Display posts from previous
Sort by

Re: Minor Matters

13684 by civ ollilavad
Familiar name in BA Weekly Hot Sheet

7. C.J. Kayfus, 1B, Guardians
Team: Triple-A Columbus (International)
Age: 23
Why He’s Here: .524/.583/.810 (11-for-21), 3 R, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBIs, 3 BB, 3 SO, 1-for-1 SB
The Scoop: It would be reasonable to argue that Kayfus has been the most productive hitter in the minor leagues to start 2025. Even a promotion to Triple-A couldn’t slow him down, as he’s been even more productive since the jump in level. Over 15 games in Triple-A, Kayfus has hit .379/.448/.638 with seven extra-base hits. Last week, he started the series off with Omaha with an O-fer. That would be the last time Kayfus didn’t collect two hits in a game during the series. His standout game came on Thursday, as he went 4-for-6 with three singles and a triple. Kayfus has been knocking on the door but may not have a place to play with the Guardians at the moment. (GP)

Re: Minor Matters

13685 by rusty2
Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
·
34m
Cleveland #Guardians minor league transactions

UTL David Fry assigned to Akron for rehab assignment

OF Guy Lipscomb assigned to Akron from Columbus

C/INF Kevin Rivas assigned to Lake County from Akron

INF Kyle Dernedde assigned to Lake County from Akron

Re: Minor Matters

13686 by rusty2
Keep seeing the name of Nick Mitchell rehabbing with DeLauter and Fry in Arizona. Got to admit I was like who is Nick Mitchell ? Mitchell is another plyer we got in the Blue Jays trade. Future Class A undersized corner outfielder with good contact numbers.

Re: Minor Matters

13687 by civ ollilavad
Yeah the return on Giminez is rather impressive with Ortiz our best strikeout pitcher in the majors, Hartle doing well for Lake County, Kennedy on the LC IL unfortunatley, and Mitchell, a 4th round pick last year, outhitting DeLauter and Valera as rehabbing OFs with the Arizona team.

Re: Minor Matters

13688 by civ ollilavad
Unsurprisingly, unfortunately, Bazzana joins the majority of our top 10 prospects with a months-long injury: 8-10 weeks to heal an oblique strain.
Among the top 10 prospects:
Bazzana, Genao, Chourio, DeLauter, Brito all are out of action [DeL is doing his rehab work in Arizona; Chourio's not supposed to miss a long stretch but we'll see]

Re: Minor Matters

13689 by civ ollilavad
rehabbers first

George Valera (DH, ACL - Monday): 0-4, 1 BB,1 K - see Tuesday Valera entry

George Valera (starting RF, ACL - Tuesday): 1-2, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K - While it was good to see Valera DH an entire game on Monday, his truncated Tuesday effort shows that playing a full nine in the outfield is an objective still in his future.

Nick Mitchell (CF, ACL - Monday): 3-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 Outfield Assist - see Tuesday Mitchell entry

Nick Mitchell (CF, ACL - Tuesday): 2-5, 1 RBI, 1 SB - In the last four days, Mitchell has had three multi-hit games. He has also played the entirety of said contests. The latter two of which went a full nine innings, in center field. Nick may very well be the ACL rehab player closest to moving on to non-complex ball.

Chase DeLauter (RF, ACL - Monday): 0-5, 1 K - see Tuesday DeLauter entry

Chase DeLauter (DH, ACL - Tuesday): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB - Both of DeLauter’s 2025 extra-base hits have come in his last five games. They were both homers. They are also his only two hits in that stretch.

Kendeglys Virguez (RP, ACL - Tuesday): 0.1 IP, 2 R (both earned), 2 BB, 1 K - Virguez seems a ways off from returning to non-complex ball as his first official outing of the 2025 campaign showed that he has some control issues to work through. [WHO HE?]

Re: Minor Matters

13690 by civ ollilavad
HIGHLIGHTS
Andrew Walters (RP, Columbus): H (2), 1 IP, perfect, 2 K - Walters continues to build his case for a spot on the Big Club roster, one scoreless inning at a time. This perfect seventh frame, his eighth scoreless outing of an inning or more this season, brought his season statline to a 1.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 18:8 K:BB ratio, and miniscule .118 opponents’ batting average. This dominance stems from his ability to get whiffs equally well with his 96-97 fastball or by slowing it down 10 MPH or so with his slider.

Rodney Boone (SP, Akron): W (2-1), 6 IP, 2 H, 7 K - After an incredible April (0.53 ERA, 0.82 WHIP, .153 opponents’ batting average, 23:5 K:BB ratio), Boone has settled into a famine-then-feast pattern in the month of May. His last two starts have taken this rollercoaster ride to Cedar Point-esque extremes, with his five-run start last wednesday being followed up by this absolute gem that saw him go farther into a game than he has in over a year (7 IP last May 1 against Richmond). If he can just recover some of his early-season consistency, Boone will be on the fast track to Columbus.

Christian Knapczyk (2B, Lake County): 2-3, 2 BB - Knapczyk extended his team-leading hitting and on-base streaks to twelve games by reaching safely in four of his five plate appearances on a rainy night in Eastlake, bringing his total of trips to the basepaths during said streak to 28 - including 19 hits.

Esteban Gonzalez (LF, Lake County): 3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI - Gonzalez had a big night from the penultimate spot in the lineup, equaling his season-best with three hits - most notable among them his eighth-inning double to left that gave the Captains the lead for good in a game that had previously seemed to be inexorably heading towards being suspended by rain in a tied state.

Juan Benjamin (DH, Lake County): 3-4, 1 2B, 2 R, 1 RBI - Benjamin was equally impressive from the bottom of the batting order in his first three-hit performance in High-A. His RBI came right after Gonzalez’s on a single that provided an insurance run.

Ralphy Velazquez (1B, Lake County): 2-5, 2 RBI, 2 K - Much of the credit for the game being tied in the eighth can be attributed to Velazquez, who drove in the first two Captains runs on RBI singles in the fifth and seventh frames and also got the Eastlake Nine out of a precarious top of the second with a spectacular unassisted double play. While his May so far has been feast-or-famine (four multi-hit games and eight hitless ones), he has been more consistent at the plate lately with two of those multi-hit games coming in his three most recently played contests.

Caden Favors (SP, Lake County): ND, 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R (earned), 2 BB, 5 K - Favors made it three impressive starts in a row with his longest effort so far in professional ball. It’s even more impressive when you consider that the run very well could have been unearned as Lansing 1B T.J. Schofield-Sam could’ve been adjudged to have scored on a Jose Devers throwing error rather than beating the throw on the fielder’s choice at home. (I am not criticizing the decision, by the way. It was legitimately within the realm of a judgement call and the decision fit a consistent pattern of favoring the fielder - no errors were charged all night - on both sides throughout the game.)

Melkis Hernandez (SP, Lynchburg): ND, 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 BB, 1 HBP, 6 K, 1 Pickoff - Hernandez continued a stellar month of May on tuesday night as he came within one out of keeping his monthlong streak of pitching at least five full frames intact. Even so, this outing brought his monthly tatline to a 0.43 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and 23:6 K:BB ratio in 21 combined innings.

Logan McGuire (RP, Lynchburg): 3 IP, 1 H, 2 K - McGuire was dominant in the longest outing of his professional rookie season so far. Don’t read too much into his statline (10.19 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, and .276 opponents’ batting average) as those are largely the product of a couple of early-season disasters (15 earned runs in 1.1 combined innings). In May, those aforementioned numbers are 4.05, 1.20 and .214. There’s still room for improvement but nights like last night shows that he has it in him.

Dauri Fernandez (3B, ACL - Monday): 3-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K - Fernandez extended his season-opening on-base streak to twelve games and his hit streak to ten on Monday with his second straight game of four or more total bases and third in his last four. While that streak ended on Tuesday, both the on-base and hitting streaks were extended last night.
Dauri Fernandez (3B, ACL - Tuesday): 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB - see Monday Fernandez entry THIS KID DESERVES SOME SERIOUS CONSIDERATION

Luis De La Cruz (1B, ACL - Monday): 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI - De La cruz matched his professional career high with three hits in the next game of his stateside debut campaign so far.

Juneiker Caceres (LF, ACL - Tuesday): 3-4, 2 R, 2 2B, 1 BB, 1 SB - Caceres took an already stellar first season on US soil (entered yesterday slashing .310/.400/.414) to another level with this five-base effort.

Jonathan Martinez (2B, ACL - Tuesday): 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 E - Martinez rebounded from a hitless Saturday for his third multi-hit game in his last four. In those four games, Jonathan is slashing .438/.438/.625.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Jake Anchia (C, Columbus): 2-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K - Anchia’s second straight multi-hit game with a double saw him get the Clippers scoring started with a fourth-inning RBI two-bagger.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Columbus): 2-3, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB - Tolentino brought his Triple-A stolen base total into double digits on a night that also saw him drive in the eventual game-winning run on a sixth-inning single to right.

Petey Halpin (CF, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K - Halpin, who scored said winning run, reached twice on Tuesday to tie the injured Juan Brito for the longest current Clipper on-base streak at twelve games. During this streak, he is averaging exactly two trips to the bases per game (24 total).

Vince Velasquez (SP, Columbus): W (1-0), 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HR allowed - Despite allowing his first earned runs of the month, velasquez kept the strikeouts coming (now 17 in 13 May innings) in his longest outing of the 2025 campaign so far.

Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Ingle’s fifth-inning solo shot (his fifth homer of the season, bringing his 2025 RBI total to 25) broke a scoreless deadlock and gave the RubberDucks a lead they would not relinquish,

Kahlil Watson (starting CF, Akron): 1-2, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 CS - Watson led the Mallard of Main Street with three trips to the basepaths yesterday before being replaced by Jake Fox in the ninth for defensive purposes.

Jack Jasiak (RP, Lake County): W (5-2), 2 IP, perfect, 2 K - Jasiak, who rebounded nicely from rough series finale (3 ER without recording an out), almost singlehandedly got his middle four outs on Tuesday, ending the top of the eighth with a pair of strikeouts and starting the ninth with two impressive 1-3 groundouts.

Tommy Hawke (CF, Lynchburg): 2-5, 1 2B - While he didn’t steal any bases on Tuesday night, Hawke was impressive as usual at the plate, recording two of the three Hilcat hits in the series opener, including their only extra-base hit.

Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 1-5, 1 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 E - Francisca had most of the remaining offensive success for the Hillcats, including their other hit, only RBI, and only stolen base of the evening,

Angel Perez (RP, ACL - Monday): 2 IP, perfect, 4 K - Rivera struck out the side in the eighth to start his first official scoreless multi-inning outing in the US..

Joelvis Perez (RP, ACL - Tuesday): 1 IP, perfect, 2 K - Perez closed out an otherwise abysmal night of A-Guards pitching with his second straight scoreless effort and third of the season.

Re: Minor Matters

13691 by rusty2
Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
Cleveland 23-year-old OF prospect Chase DeLauter has completed his rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League.

DeLauter will be activated off the injured list at Triple-A Columbus and join them in their current home series vs Iowa in the next couple days.

Re: Minor Matters

13692 by TFIR
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 5/21-25

Next Year in Cleveland - Guardians Farm System Coverage
To: me · Thu, May 22 at 9:22 AM
Message Body


Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 5/21-25
Did CJ Kayfus hit a another homer? Is it a day that ends in Y?
Justin Lada
May 22


SCOREBOARD

Columbus Clippers 14, Iowa Cubs 5
Altoona Curve at Akron RubberDucks (Rained out - Double-Header 5/23)
Lake County Captains 5, Lansing Lugnuts 4
Fayetteville Woodpeckers 5, Lynchburg Hillcats 2
REHAB

Lane Thomas (CF, Columbus): 3-5, HR, 3 R - Thomas has been slowly getting back into the groove the last few days of his rehab, which is a good sign for Cleveland. He could rejoin the Guardians in Detroit if Cleveland thinks he’s close enough to help them. I think that probably pushes either Will Brennan or Jhonkensy Noel back to Columbus.

Next Year in Cleveland is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Subscribed
HIGHLIGHTS

CJ Kayfus (1B, Columbus): 2-4, 2B, HR, BB - Two more hits, a walk including two extra base hits for Kayfus. The guys remains on fire. What’s about to get real interesting is that Chase DeLauter is coming back to Columbus today. The outfield will now have Johnathan Rodriguez, Petey Halpin, DeLauter, and potentially one of Noel/Brennan. How many RF reps does that leave for Kayfus?

Yordys Valdez (3B, Columbus): 2-5, 2B, HR - Valdez isn’t really known for his bat. He’s had some offensive moments in the past but nothing sustained really but he had a big day here.

Milan Tolentino (2B, Columbus): 2-4, HR - Tolentino has pop in the bat but doesn’t make enough contact. He’s pretty sure handed as a defender and is similar to Valdez. But he has was part of a five homer barrage in this one.

Christian Knapczyk (2B, Lake County): 2-4, HR, RBI, SB - Knapczyk led off with a homer in this one and the month of May has been really good to him. We’ll see how he responds when he cools off and what gets exposed, but right now this as impressive of a stretch as I’ve seen.

Alfonsin Rosario (CF, Lake County): 2-4, HR, 3 RBI - Rosario missed a week and has really jumped back into things quickly and keeps hitting at Lake County. The tools are really there. The approach still leaves some pause to what things will look like against more advanced pitching but he’s certainly playing a lot better than I thought he would based on what we saw at Low-A last season.

Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 2-4, 2B, RBI, BB - There’s been more flashes from Francisca lately which is good to see in a very underwhelming season so far. I’m not very high on the profile personally but he’s still young and has some tools.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Petey Halpin (LF, Columbus): 1-5, HR, 2 RBI - Halpin has been hitting for more power this year and is striking out, and carrying a higher BABIP. But the pop is interesting to see. I think most of the holes in his swing would be exposed by MLB pitching, but he is hitting so far at Columbus.

Parker Messick (SP, Columbus): 5IP, 2H, 3ER, 4BB, 3K - Not Messick’s best day control wise but wasn’t hit very much across 81 pitches over five innings. He’s still searching for more efficiency in his starts for the most part.

Josh Hartle (SP, Lake County): 5IP, 3H, 2ER, BB, 3K - Another solid start for Hartle who threw 76 pitches in five innings and limited walks once again. He really has found a groove here lately and it’s good to see him getting back to where he has been in the past.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain

Re: Minor Matters

13693 by civ ollilavad
Yordys Valdez (3B, Columbus): 2-5, 2B, HR - Valdez isn’t really known for his bat.
Agreed however Valdes shows up surprisingly on this Baseball America list today:

Miss Rates Improvers
Despite the influx of advanced information made available for player evaluation in modern baseball, at the end of the day, the ability to simply get the bat on the ball is still an important foundational skill. While one doesn’t need to be an elite contact hitter to be a productive or even star player, there is a baseline of contact important for all archetypes of hitters.

Below, we’ll look at 10 hitters who are making more contact at the highest rates in 2025:
Yordys Valdes CLE 23 Triple-A S 36.00%2024 miss rate 21.50%2025 miss rate 14.50% improvement

Re: Minor Matters

13694 by civ ollilavad
MLB.com "Each club's most pleasant prospect surprise"
They have to pick someone from each team, so the "surprise" doesn't have to be that extreme to make the list'

Guardians: Josh Hartle, LHP (No. 22)
Hartle entered the 2024 college season as a likely first-round pick and exited it as a Pirates third-rounder following a disappointing performance at Wake Forest. Sent to the Guardians as part of a trade for Spencer Horwitz in December, he has regained some velocity on his low-90s fastball and feel for his secondary pitches. He has logged a 2.55 ERA with a 36/11 K/BB ratio in 35 1/3 innings at High-A.

Re: Minor Matters

13695 by civ ollilavad
I'm interested in Dauri Fernandez who's tearing up the Arizona Complex League in early days
465/566/744 10 walks 4 strikeouts six doubles 3 triples in 53 plate appearances
Not so bad in Dominican last summer as a 17 year old 287/370/407

This may have something to do with his improvement:
Last year he saw only 1.53 pitches per plate appearance; This year the number is 3.96

He's a 5-9 155 infielder; although young enough that he could grow.
Signed a $215,000 contract which means he was a reasonably highly rated prospect as a teen age amateur
Post Reply

Return to “Cleveland Guardians”