petey Halpin
28 Wuilfredo Antunez
27 Raphael Ramirez
26 CJ Kayfus


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2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #25 1B Jhonkensy Noel

Noel has high upside as a power threat, but is out of position and in his last option year

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 8





Jhonkensy Noel Bio

Age (2024 season): 22
Acquired: 2017 International Free Agent
2023 Level: Triple-A
Height: 6’3
Weight: 250
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Jhonkensy Noel Stats

PA: 585
AVG/OBP/SLG: .220/.303/.420
2B: 23
HR: 27
SB: 1/4
K%/BB%: 24.8%/8.4%

Jhonkensy Noel 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 30
Power: 55
Speed: 30
Defense: 45
Arm: 50
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2024

Build & Background

Big bodied with a big, fun personality to match, Noel certainly stands out on a baseball field. He’s thick in the lower half, has strong forearms and a very built upper half as well. It’s a corner player build with his physique fully filled out to the point where he’ll need to maintain it to stay on the field and not become a DH only. Moderately athletic at first base. Uses a low base with low hands to hit from. Moderate weight transfer. Front leg is crouched and gets into his back legs and base well. Noel was signed by the Guardians in 2017 out of his native San Pedro de Macoris, DR for just $100,000.

What Noel Does Well

The carrying tool for Noel is his power. Nobody in the Guardians system can match Noel’s raw power. When he makes good contact, he can send a baseball 500 feet. So a power hitter, Noel actually doesn’t swing and miss that much. Shows moderate control of the strike zone and a solid eye at the plate. Can lay off junk. He punishes fastballs. Noel is surprisingly a decent athlete at first base, showing good flexibility.

https://twitter.com/CLBClippers/status/ ... dium=email



Where Noel Needs to Improve

Even a 40 or 45 hit tool would allow Noel to tap into his power more in-game. It’s not a contact issue for Noel as much as it is about selectivity. For a hitter with great raw power, his overall barrel control lags, making an infrequent quality contact, sometimes too soft for someone with his strength. Tends to get out in front on breaking stuff and struggles with offspeed pitches in general. Is a decent first baseman, but does not have the range to play a quality third base or outfield long term. Lack of range and speed limits him to first base.

Key Stats

Despite playing in a hitter friendly home ballpark, Noel hit 13 homers and had a .423 slugging percentage. You would be hoping for more power output for a player like Noel playing in a hitter friendly environment.

Intangibles

Noel is well liked by teammates for his fun and infectious personality. Though he may not be likely to fare well as a defender in the outfield (or third base for that matter), Noel has never shied away from the position changes or the work needed to attempt those changes.

Future

2024 is a big year for Noel. He’s on his last option year, so for his and the organization’s sake, Noel needs to get a look this year in the majors if they feel like he could be an answer. It will almost certainly come in the outfield, even though he’s best suited for first base. There’s immense upside as a 40 home run hitter with below average defense in an outfield corner, but more likely Noel looks like a low-OBP slugger unless he’s able to be more selective to what pitches he can do damage with and pick up on pitch recognition more.

Role

40 - Low-OBP, power hitting corner bat with high upside but a limited value floor

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If 50 is the major league average, Noel overall 40 looks pretty sad. I guess a team desperate for power is willing to overlook other problems.

On the 26-50 list, one guy I think may be seriously underrated is Jackson Humphries at 43. LHP with a good fastball. DIdn't I pick him as my breakout pitcher this year?

Jacob Zibin no. 42 was a really good looking high school kid with a questionable attitude. He was hurt and didn't pitch last year. He is a potential high ceiling, very "extreme" chance of reaching that level.

Prospect Scouting Report: #24 INF Alex Mooney

What's the ceiling for the $1M man from the 2023 draft?

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 11





Alex Mooney Bio

Age (2024 season): 21
Acquired: 2023 Draft (Round 7)
2023 Level: College/Low-A
Height: 6’1
Weight: 196
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Alex Mooney Stats

PA: 311
AVG/OBP/SLG: .315/.434/.504
2B: 20
HR: 8
SB: 21/26
K%/BB%: 11.6%/14%

Alex Mooney 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 45
Power: 40
Speed: 55
Defense: 50
Arm: 55
Overall: 40
Risk: Moderate
ETA: 2026

Build & Background

A solidly built, athletic ballplayer. Good frame, mostly maxed out physical frame. Broader shoulders. Loose actions as a fielder and hitter. Mooney was an impressive high school athlete that had a strong commitment to Duke rather than be tempted by being drafted in 2021. He was a draft eligible sophomore in 2023 where the Guardians grabbed him in the seventh round and committed $1 million to sign him, well over the slot figure of $231,300 for that round.

What Mooney Does Well

Solid skill across the board. Calm, confident heartbeat in the box. Strong hands that he uses well, good bat speed. Good contact ability with solid swing decisions and pitch recognition. Shows moderate pop. Above average speed down the first base line. Athletic actions at shortstop and enough arm for the left side of the infield.

https://twitter.com/11point7/status/164 ... dium=email


https://twitter.com/samjcapobianco/stat ... dium=email


https://twitter.com/JoeDoyleMiLB/status ... dium=email


Where Mooney Needs to Improve

Pop comes mostly pull side and needs to show better handling of breaking stuff. Should be able to handle short, but defense may shine more at other positions. Doesn’t have a standout tool.

Key Stats

Mooney can certainly punish a baseball. Baseball America found that he hit .364/.480/.615 against fastballs 92+ in 2023 in college. So there’s a good chance if he’s sitting dead red, he can punish the ball.

Intangibles

Mooney has several traits that make him a leader on the baseball field. He’s confident, plays with grit and enthusiasm. Well liked by teammates. Humbled by struggles as a freshman in college. He played big time college baseball in the ACC at a high level and on the Cape in 2022

Future

Playing at age 21 in 2024, Mooney really needs to be challenged at High-A. There’s a fairly safe floor with a player like Mooney. Given his college experience, he’s ready for that and Cleveland was obviously very confident in Mooney to commit $1M to him out of the draft, potentially even costing them Mac Heuer (Texas Tech) and Ryan Marohn (NC State) who could have been big parts of their 2023 draft class. Mooney probably has a floor of a utility infielder with some right handed pop and could be a second division starter at second base or short, though might not have enough pop to handle third. He’ll get the most out of his skills and tools though as more of a ‘greater sum of his parts than any individual tool’ type player with his effort, grit and high baseball IQ.

Role

40 - Utility infielder with pop, fringe up the middle starter

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2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #23 INF Dayan Frias

A skilled defender, does Frias have enough tools to profile as more than a utility infielder?

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 12










Dayan Frias Bio

Age (2024 season): 22
Acquired: International Free Agent (2018)
2023 Level: High-A
Height: 5’9
Weight: 140
Bats: Both
Throws: Right

Dayan Frias Stats

PA: 397
AVG/OBP/SLG: .260/.356/.426
2B: 18
HR: 11
SB: 8/11
K%/BB%: 20.9%/12.8%

Dayan Frias 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 45
Power: 45
Speed: 50
Defense: 55
Arm: 55
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2026

Build & Background

Compact frame. Athletic and strong build. Built like a middle infielder. No significant physical projection left in frame. Needs to maintain present build to stay up the middle. Open stance with high hands. Has a toe tape timing mechanism and a mostly quiet swing with his hands. Signed out of Colombia for just $80,000. The 2020 pandemic kept him from making stateside debut until 2021. Plays winter ball in Colombia and was the country’s starting shortstop in the 2023 World Baseball Classic,

What Frias Does Well

Despite his size, there’s some thunder in Frias’ bat. He’s not a hulking power hitter, but he has good bat speed, solid at finding the barrel and isn’t afraid to let a swing rip. Like most left handed hitters, he thrives on pitches on the inner half and low. Is able to match plane on swings from the left side as well. Has fairly strong contact skills and shows a good understanding of the strike zone and manages to limit his chase. Frias has a strong arm that handles the left side of the infield and good hands. Solid range. Average runner down the line.

https://nextyearincleveland.substack.co ... d10a15d361



Where Frias Needs to Improve

Almost all of Frias’ offensive skill set comes from the left side and shows real trouble hitting lefties from his right side. Does struggle with good offspeed stuff lower in the zone. Range and movement more suited for third and second and less so shortstop long term. Just an average runner down the line at best but needs to maintain shape to stay there. Could get a tick slower as he ages.

Key Stats

Hit just .186/.329/.314 against right handers in 2023 at High-A. Despite his struggles against lefties, showed a 39% fly ball rate, and 43.2% pull rate, most of that against right handers as a left handed hitter.

Intangibles

Frias has had to be patient to get his chance due to the pandemic. Has really worked hard and come a long way for being a low cost signing from Colombia. Dedicated to playing winter ball at home every year and got good experience starting in the WBC

Future

Frias got almost all of his reps in 2023 at third base and will likely move around a little bit in 2024 in Akron, where he should start the year. He wasn’t added to the 40 man roster over the offseason and went unselected in the Rule 5 draft, so he’s not quite ready for that level. Double-A pitching will be a big test for him, especially against left handed pitching. He projects long term as more of a utility infielder with some interesting pop from the left side.

Role

40 - Utility infielder with some pop

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2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #22 INF/OF Deyvison De Los Santos

Will De Los Santos' swing changes from the second half of 2023 allow him to survive skipping Double-A in 2024 at age 20?

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 14









Deyvison De Los Santos Bio

Age (2024 season): 21
Acquired: 2023 Rule 5 Pick (ARZ)
2023 Level: Double-A
Height: 5’11
Weight: 185
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Deyvison De Los Santos Stats

PA: 481
AVG/OBP/SLG: .254/.297/.431
2B: 16
HR: 20
SB: 5/6
K%/BB%: 26%/5.2%

Deyvison De Los Santos Stats 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 30
Power: 70
Speed: 30
Defense: 40
Arm: 45
Overall: 40
Risk: Extreme
ETA: 2024

Build & Background

Built like an NFL running back or safety, De Los Santos is barrel chested and has a strong, thick lower half. He also has impressive biceps. Definitely a maxed out physical build despite only being 21 years old. A 2019 international free agent of the Diamondbacks by way of his native Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Cleveland selected De Los Santos in the 2023 Rule 5 draft.

What De Los Santos Does Well

Big time raw power is the carrying tool for De Los Santos. It’s the tool that has to drive his entire career. There are few in the Guardians system that can match De Los Santos in this department. His muscular biceps and barrel chest, and thick lower half give him a lot of strength to work with. Arm strength wise, he’s good enough to play across the diamond and would profile well in the outfield. When he hits it well, he shows power to all fields.

Where De Los Santos Needs to Improve

De Los Santos was placed on the developmental list last season so the Diamondbacks could bring him back their main minor league complex and work with him on some swing changes. He doesn’t make enough contact in a way that allows him to utilize that power in-game. When he does make contact, he’s prone to groundballs and chasing poor pitches due to approach and potentially pitch recognition issues. The bat is his carrying tool but contact has been an issue. There’s no speed to speak of as a benefit to his game on the field. He lacks reliable hands at third base and struggles with throwing accuracy. A move to the outfield would likely be a better home for his arm strength while downplaying his accuracy issues. His range in the outfield might be a question mark too.

Key Stats

After De Los Santos return from his stint on the developmental list in Arizona, he hit .312/.333/.580 with 12 doubles, 13 homers, in 213 plate appearances, good for a 132 wRC+. It did, however, come with a .370 BABIP, 25.8 K% and just a 2.8 BB%.

Before that stint, he was hitting .203/.276/.330 with a 24 K%, and 8.3 BB%, four doubles, seven homers and a 61 wRC+.

It’s hard to know if his numbers after his stint in on the developmental list are sustainable enough to signify real, tangible changes to his profile and ability to hit enough to get to his power. The approach got worse and he seemed to at least make more hard contact to get his BABIP up, though homers are not included in BABIP, indicating a real source of batted ball luck on other hits.

Intangibles

Give De Los Santos credit for being able to work on those swing changes and basically being demoted to refine things, and then go back and improve his numbers, no matter their level of sustainability. He’s also been asked to work at first base and right field in Guardians spring training. All of that is needed in order for him to stick as a Rule 5 pick, so of course he’d be open to it. But it does still require work ethic and player buy-in, which are all good tasks here.

Future

It’s truly a lot to ask a 20/21 year old to step into the big leagues with his troublesome approach and lack of contact skills. That appears to be a factor in Cleveland’s preference for contact hitters, as it allows them to survive more at the big league level. Surviving in the majors right now fro De Los Santos might be asking for a lot. If he makes the Guardians club out of spring training, he’ll see time at first, DH and right field, maybe against lefties. Cleveland must have bought into some of his swing changes last year sticking going forward. I think the most likely outcome here is De Los Santos heads back to Arizona at some point because Cleveland can’t hide him too much on the roster without risking hurting his development, but also not being able to play him because his approach will make it tough to succeed at the big league level right now. He’s got the upside of a 30 homer corner bat though, which Cleveland doesn’t have a lot of, which is probably why they liked him in the Rule 5 draft. We’ll see how long he sticks in spring training or on the major league roster this year.

Role

40 - Bat-only corner profile with big power, low OBP

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Remember back in the Bonus Baby days when Sandy Koufax and others had to spend two years on major league rosters immediately after signing out of high school. They sit and learn and almost never played,
Now with a 26 man roster, DLS doesn't need to do much on the major league club this year IF they believe his potential warrants in effect going with a one-man short roster. Advantage therefore of carrying lots of multiposition players like Freeman is becoming and Fry if they can fit him in.
There is no reason for DLS to have to prove he's major league ready to earn a spot

Mandy Bell
@MandyBell02
·
1h
The Guardians have reassigned 1B Kyle Manzardo to Minor League camp.

The team also reassigned C Bryan Lavastida and OF Petey Halpin.

2024 Cleveland Guardians Prospect Scouting Report: #21 OF Johnathan Rodriguez

Will Rodriguez get to his power enough to make an impact at the big league level?

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 18










Johnathan Rodriguez Bio

Age (2024 season): 24
Acquired: 2017 Draft (Round 3)
2023 Level: Double-A/Triple-A
Height: 6’0
Weight: 224
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Johnathan Rodriguez Stats

PA: 565
AVG/OBP/SLG: .286/.368/.529
2B: 26
HR: 29
SB: 0/1
K%/BB%: 28.8%/10.4%

Johnathan Rodriguez 2024 Scouting Grades

Hit: 40
Power: 55
Speed: 40
Defense: 40
Arm: 70
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2024

Build & Background

Classic corner type build. Broad shoulders. Strong legs. No projection left in frame. Very moderate corner type player. Drafted in 2017 out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico in the third round. Signed for $450,000. Was formerly a switch hitter but focused on hitting right handed full time last year after beginning to make that transition previously.

What Rodriguez Does Well

Rodriguez can supply plenty of power. He has easy 60 maybe 70 grade raw power. He produces high exit velocities (110.1 95th percentile exit velocity at Triple-A last year) and can hit the ball out to all fields when he gets into one.Will draw some walks by showing some patience. Generally good about making contact in the zone.Has a great throwing arm from right field. A real threat runners have to take seriously when thinking about taking an extra base.

Where Rodriguez Needs to Improve

Defensively, Rodriguez lack range and closing speed to provide average outfield defense. Range hurts him chasing fly balls going back and laterally, and doesn’t have the speed to close in on balls in front of him. Below average runner that might lose another step as he ages. While he does show some ability to draw a walk, Rodriguez does chase out of the zone and can have an aggressive profile at times. Takes big hacks and can have a long swing. Good velocity will beat him with his long swing. May struggle with pitching recognition with breaking stuff. Doesn’t get the ball in the air often enough when he does make contact to take advantage of much of his power.

Key Stats

48.1 GB% shows his inability to get the ball in the air consistently. 110.1 95 percentile exit velocity shows there is 70 grade power in his bat. Swinging strike rate of 17% against breaking balls compared to just 13% against fastballs shows some struggles with breaking stuff and pitch identification.

Intangibles

Has spent a good amount of time in the minors and continues to persevere. Moving from a switch hitter to a right handed hitter was something that Rodriguez embraced and adapted well to that could help his career long term.

Future

Rodriguez is on the 40 man roster now and has a chance to earn big league playing time soon. He has Will Brennan, and player like Estevan Florial and Deyvison De Los Santos in front of him right now, but with George Valera hurt again, he’s clearly next up in the pecking order. He could make his major league debut in 2024, depending if Cleveland decides it needs to see Jhonkensy Noel first (in his last option year). Huntington Park power numbers can be misleading, as can minor league walk rates, but if Rodriguez continues to hit for power, he may force a look this year anyway. With Chase DeLauter coming behind him, this is a big year for him to prove he deserves a look soon. He realistically profiles as a corner outfield/DH type with pop from the right side, maybe a platoon outfielder/DH with low on-base skills in the majors. He’s ranked here due to some minor league performance and a lighter system ahead of him, but would be lower in a system with more depth of high end hitters. Should be able to beat up on lighter pitching.

Role

40 - Bat-only corner profile with big power, poor approach, low OBP type

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Cleveland Guardians 2024 Prospect Scouting Report: #20 RHP Jack Leftwich

Will Leftwich put it all together in 2024 on the cusp of a big league opportunity?

JUSTIN LADA

MAR 21











Jack Leftwich Bio

Age (2024 season): 25
Acquired: 2021 Draft (Round 7)
2023 Level: Double-A
Height: 6’4
Weight: 220
Throws: Right

Jack Leftwich 2023 Stats

G/GS: 23/14
IP: 78
ERA/FIP: 5.19/4.48
K/BB: 70/25
K%/BB%: 21.5%/7.7%
WHIP: 1.23

Jack Leftwich 2024 Scouting Grades

Fastball: 50
Slider: 55
Changeup: 45
Command: 50
Overall: 40
Risk: High
ETA: 2025

Build & Background

Big, sturdy framed pitcher. A bit high waisted with lankier limbs. Some room left in frame to add muscle but mostly filled out projection wise. Utilizes a drop and drive delivery coming off a waist-high leg kick. He has a longer arm motion and uses a 3/4 arm slot. Leftwich gets good extension and has a long stride in his delivery. He does borderline stride open sometimes and there is some effort to the delivery, along with some potential arm timing issues thanks to that long motion. Leftwich pitched in high school at TXNL Academy in Florida and was drafted by the Tigers but opted to go to Florida. There was some thought he would go in the 2020 five round draft, but went unselected. He went back to Florida and pitched in a variety of roles for the Gators when the Guardians selected him in the seventh round of the 2021 draft, along with teammates Tommy Mace and Franco Aleman.

What Leftwich Does Well

Leftwich has a solid three pitch arsenal where all three offerings will flash average or better at times. His fastball velocity will wane a bit from 90 up to 96. His money pitch is his slider which can be sweeper like at times, with a lot of horizontal movement. It’s a legitimate swing and miss pitch. His changeup will flash average thanks to good arm side run. His stride length and extension helps some of his stuff play up more by getting on the hitters faster. Leftwich has average control and typically avoids many walks, at least against minor league hitters.

Where Leftwich Needs to Improve

I have some delivery concerns overall with Leftwich due to the long arm action and looking like he strides open sometimes. The fastball shape itself can be flat at times and his changeup lacks consistency on movement. Sometimes it will also lack velocity separation from his fastball. Control over command type arm.

Key Stats

From April-June, Leftwich compiled a 7.97 ERA with a 5.65 FIP. He had a 32/10 strikeout to walk rate in 35 innings. From July-on, it was 2.93 with a 3.53 FIP, with 38 strikeouts and 15 walks in 43 innings. Whatever affected him in the first half, he seemed to work it out in the second half.

Intangibles

Leftwich has grown a lot mentally as a pro baseball player and all that he needed to learn. In college, he was asked to start, close and come in as a fireman, He agreed to pitch in multiple roles in his draft year and has been mature and focused as a pro.

Future

There’s enough risk here in his delivery and control over command could push Leftwich into the bullpen. He is an older prospect too. But Cleveland continues to stick him in the rotation, which may be the case again in 2024, and he has enough stuff to be in that role. It’s a big year for Leftwich because he was part of the 2021 draft class, meaning he’ll be Rule 5 eligible this coming off-season. Cleveland will likely want to (and should) see his full options before deciding on his role. He probably needs better command and for his changeup to grade up a little for justify being able to turn over the lineup. All in all, a health, Leftwich should at least project as a good bullpen option with swing and miss stuff, or a back end stater.

Role

40 - Bat missing relief option/back of rotation starter.

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