civ - does not include international signings

Welcome to the latest edition of the Guardians Newsletter! Just a reminder, I’m Mandy Bell and I’m in my fourth season covering Cleveland for MLB.com. Let’s get into the good stuff:

 
DOWN ON THE FARM

Bo Naylor
Photo via @CLEInspires

It’s been a while since we’ve checked in on some of the Guardians’ top prospects. Cleveland’s assistant general manager James Harris recently gave an update on a handful of topics:

How encouraging has it been to see Bo Naylor make such a jump offensively this season?

Harris: I wish I could bottle it up and give it to other guys. I'm sure he’s been talking to his brother, who is having an impressive season as well. He's been working with our hitting coaches at Double-A. Junior Betances and Mike Mergenthaler are down there. Of course, his manager Rougie [Rouglas Odor] in Double-A is a hitting coach as well. Then when he gets to Triple-A, he just hits the ground running. Really exciting how he turned that around. If you look at the end of last season as well, he ended the season pretty well, but then where he started this season is nothing short of remarkable.


Suddenly, you guys have a very overcrowded outfield. How do you balance getting everyone appropriate time at each level?

Harris: You're outlining the dilemma that we're facing. Let's talk about [George] Valera in right field. We have to give him some exposure to left field as well. We don't know where the opportunity is. Oscar Gonzalez has played left and right. [Steven] Kwan is playing left, [Richie] Palacios is playing left. Maybe the opportunity might be in right field. I don't know. Then Franmil [Reyes] comes back, and he's playing right field. Better get Valera in left field. Same thing with Nolan Jones. Now [Johnsky] Noel is in Double-A. Noel's played third base mostly, and then we transitioned him to right field. He's never played left field. He's played two or three games in left field. When he goes to Double-A, Valera has to play some left field, and on occasion, we probably need to put him in center because you don't know where the opportunity is going to be.


How is Tyler Freeman?

Harris: Tyler Freeman missed a lot of time in Spring Training. Would have been great to get him ramped up and ready to go in midseason form by the time we started the season. That did not happen, so he started in Arizona. Now he's starting to ramp himself up. His last 7-10 days have been pretty impressive, back to form for him. If you look at the total package, he's still a really good player, puts the bat on the ball. Plays a good second base. Is pretty average at shortstop, but we like him there as well.


And Nolan Jones?

Harris: He's doing great. He's played mostly right field. We're trying to keep him to one position because of the back. He was having some soreness earlier. Trying not to move him around too much. He's played third, played mostly right, we're introducing left field. I believe he's played once or twice in left field, he'll continue to play more in left. And he can play first base if we need him. That's where we're starting, but you guys know, we have no idea where those guys are going to play when they're here. In 2016, José Ramírez played 48 games in left field. So, we have no idea.


Daniel Espino has been on the injured list since May 3. How is he progressing?

Harris: It's hard to put a timeline exactly on what that looks like. He's a big, physical person of a guy who's performed great, so we're not going to rush him back. It's not like we have a need in that category in Double-A. So we would rather have him be healthy and return to form. When he returns to form, he's special. So, we'd rather take our time.



He had some knee soreness that slowed him down a little bit, and then after that process he started to have some shoulder soreness. He's basically starting from scratch and give him the opportunity to sync everything up. We feel like that's where he is now.

 

When he goes to Double-A, Valera has to play some left field, and on occasion, we probably need to put him in center because you don't know where the opportunity is going to be.

Shit if Valera can play CF at all hustle him over there!! Or at least platoon Kwan and Straw in CF to create another corner outfield spot.

For civ:

Omissions from Futures Game
Keith Law

Marcelo Mayer, SS, Boston: Ceddanne Rafaela is a solid prospect, but there’s no reason he should be here over Mayer, Boston’s No. 1 prospect and the fourth-overall pick in last year’s draft, hitting .294/.386/.527 as a 19-year-old in Low A even with a wrist injury that cost him a few weeks earlier this spring. He’s the second-highest ranked player from my preseason top-100 who is eligible for the Futures Game but not on the rosters.

DL Hall, LHP, Baltimore: The Orioles having just one player in the game is surprising given how strong their system is at the Double- and Triple-A levels. Hall just punched out 14 guys in Triple A last night, giving him a 37.6 percent strikeout rate at that level, and even with a way-too-high walk rate (14.4 percent), he has the kind of power stuff and high upside we want in this game — as well as the pedigree of a first-round selection. The O’s could also have sent last year’s fifth-overall pick, outfielder Colton Cowser, off to a strong start in Double A after a so-so stint with High-A Aberdeen.

Marco Luciano, SS, San Francisco: Luciano might be the most notable omission of all, but it’s due to injury. He’s been out for five weeks with a lower back strain and might not return to the field in time for the Futures Game, although he did appear in last year’s contest. With current Giants representative David Villar in the majors right now but listed on the roster, perhaps there will be an opportunity for Luciano to be added if he gets back sooner than expected. Other guys who belonged but are currently hurt include Grayson Rodriguez, Brennen Davis, Danny Espino and Brady House.

Noelvi Marte, SS, Seattle: Marte is the highest-ranked eligible player not on the rosters, perhaps because the 20-year-old has had a fine but unspectacular season so far for High-A Everett, hitting .251/.346/.407. If that’s the reason, it’s an overreaction to a small sample. The Mariners have just one player in the game, the oft-injured Emerson Hancock, who was the fifth-overall pick in 2020; Hancock’s season didn’t start until mid-May due to a lat strain he suffered in the spring, which came as he was building back up from a shoulder issue that ended his 2021 season. The AL does have a surfeit of middle infielders, however, and Marte’s omission might just be a function of getting every team a rep. I do think it’s inconsistent to ignore Leiter’s tough season to date but possibly hold Marte’s against him.

A second Met: Brett Baty? Ronny Mauricio? Alex Ramirez? The Mets’ system may be top-heavy, but that is good for the Futures Game selection process, where we want stars rather than just team representation. All three of those guys, who made my top-100 this winter, were probably boxed out by other players at their positions — but Mark Vientos, who plays third and first base, would help address the gap left by Villar’s promotion, and he’s a better prospect to begin with.

Colson Montgomery, SS, Chicago White Sox: Montgomery hasn’t had a game where he failed to get on base since April 23, before his brief IL stint, reaching safely in 42 straight games at the time of this writing. The White Sox first-rounder in 2021 has played outstanding defense at shortstop, was incredible in Low A, and earned a promotion to High-A Winston-Salem in late June, which hasn’t slowed him down one bit. Again, it could be a situation of too many shortstops, but he wouldn’t be out of place on this roster, and missing two of the best shortstop prospects in the AL (him and Mayer) is a bit jarring.

Gavin Williams, RHP, Cleveland: Williams was the Guardians’ first-round pick last year, dominated High A to start the year, and has been very good through four starts in Double A. He’s their best healthy pitching prospect with No. 1 starter stuff, but neither he nor command right-hander Tanner Bibee, who has seen a big velocity bump in the past year since he was their fifth-rounder last year, is on the roster.

Williams with an OK start yesterday for Akron 4 2/3 2 2 2 3 5 2.18 for the Rducks
Teammate Rocchio stays hot, with another 2 hit day. Suddenly he's hitting 259 with a 765 OPS; in July he's 424/472/697

BA updates its Top 100 Prospects for Midseason; and our guys are now ranked:

Daniel Espino No. 15 up from 16 [some guys have graduated by now]
George Valera No. 41 way up from 67
Gavin Williams No 42 way up from 65
Bo Naylor No. 64 way up from 90
Brayan Rocchio No 89 down from 71, [but he's turned it around in the past couple weeks]
Logan Allen No. 96 up from not on the list at all and despite a bad debut in AAA

off the list: former No. 1 rated Tyler Freeman; fellow IF Gabriel Arias.

while we were away, BA massively revamped its Top 30 list for Cleveland; highlights are a major leap back up to No 4 for Bo Naylor; Gavin Williams up to No. 3 and some huge leaps into the second 10 inlcuding

Joey Cantillo LHP to No. 12 having a great year in Akron after an injured 2021. Perhaps we will wind up someone good in the Clevinger trade after all! 83 K in 58 innings; 6-4 lefty
Midseason Update: Cantillo was acquired by Cleveland in the deal that sent Mike Clevinger to San Diego. He did an excellent job over the offseason adding strength to his frame and has seen a corresponding boost in velocity, with his four-seam fastball now sitting in the low 90s and peaking at 93. He pairs the fastball with a changeup that could be at least above-average if not plus as he matures, and is continuing to hone the development of his curveball and slider. He’s performed exceptionally well this season with Double-A Akron.

Tanner Bibee RHP to No. 13 6-0 bumped up to Akron in his 2nd season
Midseason Update: Bibee is looking increasingly like another in the line of Guardians’ talented pitching prospects. He’s improved his stuff dramatically without sacrificing his ability to throw quality strikes. His fastball bumps the upper 90s and he backs it up with a nasty slider as well as an early-count curveball and a changeup

Will Brennan OF leaps to No. 15
Midseason Update: Brennan just keeps on raking. After honing his command of the strike zone and working with Cleveland’s hitting development staff he’s unlocked the kind of power that drives players up rankings. That he’s done so while making plenty of contact only bolsters his case as a future big leaguer.

Will Genoa leaps to No. 17 yet another kid SS in Arizona .341/.410/.466 | 2 HR | 3 SB
Midseason Update: Genao signed with Cleveland in January 2021 and has already impressed evaluators, especially with his early play in the Arizona Complex League. He’s a true shortstop prospect with smooth hands and instincts and the arm to stick at the position. He’s not the most physical player, but his plate discipline and swing decisions give him a chance to hit for both average and power.

Hunter Gaddis leaps to No. 20 RH 102 K in 77 IP but ERA is over 4.
Midseason Update: Gaddis is another in the Guardians’ line of talented pitching prospects. He can bring his fastball into the mid 90s and has improved his slider into a potential out pitch and his changeup isn’t far behind. Gaddis has a curveball in his bag of tricks as well, but it’s not used as frequently as his slider.

Patton Battenfield has dropped a few spots with the above guys jumping ahead of him but he's a lot better than McCarty and Tully and higher ranked than Pilkington; 2.65 ERA in Columbus. I don't know why he hasn't debuted for Cleveland
Scouting Report: Battenfield was a reliever in college at Oklahoma State but found great success as a starter in 2021. His fastball sits in the low 90s, reaching 94-95 mph. The pitch plays up thanks to its incredible riding life. The pitch’s movement combined with his ability to leverage his 6-foot-4 frame allows him to get swings and misses both up and down in the zone. He throws a big curveball, a cutter and a changeup, all of which are at least average offerings. His cutter has become his best secondary offering and all of his pitches play well off his fastball. Battenfield repeats his delivery well and fills up the strike zone, pitching with solid control.
The Future: Battenfield isn’t overpowering but his ability to throw strikes with four pitches and his understanding of pitching fits well with Cleveland’s philosophy. He’ll start 2022 with Triple-A Columbus and could soon be in the mix at Progressive Field.

Sinking fast: Carson Tucker with this awful line: 135/.297/.154 | 0 HR | 3 SB | 52 AB Still ranked No. 26 due to his tools

He didn't make the BA midseason Top 30 but Jack Leftwich has been pitching wonderfully for Lynchburg. It could be that he like former teammate Rodney Boone who has moved up to Lake County a month ago doesn't have the greatest stuff but he is worth attention. His 0.80 WHIP would lead the Carolina League if he had a few more innings on this record and met the minimum to qualify. ERA 1.98. 99 strikeouts in 73 innings against only 12 walks. He was the 7th round pick last year one round ahead of Boone and two ahead of Will Dion who has also had a very fine debut at Lynchburg; all three of guys were old-ish for Low A so their success deserves a spoonful of salt.

His pre-draft scouting report:
Leftwich was draft-eligible in the 2020 class, when he ranked as the No. 157 player in the BA 500, but he went unselected and returned to Florida for his fourth season, where he posted a 3.36 ERA over 69.2 innings, with 78 strikeouts (10.1 K/9) and 22 walks (2.8 BB/9). Leftwich stepped into a full-time starting role for the Gators in 2019 and seemed poised to keep that role this spring but made just six starts and 18 separate appearances out of the bullpen. At 6-foot-4, 220 pounds, Leftwich has a solid pitcher’s frame and a three-pitch mix including a fastball that sits in the 92-94 mph range but has been into the upper 90s at its best, as well as a slider and changeup. The slider is Leftwich’s go-to secondary in the low 80s and will flash average potential, but scouts note that it comes in well below-average at times as well. He throws a low-to-mid-80s changeup but has used it only sparingly this spring, perhaps because of a larger role out of the bullpen. Leftwich does have solid control, so some teams might still like him as a starter, but there’s also concern from teams about how he locks out his front knee in his landing.

Looks like Leftwich has lost his shot at leading the Carolina League in anything:

July 3, 2022 RHP Jack Leftwich assigned to Lake County Captains from Lynchburg Hillcats.

Friday highlights:

Fox single, triple, steal
Greene two walks two steals
both dropped out of the Top 30

Lake County:
Tolentino 2b and 2 singles
Planez double #15 and homer#12 didn't rate the Top 30 either

Akron
Tanner Burns 6 7 2 2 0 2 a pair of solo homers
Rocchio a single
Valera and Noel are on Futures Game break

Columbus
[on Thursday Will Benson with his 16th double, 16th homer, 16th steal]
Benson single and walk OPS 926
Palacios triple double 2 singles
Brennan double and 3 rbi His season totals at AA and AAA: 26 doubles and 73 RBI
Naylor single walk and steal
Freeman 2 singles and a walk

Cody Morris 2nd rehab outing in Arizona, 2 innings 1 hit 4 K no walks

I know what the IL is; but what is the Temporarily Inactive List? pitchers Josh Wolf and Lenny Torres are so listed

So Valera and Noel are also "temporarily inactive" in their case I know why

Civ, I posted an article on teams that have the talent to get Soto in articles -- Guardians part below.

2. Guardians

The Guardians are the only team that can compete with the Dodgers for the title of deepest farm system in baseball. They have six Top 100 Prospects in RHP Daniel Espino, OF George Valera, RHP Gavin Williams, C Bo Naylor, SS Brayan Rocchio and LHP Logan Allen in addition to a plethora of talent spread evenly across all levels of the minors. Add in a base of blossoming young major leaguers to choose from, including 1B Josh Naylor, 2B Andres Gimenez, SS Amed Rosario, OF Steven Kwan and OF Oscar Gonzalez, and the Guardians have multiple combinations they can put together to create an appealing package for Soto. Of course, the Guardians have been in cost-cutting mode for years and it’s not in their nature to make a big deadline trade splash for a veteran. But strictly from a talent standpoint, they have the ability to put together a stronger package than almost any other team.

Guardians Make Roster Moves, Activate Carlos Vargas

The Guardians made a number of roster moves with more expected to come in the following days.
TOMMY WILD19 HOURS AGO
Front offices are still in action even though it's the All-Star break for the players. The Guardians made some moves today to the 40-man roster and another move is still expected to come on Friday to fill the 26th spot.


Carlos Vargas Activated From 60-Day Injured List
The first move that the Guardians made was to activate Carlos Vargas off of the 60-Day injured list. He has been optioned to AA Akron Rubber Ducks.

Vargas was originally put on the injured list back in March before the season started with an elbow injury. He underwent Tommy John surgery last season but appears to be on his way back.

Tanner Tully DFA
The Guardians had to designate someone for assignment after Vargas was added to the 40-man roster. This ended up being Tanner Tully.

Tully made three appearances for the Guardians and pitched six innings. He gave up eight hits and four runs in those six innings of work. He only registered two strikeouts for the team.

Stay tuned for more roster moves as the Guardians prepare for the second half of the season.