11468
by civ ollilavad
Lavastida is a guy who can hit but can he catch? Pretty well already, but could improve, they say
NO. 16
Track Record: Lavastida was an infielder coming out of high school and began to convert to catching as a sophomore in junior college. Cleveland drafted him as a catcher in the 15th round in 2018 and continued to develop him behind the plate. While that project continues to progress, he’s also impressed offensively and had a breakout 2021 season, reaching Triple-A Columbus. Scouting Report: Lavastida has a balanced swing and a good approach at the plate, allowing him to control the strike zone well. He makes a lot of hard contact and has average raw power, though his line drive-oriented swing means his pop plays more as doubles power. Lavastida is a good athlete and moves well behind the plate and has average arm strength. He quickly picked up the mechanical aspects of catching and is continuing to progress with the finer points, like pitch-calling. While he hasn’t appeared at any other position in the field as a professional, he has continued to work in the infield in practice settings. The Future: Lavastida was added to the 40-man roster in November and after his breakout 2021 season it’s possible he’ll be ready to debut in Cleveland in 2022. His defense still needs some work to be a big league regular, but his bat gives him intriguing upside.