Another guess at the draft picks by BA; this time they have us to go for a college catcher.
27. Guardians — Caden Bodine, C, Coastal Carolina
Bodine feels like a great fit here, both on talent and organization tendencies. He’s a high-end catcher and receiver who has some of the best pure contact skills in the class. His lack of impact and upside makes him a better fit for the 20-40 range, and Cleveland could covet his contact track record as much as any team. Bodine had a loud super regional showing with a multi-home run game against Auburn.
Killen the 2nd Baseman projected last go-through is now projected to go No. 15 to the Red Sox
Re: Draft Folder
1307Cleveland Guardians 2025 MLB Draft Type Players
Next Year in Cleveland - Guardians Farm System Coverage
To: me · Sat, Jul 12 at 11:40 AM
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Cleveland Guardians 2025 MLB Draft Type Players
A look at some potential Guardians type players in the 2025 MLB Draft
Justin Lada
Jul 12
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In no particular order, just profiles
College hitters
1B/3B Andrew Fischer (Tennessee): A left handed hitter, Fischer played at three colleges in three years, Duke, Mississippi and then had his best season at Tennessee this year. He walks more than strikes out. He rarely misses in the zone, doesn’t expand the zone, gets the ball in the air and hits the ball just hard enough. The only knock for Fischer is that he might just be a first baseman. He’s played some third, second and outfield. His exit velos with the metal bat could be better, but he did have a good Cape run last year. Cleveland doesn’t typically go for college corner infield bats in the first round, but Fischer from an offensive standpoint is a pretty solid bet. If they buck any trends and he’s on the board, he’d make sense. He might go a little above them.
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OF Ethan Conrad (Wake Forest): Through 97 games in 2025, Conrad’s transfer from Marist to Wake Forest was going swimmingly well. He was hitting for average, walking more than he struck out and hitting for power. He didn’t miss in the zone, only chased a moderate amount, and had solid exit velos. However, he had season ending shoulder surgery after that. He had a good 30 game Cape run in 2024, showing the same hit tool and power, however he did strikeout a little more at that level. There are some similarities between Conrad and Chase DeLauter. Left handed outfielder with a good hit tool and power, Conrad also played at a smaller school before this year, both played well on the Cape and both had injury concerns their draft year. Some feel if Conrad had played all year, he’d be in the top half of the first round. But we also didn’t get to see him against better D1 competition. He makes sense for Cleveland to take advantage of falling in the first round, but there are risks here of not being quite as good against better competition and the health.
OF Brandon Compton (Arizona State): A 6’1 left fielder and left handed bat, Compton had two solid years at Arizona State. He had a much better 2024 than 2025 across the board, but was still solid in 2025. He also had a strong Cape in 2024. He hits the ball hard, doesn’t miss in the zone, and does a solid job of limiting chase. He could get the ball in the air more, which was a big reason to his struggles in 2025. You worry about the lack of power this year in an good offensive environment and the fact that Compton is only a left fielder and doesn’t have any standout tools. There is potential in the bat, but probably too big of a risk at 27 for Cleveland but fits somewhere in the early comp rounds and probably doesn’t last till Cleveland’s second pick.
OF Devin Taylor (Indiana): Taylor built off a breakout sophomore season with a similarly strong junior season. He showed similar performance on the Cape, with slightly elevated strikeouts. But Taylor doesn’t miss in the zone often, doesn’t expand the zone and makes healthy enough hard contact, though it could be better and he could get the ball in the air more. He’s as a consistent and solid performer with strong data as you’ll find in this year’s college bat class. The major knock here is he is definitely a left fielder. There’s not enough arm or range to play somewhere else, so there’s a lot of pressure on the bat. In a weak college bat class, he’s one of the better bets. Will teams opt for higher upside high school talent, which isn’t as deep, or seek some safety? He’d be a great choice for Cleveland at 27 if not for the positional issues, if they decided to go with a college bat, which isn’t always their norm.
2B Mitch Voit (Michigan): Michigan has produced some solid draft picks in recent memory. Voit is young for the class (still 20) and has played all over in college (second, third and outfield) and has pitched. He’s had two strong offensive seasons. He was 3-11 on his brief Cape experience in 2024, so that’s neither a point for or against him. Voit rarely misses in the zone, but will expand a little bit. He could hit the ball a little harder too. So he’s going be limited a little offensively and needs to use his speed and defensive versatility to add value. He’s a second or Comp B round pick.
C Matt Klein (Louisville): This is about as confident a pick this year I would be for Cleveland. Defensively, Klein is revered for his leadership, solid tools. No real standout tool back there, but average across the board with his arm and fielding. But the leadership ability is a big one for him. He’s also a left handed hitting catcher that doesn’t swing and miss in the zone. There’s also some good Cape experience here too. He will chase a little and doesn’t have a ton of choice in the bat, so this is a more defensive minded late day two pick.
INF Eric Snow (Auburn): Snow is an undersized, short levered right handed hitting infielder. Mostly a third and second baseman. Good contact skills and a solid defender. He’s reminiscent of Nate Furman in that he’s probably limited to second base and no real offensive juice, but rarely swings and misses, and has good Cape success. A late pick possibility.
OF Charles Davalan (Arkansas): A left handed hitting left fielder, Davalan is undersized and doesn’t have big tools. He hardly swings and misses in the zone and keeps his chase rate at a moderate rate. He runs well and is a decent left fielder, just lack an arm. He had moderate success on the Cape circuit. He feels like a round 2/3 type hitter that can profile at the top of the order.
OF Kane Kepley (North Carolina): Kepley has the Steven Kwan starter kit. He rarely ever swings and misses or chases. There’s very little juice in the bat. He runs well and is a good defensive left fielder. Lacks an arm to play anywhere else, but he’s a high energy spark plug. He might just turn into a fourth outfielder at the next level, but there are some skills that could translate, but he’ll have to do some further development at the plate to turn into more than an extra outfielder. An early day two pick.
OF Cam Cannarella (Clemson): There was some light, interesting buzz late last season and early into 2025 that Cannarella could have some 1-1 potential. He really did a great job limiting his chase this year from 2024. He does a good job of making enough contact in the zone too. Cannarella is more known for his glove in centerfield and speed. He doesn’t have much pop and had shoulder surgery, so he doesn’t have much of a throwing arm. Still, some see him as a top of the order type hitter that Cleveland would have to take at 27, because he won’t be there when the Guardians second round pick comes up, and he would be a bit of a risk there. Of course we know that Cleveland isn’t risk averse when it comes to its first round pick.
SS Kyle Lodise (Georgia Tech): Transferring to Georgia Tech in 2025, Lodise proved a good eye at the plate. He makes plenty of contact in the zone, doesn’t chase much and saw an uptick in power despite stepping up in competition. However, Lodise isn’t a big power prospect. The exit velocities suggest fringe power at best. Most feel he’ll be able to hit though he might need to wind up at second base with an average arm and average defense. He gets high marks for baseball IQ though. There’s not much in the way of physicality here. He could be a second or comp round target for Cleveland and should go off the board somewhere late on day one this year.
OF Jake Cook (Southern Miss): We’ll see if Cleveland is still in the mode of taking later picks that are high contact/defense types and if things have changed at all. If they are, Cook makes a ton of sense for them somewhere midway through day two. He doesn’t chase or miss in the zone, he adds speed and defense in center. There’s almost zero power here, so we’re looking at a reserve outfield type.
1B Jack Gurevitch (San Diego): Could Gurevitch be this year’s CJ Kayfus? The difference is he throws right handed so maybe there could be more defensive possibilities. He makes a good amount of contact and has surprisingly solid exit velos, and does have some Cape success. He comes from a smaller school than in the ACC, but there’s some decent data here for a late day one, maybe early day two pick.
C Easton Carmichael (Oklahoma): Cleveland probably would prefer a better defensive catcher, but there are some tools here and the offensive approach fits. He has Cape success and experience and the data offensively looks solid. Early day two pick that I think Cleveland probably passes but I think the profile is interesting. If he were left handed he’d be even more interesting.
2B Kaeden Kent (Texa A&M): The son of former MLB MVP and one time Cleveland second baseman, Jeff Kent, doens’t have his dads power. At all. But he does have MLB bloodlines, a solid approach at the plate and a mature mindset. He also boasts a successful Cape Cod league run too. That puts him in mid-day two range at this point and some traits Cleveland likes and could save some money too.
College pitchers
RHP Tyler Bremner (UC Santa Barbara): Bremner came into the year with some top five, top 10 hype. He had an up and down season but had six double digit strikeout performances to end the year, all six in his final seven starts. Tons of swing and miss, doesn’t walk anyone, somehow avoided home run issues. It’s a really solid build and super easy operation that keeps him online with the plate at a high release and allows him to sit in the mid-90s and hop it up to 98. The fastball has plenty of vertical ride and his changeup and slider could both make arguments for his best secondary. I think it’s very unlikely he’s getting down to Cleveland at 27. He shouldn’t fall out of the top 10. His name belongs up there with Kade Anderson and Jamie Arnold as the best college arms in the class this year. I’ve seen some mocks where he somehow gets into the late 20s, so I guess that’s the only reason I’m writing him up, and that I really like the arm overall. If there was some weird twist of fate that he’s there at 27, Cleveland should say thank you for giving them the lottery for the second year in a row.
RHP Gage Wood (Alabama): The no-hitter in the College World Series really raised his profile, but he was coming on strong before that. A 69/7 K/BB ratio is impressive with his high-mid 90s fastball that has a really difficult angle out of his hand to see and square up. He’s not in the zone as much as you’d like for someone with those strikeout/walk numbers, so he’s getting a lot of chases. That’s a good thing, but we know pro and major league hitters are more patient. So he’ll need to throw more strikes. The good news is he was missing up to 35% of bats in the zone at one point this year. He has a good curve but does lack a consistent third pitch right now. He’s shorter (6’0) and does have a history of shoulder issues. He’ll be available in the Guardians range, perhaps, but also could be off the board 2-5 picks ahead of them. There’s too much relief risk for his size, injury history and lack of a third pitch to be an option at 27 for me, but he could be a possibility if Cleveland decides to go in that direction.
LHP JD Thompson (Vanderbilt): The track record of Vanderbilt arms isn’t the best. Outside Sonny Gray, David Price and Walker Buehler, it’s been sketchy at best. But Thompson gets in zone whiffs, chases and throws a good amount of strikes. He’s only 6’0 but does have a potential four pitch, though the fastball is a tad light in velo (89-95), but it will play up some thanks to deception and command. Has a good slider and changeup. Perhaps he’s a left handed Sonny Gray but things would work for him in the bullpen. Seems like a late day 1/early day 2 target.
LHP Justin Lamkin (Texas A&M): A lefty with good size (6’4) that is a strike thrower, gets chases out of the zone and competes for in-zone whiffs. He runs up to 95 but sits in low-90s. Gets good extension and has an above average slider. It’s a little funky of an arm delivery and I think he needs to improve his lower half usage, but I like the pitch mix, size, deception, and strike throwing. I think he’s a good early day two Guardians target.
RHP Anthony Eyanson (LSU): Young for the class right hander that was solid at UC San Diego and then hit a new gear at LSU, upping his strikeouts and only lifting his walks very minimally. Solid size at 6’2 and has a slider that is his money pitch. Fastball velo sits in low-mid He does get barreled a bit he competes for misses in the zone and gets chase at a good rate. 90s, but is a little flat and he’ll need some tweaks, possibly a cutter/sinker to keep hitters off of it. But there’s control and three quality secondaries that make him interesting as a late day one pick.
RHP Patrick Forbes (Louisville): There’s some strike throwing issues with Forbes and he lacks in-zone whiffs, but it’s an explosive fastball that should play better. There’s good size and he has a ton of an extension and an odd arm angle from his size (6’3). The fastball and slider are good pitches and he lacks a third pitch and the walks are a concern, despite dominating in the Cape Cod League. At 27 he is too much of a risk for me, and I don’t think he gets to the Guardians next pick, which is where I would be more comfortable with him.
LHP Cade Obermueller (Iowa): The son of former major leaguer Wes, Cade made some noise last year but chose to return to Iowa and he did see a tick up in velocity, which is good and he pairs it with a big slider. Love wide, extension low arm slot delivery. He throws enough strikes but doesn’t get as many whiffs as you’d like. He’ll get chases. The lower size (6’0) is a concern. A little like Logan Allen with more velo but doesn’t throw the same strikes as Allen did in college and the minors. Too much of a reach for me for Cleveland with their comp and second round picks, but maybe the third or fourth round would be a nice value. Don’t think he’ll get there though. Could be a fun reliever with his fastball, slider and delivery.
LHP Pico Kohn (Mississippi State): Solid 6’4 frame with a good three pitch mix. He does have a Tommy John surgery under his belt already. Operates in the low-mid 90s and has a good slider. He could throw more strikes but does get whiffs in the zone and gets guys to chase. It’s a really low, wide release from the left side that is going to carry deception for him. Fun arm that should be a mid-day two target. If his changeup is strong enough, he can find his way into the four spot in a rotation, but really has the stuff to be a strong left handed reliever. It’s all about the changeup and if he throws enough strikes in the pros.
RHP Cody Bowker (Vanderbilt): Bowker is in the zone enough and gets whiffs in the zone. He could throw more strikes overall and get some chases. It’s a relief setup and delivery and doesn’t have starter size. But the fastball will play above its velocity, which is low-mid 90s. He needs a more consistent secondary but could be a reliever you grab mid-day two of the draft. He’s had success on the Cape, which is a nice datapoint to fall back on.
RHP Sean Episcope (Princeton): There’s some interesting metrics for the Princeton righty who gets the fastball to the upper-90s. This might be more traits over performance. He’s smaller and has an injury history (TJ). It’s a reliever size and delivery for me. He’ll get chases but wasn’t getting as much whiff in zone, which is strange. But there’s solid control and he has a solid three pitch mix with a strong fastball. Another mid-day two arm and Cleveland does like Ivy League arms historically.
RHP Dominick Reid (Abilene Christian): Throws strikes and gets whiffs in the zone (28.5%). Very average on getting hitters to chase, which is not great considering the competition he faces in college. But there’s whiff and strikes. He could use a little more on the heater (90-94). His best pitch is his changeup. He’ll need help with a slider to be a little better, but Cleveland likes changeup guys and it’s a good one. He lack of college competition is a little leery, so maybe that’s inflated. But he could be someone interesting to watch early to mid day two.
RHP Marcus Phillips (Tennessee): Phillips has the body and velocity to profile as a starter. There’s an interesting pitch mix here with a near triple digit heater and a strong changeup. The pitch mix should make him better than he was at Tennessee. He throws enough strikes but isn’t getting as many whiffs in the zone or chase that you’d like to see from an arm with his kind of stuff. He might be more control over command. He’ll probably be on the board around the Guardians comp picks, and I’m not sure I’d want to take him there. He’d me more of a third rounder for me, but I can see dreaming on the type who could be a mid-rotation guy or a setup type.
LHP Joseph Dzierwa (Michigan State): A strike thrower with a huge frame that gets a decent amount of chases and zone whiff. Arms this big scare me but he throws a reasonable amount of strikes and repeats his delivery well for that size. He has the changeup to get righties out and a fastball that is in the low-90s, but he might need a little more heat to profile as a starter and he doesn’t have a breaker that really gives him a third pitch. This screams reliever but the control is enough where if you help him develop a breaking pitch, add 1-2 MPH with the heater, I like the mid-rotation upside. Someone worth watching in the third round.
RHP JB Middleton (Southern Miss) - Another short king (6’0) with a surprisingly poppy fastball (up to 97 with some life). He gets misses in the zone and chase, which is fun. He also features a great slider and is a good athlete. There’s a three pitch mix here that is workable. I think for Middleton it’s just size and competition. Southern Miss has produced some high pick arms but few of them have really reached their potential.
RHP Jack Anker (Fresno State) - Anker is a 6’2 control specialist with a nice big hook. His changeup or curve could be his best secondary. Will sit 90-92 and probably needs to get into the upper band of velo. But the strike throwing here is strong. He gets hit hard, so this to me looks more like a player for a back end starter/swingman almost Eli Morgan type mid-day two.
RHP Trace Phillips (Middle Tennessee State): Racks up a fair amount of whiffs in the zone and some chase, but nothing overly impressive, especially for a school like MTS. There are some athletic traits here including being a former hitter. The control is really good and he might have two above average pitches. He did have some injury concerns this year but someone who could be an interesting project in the fourth or fifth round.
RHP Michael Salina (St. Bonaventure): A 6’1 right hander that was one of the biggest velocity jumpers in college this year (98 to 102 from 2024) but had TJ in April. A little undersized but has great extension and great velo. Definitely a reliever but Cleveland does love guys with extension and isn’t afraid of injured players. Maybe someone to grab mid-day two.
RHP Gabe Craig (Baylor): Craig pitched at three schools in college, a JUCO, Texas A&M before finishing three years at Baylor. He’s older (23) but struck out 51 and walked just three. He’ll bring mid-90s heat with some really interesting life one it and has a big slider. Definitely a closer but could be a money saving pick somewhere mid-day two and wind up with a chance to be a setup type arm with good control.
RHP Tanner Franklin (Tennessee): I think this is the best fastball in the class. Upper-90s into the triple digits and the ball just shoots into the zone. Control took a step forward this year, but has been very scary bad in the past. More control over command arm, which will get him in trouble in the pros. Two pitch reliever that’s a mid-day two candidate.
RHP Riley Quick (Alabama); Big bodied pitcher with a huge frame (6’6, 255) and the velocity to match. Throws enough strikes overall but walks could be lower. Struggles to miss bats in the zone as much as you’d like for someone with his size and stuff . Gets into the upper-90s and has a really strong slider/cutter to go with it. Changeup has the makings of potentially average or better. Already a TJ survivor. Also had blister issues this year. Definitely a traits/stuff type over safety at 27, but won’t be there for the Guardians next pick. More risk/reward for a college arm. Potential for top of the rotation arm, but could also end up a reliever.
RHP Cooper Moore (Kansas): Not great size here or velo (low-mid 90s at best). But there’s a good changeup and Moore is a control and command artist. Might just be an org filler, but he took some steps forward this year from being a reliever in 2024 and is in the transfer portal and could be someone’s weekend arm if he decides to stay in college. Could be a safe, low ceiling arm on day three if he will sign there or get a better offer in college.
LHP Zach Root (Arkansas): A short lefty with an unorthodox delivery that gives off reliever vibe, Root was the Razorbacks ace this season. He throws enough strikes overall, could limit free passes more. Doesn’t get enough whiffs in the zone, and just not enough chases out of the zone. Does manage to avoid being barrelled. I think he winds up an effective reliever overall, but too big of a risk at 27 and gone before Cleveland’s next pick.
RHP AJ Russell (Tennessee): A breakout freshman in 2023, Russell has had arm problems the last two seasons and now has Tommy John under his belt. He might be the only person in the draft that can match Franklin’s fastball out of college. Can get into the upper 90 and has a low, wide release angle with nasty sink. It’s hard to hit and he has a good slider off of it I don’t think he can start because there’s a lack of a changeup and injury history. He’d be a great back end reliever. Risky in the comp and second round because of his injury history, but plenty of upside.
RHP Michael Lombardi (Tulane): Good athlete here. Mostly a reliever at Tulane while playing the outfield and hitting to the tune of an .845 OPS. Has no issues missing bats (15.6 K/9) but does lack control. Perhaps that can be cleaned up when he focuses on pitching in the pros. He does have the size and pitch mix to handle starting full time, which could be an option when giving up hitting. He at least has two nasty pitches, a mid-90s heater with a lot of run and a huge curveball that could work in the bullpen. If his control and changeup improve focusing on pitching in the pros, he’d be an excellent possible steal in the second round range. The only knock here is lack of summer league competition. But traits here are fun.
RHP Sean Youngerman (Oklahoma State): Solid sized arm (6’3) that limits walks and racked up a solid amount of strikeouts as a reliever for the Cowboys. Control wasn’t quite as sharp on the Cape last year. Low-mid 90s fastball with ride. Solid changeup/slider. Not sure either is an out pitch and makes it sketchy to him as a starter. Says a lot about him that he missed bats in college with basically just an above average fastball and light secondaries. A little leery about him as a mid-day two guy but worth a shot in the pen to see if you can use his size, age and growth to bring up some of those secondaries to match good control.
RHP Matt Barr (Niagara CC): A big bodied JUCO arm. Barr has a good fastball with late life that can run into the mid to upper 90s. He had one of the best MLB combines with major spin rates on hsi slider and curve. Missed a ton of bats in JUCO. Might be a control over command arm and is raw. But he’s 19 and has the projectable size and three pitches. No changeup right now and command might be shaky. Strong transfer commit to Tennessee, so that might a good spot for him to land. Otherwise he’s maybe an early/mid-day two arm if a team really wants an arm to mold.
RHP Griffin Hugus (Miami): Hugus doesn’t have loud stuff, but he sits in the low 90 and can touch the mids and has decent enough control, maybe fringe. He does have Cape success. The fastball has life and he’s got a big curveball. Feels like a solid arm that could be a pitchabilty back end starter you can try to grab somewhere in the middle of day two.
RHP Jacob Morrison (Coastal Carolina): 6’8 arm with a fastball that get up to 95 and has really good life and a good release on it that makes it tough to get to. Had TJ last year. Strong strike thrower overall but more control than command tonight. Size, command and the lack of a strong changeup might hold him back as a starter but I like the potential here if you can get him mid-day two.
RHP Zane Taylor (UNC Wilmington): Smaller arm (6’0) that throws strikes at a good rate. Doesn’t miss a ton of bats but has improved every year there. Mid-90s heater and good extension on the delivery. Doesn’t really have a big secondary pitch but the fastball and control would be interesting. He’s older so he could be someone’s senior sign later on day two.
RHP Sawyer Hawks (Vanderbilt): A reliever at Vandy after transferring from Air Force, his best offering is a big fastball with life and get into the mid 90s. He’s got a good change and then two decent breaking pitches. His control took a step forward in 2025, if that sticks, he could be an interesting arm that could possibly start in the pros or be a fast moving reliever. A mid-day two pick.
RHP Issac Lyon (Grand Canyon): High sidearmer with a decent ability to miss bats and good walk numbers (9.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9). Also showed good control numbers on the Cape in 2024 and had his best strikeout rate there too. It’s a sinker/sweeper profile but will throw a change and cutter. Operates about 90-93. Cleveland likes these types on occasion and the numbers feel in their range. Someone to remember day three. Son of former big league reliever Brandon Lyon.
RHP Colton Shaw (Yale): Low arm slot release righty. Low-mid 90s heater with sink. Decent slider. Good control numbers. Could be a day three senior sign money saver. If he ends up a reliever, could see stuff tick up some.Has Cape success.
LHP Ryan Prager (Texas A&M): A third round pick in 2024, Prager chose to go back to school and he’s probably cost himself a good chunk of money doing so, unless he had good NIL money, which is possible. But he wont go in the third round this year. His stuff backed up, walking more and striking out hitters by 10% less. Teams, like Cleveland has in the past, could believe that the 2024 version of Prager is still in there and try to get a steal now that he has to sign. But this year he’s going to be a late day two guy at best.
High school hitters
C Taitn Gray (Dallas Center-GrimesCommunity HS, IA - Oregon Commit): Gray is a big catcher (6’4/220) and a switch hitter. The main draw here is real juice in the bat (some of the best exit velos and hit distance at the MLB Combine). There’s a chance he sticks at catcher but the bat, if it pans out), would likely play in the outfield. Maybe he’s a first day pick for someone if they believe in the ability to improve as a catcher. Switch hitting young catchers with this physicality and pop are rare and fun, and could be worth the pick and risk - even though this demographic comes with a very high bust rate.
https://x.com/MWSAscouts/status/1818784294393070029
SS Daniel Pierce (Mill Creek HS, VA - Georgia Commit): Pierce is a coaches son that gets high marks for his work ethic and feel for the game, and really good makeup. He’s considered a plus runner and fielder with a big arm as well. There’s some split opinions on his hit tool overall, with some feeling like he has good contact skills but he does show the ability to control the strike zone. The swing is a little awkwardly handsy and probably needs to be smoothed out. It’s probably fringe to average power, but that could be enough to make him a potential everyday player at short if the speed and glove get to where they’re projected to go. He’s been rising up draft boards so there’s a good chance he might not even be on the board at 27 for Cleveland if they want him, it has to be at 27.
OF Slater de Brun (Summit HS, OR - Vanderbilt Commit): Possibly generously listed at 5’10, de Brun is a smaller framed outfielder from Oregon that draws comps to last year’s Arizona pick, Slade Caldwell, and maybe similar to that of Corbin Carroll. Or at least that’s what you hope. de Brun probably doesn’t project for power, but he does have big speed, a good defender in center, so you’re hoping he is a top of the order bat and big time centerfielder. He’s probably someone that goes in the back half of the first round, so this is a player Cleveland would have to be in on at 27 in order to get him. I don’t see him as a buy down candidate, not where Cleveland is picking with their next set of picks.
INF/P Josh Hammond (Wesleyan Christian Academy, NC - Wake Forest Commit): Really athletic infielder/pitcher with an explosive arm on the mound that absolutely plays at third base. Really strong bat speed that translates into big exit velos. Should have above average power. Most think he slides to third base in the pros. Could be someone who is attractive as an arm, but that would be lower in the draft. As a hitter, Hammond has a first round future that’s probably a little more power over hit, but he looks to have a good feel to hit for now. I like the explosiveness here and maybe he flourishes as a hitter a little more as he gives up pitching. Someone you have to take at 27 and won’t be there in the second round.
SS Nick Becker (Don Bosco Prep, NJ - Virginia Commit): Nick’s dad, Jeff, played briefly in the Guardians minor league system. Nick is a big bodied shortstop with increasing physicality. There’s good competition circuit performance here for Becker. People like his bat to ball skills and ability to run. He might have a lighter arm for the left side of the infield. He might grow into average power but he will need more if has to move to third base because of his size. Teams also like the makeup and intangibles. If he doesn’t stick at short long term, I have some worries here but he’s still a worthy late day one pick.
OF Jaden Fauske (LSU Commit): He’s caught in high school but likely an outfielder. He’s a hit over power outfielder but a big frame (6’3/200) and could grow into some. Smooth hit tool. Runs well. Really good package of tools. If someone really likes the tools here he could be a first rounder.
INF Ryan Mitchell (Georgia Tech Commit): 6’2 middle infielder with a smooth swing. Not expected to have big pop, but runs well and probably ends up as a speed/hit second baseman if it all goes well. Another guy who probably should be considered in the first round or early comp rounds. One of my favorite swing in the class and one of my favorite down board high school hitters.
SS Brady Ebel (Corona HS, CA - LSU Commit): Brady’s dad, Dino, is the Dodgers third base coach. There’s a solid hit tool there and he played on a loaded high school squad. Good size for a shortstop but could move off the position due to that. Good arm and average fielder. Cleveland has been out to see him a ton. MIght be a second comp pick at this point. Not much in the way of power and playing third would put a lot of pressure on the bat.
INF Nick Becker (Don Bosco Prep, NJ - Virginia Commit): Father, Jeff, played briefly in the Cleveland system. Bat to ball skills. Big frame. Should stay at short despite bigger size. Has the hit tool and decent speed despite his size. Exciting prospect if he stays at short. A late day one pick.
OF Brock Sell (Tokay, CA - Stanford Commit): One of my favorite prep hitters coming into the season. Had a bit of a tough spring. Still has good bat to ball skills. There’s some question about future power, but I think he could have some. Runs well and should be a good defender. If he plays center, could be really exciting. Could be a late day one pick but could see him getting to school.
INF Dax Kilby (Newman, GA - Clemson Commit): A lot of solid tools across the board. Good swing. Good approach. Solid frame. Looks like a future second baseman, or outfield if that doesn’t work, puts a lot of pressure on the bat. Late day one pick probably.
OF Josh Owens (Providence, TN - Georgia Southern Commit): Son of Jeremy Owens, a former White Sox player. Hit over power but has a nice frame and could grow into some. Speed is the big tool here with a good arm. More likely a future centerfielder. Could be an exciting late day one pick.
OF Josiah Hartshorn (Orange Lutheran, CA - Texas A&M Commit): Switch hitter with pop though he’s going to be limited to left with his arm. Could end up being at first base even. Puts pressure on the bar but it could be a good one.
OF Brock Ketelsen (Valley Chrisitan, CA - Stanford): Still doesn’t turn 18 until after the draft and is a two way player with a projectable build (6’4) and smooth left handed swing. He’s got a good arm and is well liked on the mound too, but seems like he’s a bat prospect who could develop into some power and a good arm in the outfield. His commitment to Stanford might be tough.
INF Tate Southisine (Basic HS, NV - USC Commit): The younger brother of last year’s prospect, Ty. He’s a little bigger and more physical. He’s an up the middle prospect, some like him at short, some in center, but should have more bat. There’s an aggressive swing with good bat speed, and somehow bat control and contact skills. I have concerns about his ability to hit breaking stuff with that swing in pro ball and his approach, but there’s a lot of things here Cleveland generally finds interesting.
SS Gustavo Melendez (La Merced, PR - Wake Forest Commit): A 17 year old left handed hitting shortstop, Melendez has good bat to ball skills and speed. He might not stick at short, but he’s young for the class with some interesting tools. It might be better if he goes to college but the physical side may not develop for him. Mid-day two pick.
High school pitchers
LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (Sunset HS, OR - Tennessee Commit): A huge left handed presence on the mound (6’8), Schoolcraft reclassified into the 2025 draft class from 2026, where he would have been very old for the class (18 now). He can handle it from a talent perspective. He creates a ton of extension with his delivery and long limbs and runs his heater into the high 90s. He’s got a split/change looking pitch that everyone loves. He’s also a gifted hitter that make him a first base prospect as well with big power. But his future in the pros is on the mound. He’s also battled dyslexia in his life as well, and shows great character to overcome things. If Cleveland thinks they have a chance at him, they could need to commit a large portion of their slot to buy him down to 27. But there are some reports of teams trying to buy him down to the second round, so perhaps there’s a chance. I would be all over him at 27 too, though bodies this big scare me a little when it comes to pitchers, and hitters for that matter.
RHP Aaron Watson (Trinity Christian HS, FL - Virginia Commit): When you combine Watson’s feel to pitch combined with his size, there’s an exciting ceiling here. It’s a sinking fastball in the mid-90s with a pair of average secondaries to pair with it. I love the ease of operation and the height here. There’s some concern about his current arsenal, but that doesn’t scare me if he goes to a team with good pitch development and I think the mold is there. The command could make it all play up. Not sure he’s someone in play late in the first round and he should go early in the comp round so I don’t know he’s getting there to 66.
RP Dean Livingston (Hebron Christian GA - Georgia Commit): Big body with still projection remaining. Is a little bit older (will turn 19 in September). Big fastball and could throw even harder. Secondaries need work but a good athlete who also could have a good changeup.
LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Tennessee): Three above average pitches from the left side with big size (6’6). High school basketball player. Good athlete and lower innings due to basketball season, which could be a good thing.
LHP Uli Fernsler (TCU Commit): 17, 6’4 left hander with a dominant high school track record. Betting on projection with size and fastball. Low arm angle and extension. Traits Cleveland usually likes.
RHP Marcos Paz (Hebron HS, TX - LSU Commit): TJ in 2024 and got back on the mound for the combine in 2025. Solid size (6’2, 205) with an easy delivery. Control looks below average even for a high school arm. High spin slider (2,600-2,800 RPM). Most think he’ll add more velocity, which is exciting with his low effort delivery. He still had TJ despite that low effort delivery. LSU might be a hard draw and teams might want to see more from him in college. But the traits are there.
LHP Cooper Underwood (Allatoona, GA - Georgia Tech Commit): A left hander that has grown more into his body his spring. It’s still an average fastball that needs more work but the secondaries here are enticing as are the strike throwing and pitchability. The upside isn’t huge for a high schooler so going to college might be a better route for him, but there’s a shot to hear his named called sometime on late day one or early day two.
RHP Michael Winter (Shawnee Mission East, KS - Dartmouth Commit): A big league type body at 6’4, 220, Winter a solid arsenal from soft of a mid 3/4 delivery and is committed to Dartmouth to study mechanical engineering. He’s smart and has the body and pitchability. He also just turned 18 last month. Some interesting traits here somewhere early day two.
RHP Landon Harmon (East Union HS, MS - Mississippi): Harmon has a big league type body with some projection remaining and has a big arm with good arm speed. The fastball is explosive and i like the slider and curve. He’s a decent strike thrower for a high school kid with this kind of body and stuff. Big extension too. He might have to be a pick at 27 if Cleveland really like him, otherwise he might not be there at 64 unless they can offer something big. But I don’t know if they’ll have the money to push him down that far.
RHP Kaleb Wing (Scotts Valley, CA - Loyola Marymount Commit): Possibly a pop up arm. Dad was a former minor leaguer for several years. Solid size and is seeing an uptick in velo (95). I really like the changeup and ease of operation here. Some interesting traits that could be attractive midway through day two with an arrow pointing up.
Next Year in Cleveland - Guardians Farm System Coverage
To: me · Sat, Jul 12 at 11:40 AM
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Cleveland Guardians 2025 MLB Draft Type Players
A look at some potential Guardians type players in the 2025 MLB Draft
Justin Lada
Jul 12
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In no particular order, just profiles
College hitters
1B/3B Andrew Fischer (Tennessee): A left handed hitter, Fischer played at three colleges in three years, Duke, Mississippi and then had his best season at Tennessee this year. He walks more than strikes out. He rarely misses in the zone, doesn’t expand the zone, gets the ball in the air and hits the ball just hard enough. The only knock for Fischer is that he might just be a first baseman. He’s played some third, second and outfield. His exit velos with the metal bat could be better, but he did have a good Cape run last year. Cleveland doesn’t typically go for college corner infield bats in the first round, but Fischer from an offensive standpoint is a pretty solid bet. If they buck any trends and he’s on the board, he’d make sense. He might go a little above them.
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OF Ethan Conrad (Wake Forest): Through 97 games in 2025, Conrad’s transfer from Marist to Wake Forest was going swimmingly well. He was hitting for average, walking more than he struck out and hitting for power. He didn’t miss in the zone, only chased a moderate amount, and had solid exit velos. However, he had season ending shoulder surgery after that. He had a good 30 game Cape run in 2024, showing the same hit tool and power, however he did strikeout a little more at that level. There are some similarities between Conrad and Chase DeLauter. Left handed outfielder with a good hit tool and power, Conrad also played at a smaller school before this year, both played well on the Cape and both had injury concerns their draft year. Some feel if Conrad had played all year, he’d be in the top half of the first round. But we also didn’t get to see him against better D1 competition. He makes sense for Cleveland to take advantage of falling in the first round, but there are risks here of not being quite as good against better competition and the health.
OF Brandon Compton (Arizona State): A 6’1 left fielder and left handed bat, Compton had two solid years at Arizona State. He had a much better 2024 than 2025 across the board, but was still solid in 2025. He also had a strong Cape in 2024. He hits the ball hard, doesn’t miss in the zone, and does a solid job of limiting chase. He could get the ball in the air more, which was a big reason to his struggles in 2025. You worry about the lack of power this year in an good offensive environment and the fact that Compton is only a left fielder and doesn’t have any standout tools. There is potential in the bat, but probably too big of a risk at 27 for Cleveland but fits somewhere in the early comp rounds and probably doesn’t last till Cleveland’s second pick.
OF Devin Taylor (Indiana): Taylor built off a breakout sophomore season with a similarly strong junior season. He showed similar performance on the Cape, with slightly elevated strikeouts. But Taylor doesn’t miss in the zone often, doesn’t expand the zone and makes healthy enough hard contact, though it could be better and he could get the ball in the air more. He’s as a consistent and solid performer with strong data as you’ll find in this year’s college bat class. The major knock here is he is definitely a left fielder. There’s not enough arm or range to play somewhere else, so there’s a lot of pressure on the bat. In a weak college bat class, he’s one of the better bets. Will teams opt for higher upside high school talent, which isn’t as deep, or seek some safety? He’d be a great choice for Cleveland at 27 if not for the positional issues, if they decided to go with a college bat, which isn’t always their norm.
2B Mitch Voit (Michigan): Michigan has produced some solid draft picks in recent memory. Voit is young for the class (still 20) and has played all over in college (second, third and outfield) and has pitched. He’s had two strong offensive seasons. He was 3-11 on his brief Cape experience in 2024, so that’s neither a point for or against him. Voit rarely misses in the zone, but will expand a little bit. He could hit the ball a little harder too. So he’s going be limited a little offensively and needs to use his speed and defensive versatility to add value. He’s a second or Comp B round pick.
C Matt Klein (Louisville): This is about as confident a pick this year I would be for Cleveland. Defensively, Klein is revered for his leadership, solid tools. No real standout tool back there, but average across the board with his arm and fielding. But the leadership ability is a big one for him. He’s also a left handed hitting catcher that doesn’t swing and miss in the zone. There’s also some good Cape experience here too. He will chase a little and doesn’t have a ton of choice in the bat, so this is a more defensive minded late day two pick.
INF Eric Snow (Auburn): Snow is an undersized, short levered right handed hitting infielder. Mostly a third and second baseman. Good contact skills and a solid defender. He’s reminiscent of Nate Furman in that he’s probably limited to second base and no real offensive juice, but rarely swings and misses, and has good Cape success. A late pick possibility.
OF Charles Davalan (Arkansas): A left handed hitting left fielder, Davalan is undersized and doesn’t have big tools. He hardly swings and misses in the zone and keeps his chase rate at a moderate rate. He runs well and is a decent left fielder, just lack an arm. He had moderate success on the Cape circuit. He feels like a round 2/3 type hitter that can profile at the top of the order.
OF Kane Kepley (North Carolina): Kepley has the Steven Kwan starter kit. He rarely ever swings and misses or chases. There’s very little juice in the bat. He runs well and is a good defensive left fielder. Lacks an arm to play anywhere else, but he’s a high energy spark plug. He might just turn into a fourth outfielder at the next level, but there are some skills that could translate, but he’ll have to do some further development at the plate to turn into more than an extra outfielder. An early day two pick.
OF Cam Cannarella (Clemson): There was some light, interesting buzz late last season and early into 2025 that Cannarella could have some 1-1 potential. He really did a great job limiting his chase this year from 2024. He does a good job of making enough contact in the zone too. Cannarella is more known for his glove in centerfield and speed. He doesn’t have much pop and had shoulder surgery, so he doesn’t have much of a throwing arm. Still, some see him as a top of the order type hitter that Cleveland would have to take at 27, because he won’t be there when the Guardians second round pick comes up, and he would be a bit of a risk there. Of course we know that Cleveland isn’t risk averse when it comes to its first round pick.
SS Kyle Lodise (Georgia Tech): Transferring to Georgia Tech in 2025, Lodise proved a good eye at the plate. He makes plenty of contact in the zone, doesn’t chase much and saw an uptick in power despite stepping up in competition. However, Lodise isn’t a big power prospect. The exit velocities suggest fringe power at best. Most feel he’ll be able to hit though he might need to wind up at second base with an average arm and average defense. He gets high marks for baseball IQ though. There’s not much in the way of physicality here. He could be a second or comp round target for Cleveland and should go off the board somewhere late on day one this year.
OF Jake Cook (Southern Miss): We’ll see if Cleveland is still in the mode of taking later picks that are high contact/defense types and if things have changed at all. If they are, Cook makes a ton of sense for them somewhere midway through day two. He doesn’t chase or miss in the zone, he adds speed and defense in center. There’s almost zero power here, so we’re looking at a reserve outfield type.
1B Jack Gurevitch (San Diego): Could Gurevitch be this year’s CJ Kayfus? The difference is he throws right handed so maybe there could be more defensive possibilities. He makes a good amount of contact and has surprisingly solid exit velos, and does have some Cape success. He comes from a smaller school than in the ACC, but there’s some decent data here for a late day one, maybe early day two pick.
C Easton Carmichael (Oklahoma): Cleveland probably would prefer a better defensive catcher, but there are some tools here and the offensive approach fits. He has Cape success and experience and the data offensively looks solid. Early day two pick that I think Cleveland probably passes but I think the profile is interesting. If he were left handed he’d be even more interesting.
2B Kaeden Kent (Texa A&M): The son of former MLB MVP and one time Cleveland second baseman, Jeff Kent, doens’t have his dads power. At all. But he does have MLB bloodlines, a solid approach at the plate and a mature mindset. He also boasts a successful Cape Cod league run too. That puts him in mid-day two range at this point and some traits Cleveland likes and could save some money too.
College pitchers
RHP Tyler Bremner (UC Santa Barbara): Bremner came into the year with some top five, top 10 hype. He had an up and down season but had six double digit strikeout performances to end the year, all six in his final seven starts. Tons of swing and miss, doesn’t walk anyone, somehow avoided home run issues. It’s a really solid build and super easy operation that keeps him online with the plate at a high release and allows him to sit in the mid-90s and hop it up to 98. The fastball has plenty of vertical ride and his changeup and slider could both make arguments for his best secondary. I think it’s very unlikely he’s getting down to Cleveland at 27. He shouldn’t fall out of the top 10. His name belongs up there with Kade Anderson and Jamie Arnold as the best college arms in the class this year. I’ve seen some mocks where he somehow gets into the late 20s, so I guess that’s the only reason I’m writing him up, and that I really like the arm overall. If there was some weird twist of fate that he’s there at 27, Cleveland should say thank you for giving them the lottery for the second year in a row.
RHP Gage Wood (Alabama): The no-hitter in the College World Series really raised his profile, but he was coming on strong before that. A 69/7 K/BB ratio is impressive with his high-mid 90s fastball that has a really difficult angle out of his hand to see and square up. He’s not in the zone as much as you’d like for someone with those strikeout/walk numbers, so he’s getting a lot of chases. That’s a good thing, but we know pro and major league hitters are more patient. So he’ll need to throw more strikes. The good news is he was missing up to 35% of bats in the zone at one point this year. He has a good curve but does lack a consistent third pitch right now. He’s shorter (6’0) and does have a history of shoulder issues. He’ll be available in the Guardians range, perhaps, but also could be off the board 2-5 picks ahead of them. There’s too much relief risk for his size, injury history and lack of a third pitch to be an option at 27 for me, but he could be a possibility if Cleveland decides to go in that direction.
LHP JD Thompson (Vanderbilt): The track record of Vanderbilt arms isn’t the best. Outside Sonny Gray, David Price and Walker Buehler, it’s been sketchy at best. But Thompson gets in zone whiffs, chases and throws a good amount of strikes. He’s only 6’0 but does have a potential four pitch, though the fastball is a tad light in velo (89-95), but it will play up some thanks to deception and command. Has a good slider and changeup. Perhaps he’s a left handed Sonny Gray but things would work for him in the bullpen. Seems like a late day 1/early day 2 target.
LHP Justin Lamkin (Texas A&M): A lefty with good size (6’4) that is a strike thrower, gets chases out of the zone and competes for in-zone whiffs. He runs up to 95 but sits in low-90s. Gets good extension and has an above average slider. It’s a little funky of an arm delivery and I think he needs to improve his lower half usage, but I like the pitch mix, size, deception, and strike throwing. I think he’s a good early day two Guardians target.
RHP Anthony Eyanson (LSU): Young for the class right hander that was solid at UC San Diego and then hit a new gear at LSU, upping his strikeouts and only lifting his walks very minimally. Solid size at 6’2 and has a slider that is his money pitch. Fastball velo sits in low-mid He does get barreled a bit he competes for misses in the zone and gets chase at a good rate. 90s, but is a little flat and he’ll need some tweaks, possibly a cutter/sinker to keep hitters off of it. But there’s control and three quality secondaries that make him interesting as a late day one pick.
RHP Patrick Forbes (Louisville): There’s some strike throwing issues with Forbes and he lacks in-zone whiffs, but it’s an explosive fastball that should play better. There’s good size and he has a ton of an extension and an odd arm angle from his size (6’3). The fastball and slider are good pitches and he lacks a third pitch and the walks are a concern, despite dominating in the Cape Cod League. At 27 he is too much of a risk for me, and I don’t think he gets to the Guardians next pick, which is where I would be more comfortable with him.
LHP Cade Obermueller (Iowa): The son of former major leaguer Wes, Cade made some noise last year but chose to return to Iowa and he did see a tick up in velocity, which is good and he pairs it with a big slider. Love wide, extension low arm slot delivery. He throws enough strikes but doesn’t get as many whiffs as you’d like. He’ll get chases. The lower size (6’0) is a concern. A little like Logan Allen with more velo but doesn’t throw the same strikes as Allen did in college and the minors. Too much of a reach for me for Cleveland with their comp and second round picks, but maybe the third or fourth round would be a nice value. Don’t think he’ll get there though. Could be a fun reliever with his fastball, slider and delivery.
LHP Pico Kohn (Mississippi State): Solid 6’4 frame with a good three pitch mix. He does have a Tommy John surgery under his belt already. Operates in the low-mid 90s and has a good slider. He could throw more strikes but does get whiffs in the zone and gets guys to chase. It’s a really low, wide release from the left side that is going to carry deception for him. Fun arm that should be a mid-day two target. If his changeup is strong enough, he can find his way into the four spot in a rotation, but really has the stuff to be a strong left handed reliever. It’s all about the changeup and if he throws enough strikes in the pros.
RHP Cody Bowker (Vanderbilt): Bowker is in the zone enough and gets whiffs in the zone. He could throw more strikes overall and get some chases. It’s a relief setup and delivery and doesn’t have starter size. But the fastball will play above its velocity, which is low-mid 90s. He needs a more consistent secondary but could be a reliever you grab mid-day two of the draft. He’s had success on the Cape, which is a nice datapoint to fall back on.
RHP Sean Episcope (Princeton): There’s some interesting metrics for the Princeton righty who gets the fastball to the upper-90s. This might be more traits over performance. He’s smaller and has an injury history (TJ). It’s a reliever size and delivery for me. He’ll get chases but wasn’t getting as much whiff in zone, which is strange. But there’s solid control and he has a solid three pitch mix with a strong fastball. Another mid-day two arm and Cleveland does like Ivy League arms historically.
RHP Dominick Reid (Abilene Christian): Throws strikes and gets whiffs in the zone (28.5%). Very average on getting hitters to chase, which is not great considering the competition he faces in college. But there’s whiff and strikes. He could use a little more on the heater (90-94). His best pitch is his changeup. He’ll need help with a slider to be a little better, but Cleveland likes changeup guys and it’s a good one. He lack of college competition is a little leery, so maybe that’s inflated. But he could be someone interesting to watch early to mid day two.
RHP Marcus Phillips (Tennessee): Phillips has the body and velocity to profile as a starter. There’s an interesting pitch mix here with a near triple digit heater and a strong changeup. The pitch mix should make him better than he was at Tennessee. He throws enough strikes but isn’t getting as many whiffs in the zone or chase that you’d like to see from an arm with his kind of stuff. He might be more control over command. He’ll probably be on the board around the Guardians comp picks, and I’m not sure I’d want to take him there. He’d me more of a third rounder for me, but I can see dreaming on the type who could be a mid-rotation guy or a setup type.
LHP Joseph Dzierwa (Michigan State): A strike thrower with a huge frame that gets a decent amount of chases and zone whiff. Arms this big scare me but he throws a reasonable amount of strikes and repeats his delivery well for that size. He has the changeup to get righties out and a fastball that is in the low-90s, but he might need a little more heat to profile as a starter and he doesn’t have a breaker that really gives him a third pitch. This screams reliever but the control is enough where if you help him develop a breaking pitch, add 1-2 MPH with the heater, I like the mid-rotation upside. Someone worth watching in the third round.
RHP JB Middleton (Southern Miss) - Another short king (6’0) with a surprisingly poppy fastball (up to 97 with some life). He gets misses in the zone and chase, which is fun. He also features a great slider and is a good athlete. There’s a three pitch mix here that is workable. I think for Middleton it’s just size and competition. Southern Miss has produced some high pick arms but few of them have really reached their potential.
RHP Jack Anker (Fresno State) - Anker is a 6’2 control specialist with a nice big hook. His changeup or curve could be his best secondary. Will sit 90-92 and probably needs to get into the upper band of velo. But the strike throwing here is strong. He gets hit hard, so this to me looks more like a player for a back end starter/swingman almost Eli Morgan type mid-day two.
RHP Trace Phillips (Middle Tennessee State): Racks up a fair amount of whiffs in the zone and some chase, but nothing overly impressive, especially for a school like MTS. There are some athletic traits here including being a former hitter. The control is really good and he might have two above average pitches. He did have some injury concerns this year but someone who could be an interesting project in the fourth or fifth round.
RHP Michael Salina (St. Bonaventure): A 6’1 right hander that was one of the biggest velocity jumpers in college this year (98 to 102 from 2024) but had TJ in April. A little undersized but has great extension and great velo. Definitely a reliever but Cleveland does love guys with extension and isn’t afraid of injured players. Maybe someone to grab mid-day two.
RHP Gabe Craig (Baylor): Craig pitched at three schools in college, a JUCO, Texas A&M before finishing three years at Baylor. He’s older (23) but struck out 51 and walked just three. He’ll bring mid-90s heat with some really interesting life one it and has a big slider. Definitely a closer but could be a money saving pick somewhere mid-day two and wind up with a chance to be a setup type arm with good control.
RHP Tanner Franklin (Tennessee): I think this is the best fastball in the class. Upper-90s into the triple digits and the ball just shoots into the zone. Control took a step forward this year, but has been very scary bad in the past. More control over command arm, which will get him in trouble in the pros. Two pitch reliever that’s a mid-day two candidate.
RHP Riley Quick (Alabama); Big bodied pitcher with a huge frame (6’6, 255) and the velocity to match. Throws enough strikes overall but walks could be lower. Struggles to miss bats in the zone as much as you’d like for someone with his size and stuff . Gets into the upper-90s and has a really strong slider/cutter to go with it. Changeup has the makings of potentially average or better. Already a TJ survivor. Also had blister issues this year. Definitely a traits/stuff type over safety at 27, but won’t be there for the Guardians next pick. More risk/reward for a college arm. Potential for top of the rotation arm, but could also end up a reliever.
RHP Cooper Moore (Kansas): Not great size here or velo (low-mid 90s at best). But there’s a good changeup and Moore is a control and command artist. Might just be an org filler, but he took some steps forward this year from being a reliever in 2024 and is in the transfer portal and could be someone’s weekend arm if he decides to stay in college. Could be a safe, low ceiling arm on day three if he will sign there or get a better offer in college.
LHP Zach Root (Arkansas): A short lefty with an unorthodox delivery that gives off reliever vibe, Root was the Razorbacks ace this season. He throws enough strikes overall, could limit free passes more. Doesn’t get enough whiffs in the zone, and just not enough chases out of the zone. Does manage to avoid being barrelled. I think he winds up an effective reliever overall, but too big of a risk at 27 and gone before Cleveland’s next pick.
RHP AJ Russell (Tennessee): A breakout freshman in 2023, Russell has had arm problems the last two seasons and now has Tommy John under his belt. He might be the only person in the draft that can match Franklin’s fastball out of college. Can get into the upper 90 and has a low, wide release angle with nasty sink. It’s hard to hit and he has a good slider off of it I don’t think he can start because there’s a lack of a changeup and injury history. He’d be a great back end reliever. Risky in the comp and second round because of his injury history, but plenty of upside.
RHP Michael Lombardi (Tulane): Good athlete here. Mostly a reliever at Tulane while playing the outfield and hitting to the tune of an .845 OPS. Has no issues missing bats (15.6 K/9) but does lack control. Perhaps that can be cleaned up when he focuses on pitching in the pros. He does have the size and pitch mix to handle starting full time, which could be an option when giving up hitting. He at least has two nasty pitches, a mid-90s heater with a lot of run and a huge curveball that could work in the bullpen. If his control and changeup improve focusing on pitching in the pros, he’d be an excellent possible steal in the second round range. The only knock here is lack of summer league competition. But traits here are fun.
RHP Sean Youngerman (Oklahoma State): Solid sized arm (6’3) that limits walks and racked up a solid amount of strikeouts as a reliever for the Cowboys. Control wasn’t quite as sharp on the Cape last year. Low-mid 90s fastball with ride. Solid changeup/slider. Not sure either is an out pitch and makes it sketchy to him as a starter. Says a lot about him that he missed bats in college with basically just an above average fastball and light secondaries. A little leery about him as a mid-day two guy but worth a shot in the pen to see if you can use his size, age and growth to bring up some of those secondaries to match good control.
RHP Matt Barr (Niagara CC): A big bodied JUCO arm. Barr has a good fastball with late life that can run into the mid to upper 90s. He had one of the best MLB combines with major spin rates on hsi slider and curve. Missed a ton of bats in JUCO. Might be a control over command arm and is raw. But he’s 19 and has the projectable size and three pitches. No changeup right now and command might be shaky. Strong transfer commit to Tennessee, so that might a good spot for him to land. Otherwise he’s maybe an early/mid-day two arm if a team really wants an arm to mold.
RHP Griffin Hugus (Miami): Hugus doesn’t have loud stuff, but he sits in the low 90 and can touch the mids and has decent enough control, maybe fringe. He does have Cape success. The fastball has life and he’s got a big curveball. Feels like a solid arm that could be a pitchabilty back end starter you can try to grab somewhere in the middle of day two.
RHP Jacob Morrison (Coastal Carolina): 6’8 arm with a fastball that get up to 95 and has really good life and a good release on it that makes it tough to get to. Had TJ last year. Strong strike thrower overall but more control than command tonight. Size, command and the lack of a strong changeup might hold him back as a starter but I like the potential here if you can get him mid-day two.
RHP Zane Taylor (UNC Wilmington): Smaller arm (6’0) that throws strikes at a good rate. Doesn’t miss a ton of bats but has improved every year there. Mid-90s heater and good extension on the delivery. Doesn’t really have a big secondary pitch but the fastball and control would be interesting. He’s older so he could be someone’s senior sign later on day two.
RHP Sawyer Hawks (Vanderbilt): A reliever at Vandy after transferring from Air Force, his best offering is a big fastball with life and get into the mid 90s. He’s got a good change and then two decent breaking pitches. His control took a step forward in 2025, if that sticks, he could be an interesting arm that could possibly start in the pros or be a fast moving reliever. A mid-day two pick.
RHP Issac Lyon (Grand Canyon): High sidearmer with a decent ability to miss bats and good walk numbers (9.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9). Also showed good control numbers on the Cape in 2024 and had his best strikeout rate there too. It’s a sinker/sweeper profile but will throw a change and cutter. Operates about 90-93. Cleveland likes these types on occasion and the numbers feel in their range. Someone to remember day three. Son of former big league reliever Brandon Lyon.
RHP Colton Shaw (Yale): Low arm slot release righty. Low-mid 90s heater with sink. Decent slider. Good control numbers. Could be a day three senior sign money saver. If he ends up a reliever, could see stuff tick up some.Has Cape success.
LHP Ryan Prager (Texas A&M): A third round pick in 2024, Prager chose to go back to school and he’s probably cost himself a good chunk of money doing so, unless he had good NIL money, which is possible. But he wont go in the third round this year. His stuff backed up, walking more and striking out hitters by 10% less. Teams, like Cleveland has in the past, could believe that the 2024 version of Prager is still in there and try to get a steal now that he has to sign. But this year he’s going to be a late day two guy at best.
High school hitters
C Taitn Gray (Dallas Center-GrimesCommunity HS, IA - Oregon Commit): Gray is a big catcher (6’4/220) and a switch hitter. The main draw here is real juice in the bat (some of the best exit velos and hit distance at the MLB Combine). There’s a chance he sticks at catcher but the bat, if it pans out), would likely play in the outfield. Maybe he’s a first day pick for someone if they believe in the ability to improve as a catcher. Switch hitting young catchers with this physicality and pop are rare and fun, and could be worth the pick and risk - even though this demographic comes with a very high bust rate.
https://x.com/MWSAscouts/status/1818784294393070029
SS Daniel Pierce (Mill Creek HS, VA - Georgia Commit): Pierce is a coaches son that gets high marks for his work ethic and feel for the game, and really good makeup. He’s considered a plus runner and fielder with a big arm as well. There’s some split opinions on his hit tool overall, with some feeling like he has good contact skills but he does show the ability to control the strike zone. The swing is a little awkwardly handsy and probably needs to be smoothed out. It’s probably fringe to average power, but that could be enough to make him a potential everyday player at short if the speed and glove get to where they’re projected to go. He’s been rising up draft boards so there’s a good chance he might not even be on the board at 27 for Cleveland if they want him, it has to be at 27.
OF Slater de Brun (Summit HS, OR - Vanderbilt Commit): Possibly generously listed at 5’10, de Brun is a smaller framed outfielder from Oregon that draws comps to last year’s Arizona pick, Slade Caldwell, and maybe similar to that of Corbin Carroll. Or at least that’s what you hope. de Brun probably doesn’t project for power, but he does have big speed, a good defender in center, so you’re hoping he is a top of the order bat and big time centerfielder. He’s probably someone that goes in the back half of the first round, so this is a player Cleveland would have to be in on at 27 in order to get him. I don’t see him as a buy down candidate, not where Cleveland is picking with their next set of picks.
INF/P Josh Hammond (Wesleyan Christian Academy, NC - Wake Forest Commit): Really athletic infielder/pitcher with an explosive arm on the mound that absolutely plays at third base. Really strong bat speed that translates into big exit velos. Should have above average power. Most think he slides to third base in the pros. Could be someone who is attractive as an arm, but that would be lower in the draft. As a hitter, Hammond has a first round future that’s probably a little more power over hit, but he looks to have a good feel to hit for now. I like the explosiveness here and maybe he flourishes as a hitter a little more as he gives up pitching. Someone you have to take at 27 and won’t be there in the second round.
SS Nick Becker (Don Bosco Prep, NJ - Virginia Commit): Nick’s dad, Jeff, played briefly in the Guardians minor league system. Nick is a big bodied shortstop with increasing physicality. There’s good competition circuit performance here for Becker. People like his bat to ball skills and ability to run. He might have a lighter arm for the left side of the infield. He might grow into average power but he will need more if has to move to third base because of his size. Teams also like the makeup and intangibles. If he doesn’t stick at short long term, I have some worries here but he’s still a worthy late day one pick.
OF Jaden Fauske (LSU Commit): He’s caught in high school but likely an outfielder. He’s a hit over power outfielder but a big frame (6’3/200) and could grow into some. Smooth hit tool. Runs well. Really good package of tools. If someone really likes the tools here he could be a first rounder.
INF Ryan Mitchell (Georgia Tech Commit): 6’2 middle infielder with a smooth swing. Not expected to have big pop, but runs well and probably ends up as a speed/hit second baseman if it all goes well. Another guy who probably should be considered in the first round or early comp rounds. One of my favorite swing in the class and one of my favorite down board high school hitters.
SS Brady Ebel (Corona HS, CA - LSU Commit): Brady’s dad, Dino, is the Dodgers third base coach. There’s a solid hit tool there and he played on a loaded high school squad. Good size for a shortstop but could move off the position due to that. Good arm and average fielder. Cleveland has been out to see him a ton. MIght be a second comp pick at this point. Not much in the way of power and playing third would put a lot of pressure on the bat.
INF Nick Becker (Don Bosco Prep, NJ - Virginia Commit): Father, Jeff, played briefly in the Cleveland system. Bat to ball skills. Big frame. Should stay at short despite bigger size. Has the hit tool and decent speed despite his size. Exciting prospect if he stays at short. A late day one pick.
OF Brock Sell (Tokay, CA - Stanford Commit): One of my favorite prep hitters coming into the season. Had a bit of a tough spring. Still has good bat to ball skills. There’s some question about future power, but I think he could have some. Runs well and should be a good defender. If he plays center, could be really exciting. Could be a late day one pick but could see him getting to school.
INF Dax Kilby (Newman, GA - Clemson Commit): A lot of solid tools across the board. Good swing. Good approach. Solid frame. Looks like a future second baseman, or outfield if that doesn’t work, puts a lot of pressure on the bat. Late day one pick probably.
OF Josh Owens (Providence, TN - Georgia Southern Commit): Son of Jeremy Owens, a former White Sox player. Hit over power but has a nice frame and could grow into some. Speed is the big tool here with a good arm. More likely a future centerfielder. Could be an exciting late day one pick.
OF Josiah Hartshorn (Orange Lutheran, CA - Texas A&M Commit): Switch hitter with pop though he’s going to be limited to left with his arm. Could end up being at first base even. Puts pressure on the bar but it could be a good one.
OF Brock Ketelsen (Valley Chrisitan, CA - Stanford): Still doesn’t turn 18 until after the draft and is a two way player with a projectable build (6’4) and smooth left handed swing. He’s got a good arm and is well liked on the mound too, but seems like he’s a bat prospect who could develop into some power and a good arm in the outfield. His commitment to Stanford might be tough.
INF Tate Southisine (Basic HS, NV - USC Commit): The younger brother of last year’s prospect, Ty. He’s a little bigger and more physical. He’s an up the middle prospect, some like him at short, some in center, but should have more bat. There’s an aggressive swing with good bat speed, and somehow bat control and contact skills. I have concerns about his ability to hit breaking stuff with that swing in pro ball and his approach, but there’s a lot of things here Cleveland generally finds interesting.
SS Gustavo Melendez (La Merced, PR - Wake Forest Commit): A 17 year old left handed hitting shortstop, Melendez has good bat to ball skills and speed. He might not stick at short, but he’s young for the class with some interesting tools. It might be better if he goes to college but the physical side may not develop for him. Mid-day two pick.
High school pitchers
LHP Kruz Schoolcraft (Sunset HS, OR - Tennessee Commit): A huge left handed presence on the mound (6’8), Schoolcraft reclassified into the 2025 draft class from 2026, where he would have been very old for the class (18 now). He can handle it from a talent perspective. He creates a ton of extension with his delivery and long limbs and runs his heater into the high 90s. He’s got a split/change looking pitch that everyone loves. He’s also a gifted hitter that make him a first base prospect as well with big power. But his future in the pros is on the mound. He’s also battled dyslexia in his life as well, and shows great character to overcome things. If Cleveland thinks they have a chance at him, they could need to commit a large portion of their slot to buy him down to 27. But there are some reports of teams trying to buy him down to the second round, so perhaps there’s a chance. I would be all over him at 27 too, though bodies this big scare me a little when it comes to pitchers, and hitters for that matter.
RHP Aaron Watson (Trinity Christian HS, FL - Virginia Commit): When you combine Watson’s feel to pitch combined with his size, there’s an exciting ceiling here. It’s a sinking fastball in the mid-90s with a pair of average secondaries to pair with it. I love the ease of operation and the height here. There’s some concern about his current arsenal, but that doesn’t scare me if he goes to a team with good pitch development and I think the mold is there. The command could make it all play up. Not sure he’s someone in play late in the first round and he should go early in the comp round so I don’t know he’s getting there to 66.
RP Dean Livingston (Hebron Christian GA - Georgia Commit): Big body with still projection remaining. Is a little bit older (will turn 19 in September). Big fastball and could throw even harder. Secondaries need work but a good athlete who also could have a good changeup.
LHP Cameron Appenzeller (Tennessee): Three above average pitches from the left side with big size (6’6). High school basketball player. Good athlete and lower innings due to basketball season, which could be a good thing.
LHP Uli Fernsler (TCU Commit): 17, 6’4 left hander with a dominant high school track record. Betting on projection with size and fastball. Low arm angle and extension. Traits Cleveland usually likes.
RHP Marcos Paz (Hebron HS, TX - LSU Commit): TJ in 2024 and got back on the mound for the combine in 2025. Solid size (6’2, 205) with an easy delivery. Control looks below average even for a high school arm. High spin slider (2,600-2,800 RPM). Most think he’ll add more velocity, which is exciting with his low effort delivery. He still had TJ despite that low effort delivery. LSU might be a hard draw and teams might want to see more from him in college. But the traits are there.
LHP Cooper Underwood (Allatoona, GA - Georgia Tech Commit): A left hander that has grown more into his body his spring. It’s still an average fastball that needs more work but the secondaries here are enticing as are the strike throwing and pitchability. The upside isn’t huge for a high schooler so going to college might be a better route for him, but there’s a shot to hear his named called sometime on late day one or early day two.
RHP Michael Winter (Shawnee Mission East, KS - Dartmouth Commit): A big league type body at 6’4, 220, Winter a solid arsenal from soft of a mid 3/4 delivery and is committed to Dartmouth to study mechanical engineering. He’s smart and has the body and pitchability. He also just turned 18 last month. Some interesting traits here somewhere early day two.
RHP Landon Harmon (East Union HS, MS - Mississippi): Harmon has a big league type body with some projection remaining and has a big arm with good arm speed. The fastball is explosive and i like the slider and curve. He’s a decent strike thrower for a high school kid with this kind of body and stuff. Big extension too. He might have to be a pick at 27 if Cleveland really like him, otherwise he might not be there at 64 unless they can offer something big. But I don’t know if they’ll have the money to push him down that far.
RHP Kaleb Wing (Scotts Valley, CA - Loyola Marymount Commit): Possibly a pop up arm. Dad was a former minor leaguer for several years. Solid size and is seeing an uptick in velo (95). I really like the changeup and ease of operation here. Some interesting traits that could be attractive midway through day two with an arrow pointing up.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Draft Folder
1308
Guardians select Texas A&M outfielder in 1st round of 2025 MLB draft
Updated: Jul. 13, 2025, 8:55 p.m.|Published: Jul. 13, 2025, 8:20 p.m.
By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians selected outfielder Jace LaViolette of Texas A&M on Sunday with the 27th overall pick in the 2025 Major League Baseball first year player draft.
LaViolette, 21, was born in Pensacola, Florida, but prepped at Tompkins HS in Katy, Texas before joining the Aggies in 2023. He had a breakout season in 2024, leading Texas A&M to a runner-up finish at the College World Series while batting .305 with 29 home runs and 78 RBI.
In 2025, LaViolette saw his projected top-15 status slide as he batted just .258 with 18 home runs and a respectable 61 runs driven in. Complicating matters was a late-season injury suffered in the SEC tournament as Laviolette sustained a broken hand that required surgery.
Despite the injury suffered against Auburn in the second round on May 22, the left-handed hitting slugger had surgery and was in the lineup for the Aggies in their next game against LSU.
Standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 230 pounds, LaViolette boasted a .285 career average at Texas A&M, drawing a team-high 57 walks and posting a 1.003 OPS in his final season. He holds Texas A&M school records for career home runs (68) and walks (169).
According to scouts, LaViolette brings elite power, patience, size, and grit — a prototypical corner outfield profile. His keys to finding success in the professional ranks will be refining his contact skills and handling off-speed pitches. If LaViolette can make improvements in those areas his ceiling is a middle-of-the-order bat with regular 30-homer seasons.
For a franchise that values contact rates, Laviolette’s swing-and-miss potential is a departure for a top pick. LaViolette posted about a 25% whiff rate in college and regularly struggled with pitches off the plate and breaking balls.
LaViolette was rated as one of the draft’s top power bats, and a consistent extra-base threat. He showed advanced plate discipline with high walk totals and the ability to work deep into counts. For a power hitter, LaViolette has shown that he will not chase bad pitches outside of the zone.
Despite his big frame, LaViolette has shown surprising mobility, playing solid defense and running the bases with good instincts.
Prior to the draft, Guardians Senior Vice President of Amateur Scouting Paul Gillispie said the franchise was focused on one consistent philosophy: finding the best player available, regardless of position.
“It’s less about the position and more about our assessment of the player and his fit for the Guardians,” Gillispie said.
This year, Cleveland has a significant opportunity to add talent with five selections in the top 101 picks. Gillispie said he believes this year’s draft class offers exceptional depth compared to recent years.
“It’s a deep draft,” Gillispie said. “Our ability to add some quality talent to the organization is exciting.”
When evaluating prospects, the Guardians’ scouting department looks for specific athletic qualities that translate across positions. This is particularly evident when assessing middle infielders who might have positional versatility.
“When you’re shortstop, a lot of times those players do have athleticism, coordination, balance all those types of things, life to their body, twitch,” Gillispie said. “But the versatility certainly helps.”
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“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Draft Folder
1309Here are Guardians' Draft picks from Day 2
July 14th, 2025
Tim Stebbins
Tim Stebbins
@tim_stebbins
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Draft 2025: Guardians draft 3B Luke Hill No. 132
Jul 14, 2025 · 0:53
Draft 2025: Guardians draft 3B Luke Hill No. 132
The Guardians opened the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday by honing in on powerful hitters with big frames over the course of their first five selections. That included first-round pick Jace LaViolette, an outfielder whom Cleveland landed with the No. 27 Draft pick out of Texas A&M.
2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike
Day 1 (Rounds 1-3): Pick-by-pick analysis | Top storylines, takeaways
Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Round-by-round analysis
Top 250 prospects | Order | Tracker
Each state's best prospect
Bonus pools & pick values
Famous names in the class
Picks with famous family ties
Corona HS makes Draft history
Complete coverage
More on the top picks:
1. Willits | 2. Bremner | 3. Anderson | 4. Holliday | 5. Doyle | 6. Hernandez | 7. Arquette | 8. Parker | 9. Hall | 10. Carlson
Cleveland continued its run on adding bats early on Day 2 of the Draft on Monday. All said, their class features close to an even split of hitters (10) and pitchers (12), though that was more a product of Cleveland taking the best players on its board rather than a specific strategy.
“Every round, every time you pick, you don't know exactly who's going to be on the board,” Guardians senior vice president of scouting Paul Gillispie said on Monday. “I think we probably felt that a little bit more this year, maybe, than in past years. … With all the information that you have and the tools at your disposal, you just try to make the best selection for the organization.”
Here is a rundown of whom the Guardians selected on Monday.
Luke Hill, INF
Round 4 (No. 132 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Ole Miss
Calling Card: Hill fits the mold of other infielders whom the Guardians have employed in recent memory. He has a good command of the strike zone and makes consistent contact, and has defensive versatility. The 21-year-old slashed .336/.459/.488 with eight homers, 18 stolen bases, 46 walks and just 43 strikeouts in 2025 with Ole Miss, while splitting his time between second and third base.
Quote: “He makes a lot of contact. He got into some power this year, stole some bases as well. It’s a pretty well-rounded game, well-rounded profile. … He had a really nice year and he just has a really well-rounded offensive profile, highlighted and driven by his ability to make consistent contact.” -- Gillispie
More on the Guardians' 2025 Draft:
Guardians boost OF power, grab LaViolette with No. 27 overall pick
Guardians Draft Tracker
What to watch on Day 2
Riley Nelson, 1B
Round 5 (No. 162 overall)
Bats/throws: L/R
School: Vanderbilt
Calling Card: Nelson’s hit tool stands out. While he hit just eight homers for the Commodores in 2025, he slashed .344/.450/.526 slash line with 47 RBIs and 34 walks compared to just 36 strikeouts over 60 games. The 21-year-old transferred to Vanderbilt for the ‘25 season, after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons with Western Texas College and Yavapai College.
Quote: “He’s led his team in hitting everywhere he’s gone. It’s a little bit of a different profile for a first baseman; it’s a little bit more of a hit over power profile.” -- MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis
Nelson Keljo, LHP
Round 6 (No. 192 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Oregon State
Calling Card: Keljo’s fastball has good deception and life, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. It sits around 93 mph and touches 97-98 mph. He opened 2025 as Oregon State’s Friday night starter before moving into a relief role, and all said, he recorded a 4.01 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 33 walks in 58 1/3 innings over 17 games (including 11 starts). At 6-foot-4 and with an arsenal that also features a mid-80s mph changeup and a slider, he has the traits of a potential starter, and also could develop into an intriguing reliever. The Guardians are viewing him as a starter right now.
Quote: “There’s really good deception, especially in shorter stints. … The changeup has taken a very nice step forward. So maybe he’s a fastball-changeup kind of reliever when all is said and done. He goes right after hitters.” -- MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo
Will McCausland, RHP
Round 7 (No. 222 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Ole Miss
Calling Card: McCausland features a low to mid-90s mph fastball that has been up to 95 mph. With it, he recorded 55 strikeouts compared to just 11 walks in 41 2/3 innings for Ole Miss in 2025, to go along with a 4.32 ERA, after transferring from Saint Joe’s. Gillispie noted the Guardians are thinking about him as a starter, based upon his arsenal, delivery, arm action and the movement quality on his pitches.
Anthony Martinez, 1B
Round 8 (No. 252 overall)
Bats/throws: L/R
School: UC Irvine
Calling Card: Martinez has a stellar hit tool and makes contact consistently with few strikeouts. He slashed .316/.387/.451 with five homers, 14 walks and 24 strikeouts over 52 games this past season.
Quote: “This kind of left-handed hitter fits what the Guardians like to do a lot with hitters. If they can tease a little bit more loft out of that swing, there’s some strength and raw pop to get to. He clearly has a really good approach at the plate.” -- Mayo
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Ryan Prager, LHP
Round 9 (No. 282 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Texas A&M
Calling Card: Prager returned to college after the Angels selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft. His fastball sits at 89-91 mph and has great ride, and it touches 93 mph. He recorded a 2.95 ERA in 97 2/3 innings over 19 starts in 2024, for an Aggies team that advanced to the College World Series finals. Prager had a 4.21 ERA in 83 1/3 innings over 15 starts in ‘25. The Guardians’ view is he has a high-percentage chance to remain a starter long term, Gillispie said.
Quote: “His stuff was down [in 2025], but at his best, he’s a pitchability lefty with a very good changeup who can command multiple pitches.” -- Callis
2025 Draft: Ryan Prager, LHP
Dec 4, 2024 · 0:51
2025 Draft: Ryan Prager, LHP
Harrison Bodendorf, LHP
Round 10 (No. 312 overall)
Bats/throws: R/L
School: Oklahoma State
Calling Card: Bodendorf has a unique delivery that creates deception on the mound, making it challenging to pick up the ball out of his hand. He wracked up 102 strikeouts with 28 walks in 92 2/3 innings over 17 games (including 16 starts) in 2025. The southpaw pitched for Hawaii from 2023-24.
Quote: “The fastball sits around 90 [mph], although it’s deceptive. [He has a] good slow release, and it does have some carry. It’s more fastball deception plus changeup, and he’ll mix in a breaking ball to keep you off-balance.” -- Callis
Tyler Howard, catcher
Round 11 (No. 342 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: University of Portland (Oregon)
Calling Card: Howard had a knack for getting on base. He hit .360 and had a .474 on-base percentage for the Pilots as a junior this past season, and he drew 43 walks with just 36 strikeouts. He had more of a contact than power hit tool in college; Howard hit six homers over 92 games. The Guardians are confident in his ability to stick behind the plate.
Quote: “Our staff is pretty excited about his defensive chops but also his ability to control the strike zone and make a lot of contact.” -- Gillispie
Ryan DeSanto, pitcher
Round 12 (No. 372 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Penn State
Calling Card: DeSanto’s fastball averaged around 88 mph in 2025, but it featured big spin rates that helped it generate a 24-percent whiff rate, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. He also features an upper-70s mph slider and a changeup. DeSanto posted a 3.96 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 30 walks in 72 2/3 innings over 15 starts in ‘25.
2025 Draft: Ryan DeSanto, LHP
Jun 24, 2025 · 0:59
2025 Draft: Ryan DeSanto, LHP
Aaron Savary, pitcher
Round 13 (No. 402 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Iowa
Calling Card: Savary struck out 82 compared to 33 walks in 80 1/3 innings over 15 starts with the Hawkeyes in 2025. The right-hander was Iowa’s 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year during his preps career.
Anthony Silva, shortstop
Round 14 (No. 432 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: TCU
Calling Card: Silva is known as a plus defender at shortstop and he also played second and third base in 2024 in the Cape Cod League. He demonstrated a good hit tool at TCU. He slashed .283/.350/.425 over 59 games as a junior in 2025.
Quote: “[He’s] just a really intriguing player who’s had a really strong career, and we're excited to bring him into the organization.” -- Gillispie
TCU shortstop Anthony Silva on the 2024 season
May 17, 2024 · 8:47
TCU shortstop Anthony Silva on the 2024 season
Evan Chrest, pitcher
Round 15 (No. 462 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Florida State
Calling Card: Chrest only made four starts for FSU in 2025, after he transferred from Jacksonville, due to injury. His fastball has reportedly been clocked around 91-93 mph, and he also features a cutter and changeup. He posted a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts and five walks over 16 2/3 innings this past season.
Quote: “Similar to some of the guys that have had injury histories in the past, we want to make sure we get him into the organization [first and foremost]. We're going to get everybody to Arizona here as soon as possible, partner with them, making sure everything feels good, everything's in place. Make sure the attention to detail is there with the injuries that they've had.” -- Gillispie
Luke Fernandez, pitcher
Round 16 (No. 492 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Wallace State CC (Alabama)
Calling Card: Fernandez’s strikeout numbers jump off the page. He struck out 227 batters in 165 2/3 innings over 28 games (26 starts) over two seasons with Wallace State Community College. He was named the 2025 NJCAA Division I Baseball Pitcher of the Year after he recorded a 1.34 ERA and 127 punchouts in 80 2/3 innings over 13 starts.
Quote: "Luke Fernandez is the most complete pitcher I've ever coached. In my opinion, he's the most dominant pitcher the Alabama JUCO system has ever had. Congratulations to Luke on winning this most deserving award.” -- Wallace State head baseball coach Randy Putman
Cannon Peebles, catcher
Round 17 (No. 522 overall)
Bats/throws: S/R
School: Tennessee
Calling Card: Peebles slashed .253/.335/.483 with 11 homers and 41 RBIs over 52 games as a junior this past season. He had a noticeable spike in power from 2024, when he hit just two homers in 54 games on Tennessee's College World Series championship team. Like Howard, the Guardians think he has a good chance to stick behind the plate.
Quote: “[He’s] a guy who's been around for a while, had some success, national championship. He has some of those leadership qualities that you look for in a catcher.” -- Gillispie
Zane Petty, pitcher
Round 18 (No. 552 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Texas Tech
Calling Card: An 13th-round pick by the Brewers in the 2022 Draft, Petty honored his college commitment. As a junior this past season, the right-hander recorded a 5.92 ERA in 62 1/3 innings over 14 games (12 starts).
Derek Munoz, pitcher
Round 19 (No. 582 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Miami Christian School (Florida)
Calling Card: One of the younger players in the 2025 Draft class, Munoz will not turn 18 until Sept. 21. He already has a big frame, being listed at 6-foot-2, 196 pounds, and wields a fastball that sits in the low-90s and is up to 96 mph. The Guardians are intrigued by his heater and the vertical attack angle he can create.
Quote: “[In the later rounds], you're doing everything you can to shake as many bushes as you can, turn over as many rocks as you can, to find value for the organization. Kudos to our scouts who were able to identify him and help the organization get to know him, so that we feel comfortable bringing him in.” -- Gillispie
Vaughn Neckar, pitcher
Round 20 (No. 612 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Vista Murrieta High School (California)
Calling Card: Another preps arm with a big frame, Neckar is listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds. He reportedly features a fastball that sits 93-95 mph, and a slider, curveball and changeup. Neckar is committed to Oklahoma.
Quote: “We've got to see how things play out here over the next several days. We're going to be in contact with him. Of course, we've had communication with him, and we just need to see how things play out.” -- Gillispie
July 14th, 2025
Tim Stebbins
Tim Stebbins
@tim_stebbins
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Draft 2025: Guardians draft 3B Luke Hill No. 132
Jul 14, 2025 · 0:53
Draft 2025: Guardians draft 3B Luke Hill No. 132
The Guardians opened the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday by honing in on powerful hitters with big frames over the course of their first five selections. That included first-round pick Jace LaViolette, an outfielder whom Cleveland landed with the No. 27 Draft pick out of Texas A&M.
2025 MLB Draft presented by Nike
Day 1 (Rounds 1-3): Pick-by-pick analysis | Top storylines, takeaways
Day 2 (Rounds 4-20): Round-by-round analysis
Top 250 prospects | Order | Tracker
Each state's best prospect
Bonus pools & pick values
Famous names in the class
Picks with famous family ties
Corona HS makes Draft history
Complete coverage
More on the top picks:
1. Willits | 2. Bremner | 3. Anderson | 4. Holliday | 5. Doyle | 6. Hernandez | 7. Arquette | 8. Parker | 9. Hall | 10. Carlson
Cleveland continued its run on adding bats early on Day 2 of the Draft on Monday. All said, their class features close to an even split of hitters (10) and pitchers (12), though that was more a product of Cleveland taking the best players on its board rather than a specific strategy.
“Every round, every time you pick, you don't know exactly who's going to be on the board,” Guardians senior vice president of scouting Paul Gillispie said on Monday. “I think we probably felt that a little bit more this year, maybe, than in past years. … With all the information that you have and the tools at your disposal, you just try to make the best selection for the organization.”
Here is a rundown of whom the Guardians selected on Monday.
Luke Hill, INF
Round 4 (No. 132 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Ole Miss
Calling Card: Hill fits the mold of other infielders whom the Guardians have employed in recent memory. He has a good command of the strike zone and makes consistent contact, and has defensive versatility. The 21-year-old slashed .336/.459/.488 with eight homers, 18 stolen bases, 46 walks and just 43 strikeouts in 2025 with Ole Miss, while splitting his time between second and third base.
Quote: “He makes a lot of contact. He got into some power this year, stole some bases as well. It’s a pretty well-rounded game, well-rounded profile. … He had a really nice year and he just has a really well-rounded offensive profile, highlighted and driven by his ability to make consistent contact.” -- Gillispie
More on the Guardians' 2025 Draft:
Guardians boost OF power, grab LaViolette with No. 27 overall pick
Guardians Draft Tracker
What to watch on Day 2
Riley Nelson, 1B
Round 5 (No. 162 overall)
Bats/throws: L/R
School: Vanderbilt
Calling Card: Nelson’s hit tool stands out. While he hit just eight homers for the Commodores in 2025, he slashed .344/.450/.526 slash line with 47 RBIs and 34 walks compared to just 36 strikeouts over 60 games. The 21-year-old transferred to Vanderbilt for the ‘25 season, after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons with Western Texas College and Yavapai College.
Quote: “He’s led his team in hitting everywhere he’s gone. It’s a little bit of a different profile for a first baseman; it’s a little bit more of a hit over power profile.” -- MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis
Nelson Keljo, LHP
Round 6 (No. 192 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Oregon State
Calling Card: Keljo’s fastball has good deception and life, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. It sits around 93 mph and touches 97-98 mph. He opened 2025 as Oregon State’s Friday night starter before moving into a relief role, and all said, he recorded a 4.01 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 33 walks in 58 1/3 innings over 17 games (including 11 starts). At 6-foot-4 and with an arsenal that also features a mid-80s mph changeup and a slider, he has the traits of a potential starter, and also could develop into an intriguing reliever. The Guardians are viewing him as a starter right now.
Quote: “There’s really good deception, especially in shorter stints. … The changeup has taken a very nice step forward. So maybe he’s a fastball-changeup kind of reliever when all is said and done. He goes right after hitters.” -- MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo
Will McCausland, RHP
Round 7 (No. 222 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Ole Miss
Calling Card: McCausland features a low to mid-90s mph fastball that has been up to 95 mph. With it, he recorded 55 strikeouts compared to just 11 walks in 41 2/3 innings for Ole Miss in 2025, to go along with a 4.32 ERA, after transferring from Saint Joe’s. Gillispie noted the Guardians are thinking about him as a starter, based upon his arsenal, delivery, arm action and the movement quality on his pitches.
Anthony Martinez, 1B
Round 8 (No. 252 overall)
Bats/throws: L/R
School: UC Irvine
Calling Card: Martinez has a stellar hit tool and makes contact consistently with few strikeouts. He slashed .316/.387/.451 with five homers, 14 walks and 24 strikeouts over 52 games this past season.
Quote: “This kind of left-handed hitter fits what the Guardians like to do a lot with hitters. If they can tease a little bit more loft out of that swing, there’s some strength and raw pop to get to. He clearly has a really good approach at the plate.” -- Mayo
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Ryan Prager, LHP
Round 9 (No. 282 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Texas A&M
Calling Card: Prager returned to college after the Angels selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft. His fastball sits at 89-91 mph and has great ride, and it touches 93 mph. He recorded a 2.95 ERA in 97 2/3 innings over 19 starts in 2024, for an Aggies team that advanced to the College World Series finals. Prager had a 4.21 ERA in 83 1/3 innings over 15 starts in ‘25. The Guardians’ view is he has a high-percentage chance to remain a starter long term, Gillispie said.
Quote: “His stuff was down [in 2025], but at his best, he’s a pitchability lefty with a very good changeup who can command multiple pitches.” -- Callis
2025 Draft: Ryan Prager, LHP
Dec 4, 2024 · 0:51
2025 Draft: Ryan Prager, LHP
Harrison Bodendorf, LHP
Round 10 (No. 312 overall)
Bats/throws: R/L
School: Oklahoma State
Calling Card: Bodendorf has a unique delivery that creates deception on the mound, making it challenging to pick up the ball out of his hand. He wracked up 102 strikeouts with 28 walks in 92 2/3 innings over 17 games (including 16 starts) in 2025. The southpaw pitched for Hawaii from 2023-24.
Quote: “The fastball sits around 90 [mph], although it’s deceptive. [He has a] good slow release, and it does have some carry. It’s more fastball deception plus changeup, and he’ll mix in a breaking ball to keep you off-balance.” -- Callis
Tyler Howard, catcher
Round 11 (No. 342 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: University of Portland (Oregon)
Calling Card: Howard had a knack for getting on base. He hit .360 and had a .474 on-base percentage for the Pilots as a junior this past season, and he drew 43 walks with just 36 strikeouts. He had more of a contact than power hit tool in college; Howard hit six homers over 92 games. The Guardians are confident in his ability to stick behind the plate.
Quote: “Our staff is pretty excited about his defensive chops but also his ability to control the strike zone and make a lot of contact.” -- Gillispie
Ryan DeSanto, pitcher
Round 12 (No. 372 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Penn State
Calling Card: DeSanto’s fastball averaged around 88 mph in 2025, but it featured big spin rates that helped it generate a 24-percent whiff rate, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. He also features an upper-70s mph slider and a changeup. DeSanto posted a 3.96 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 30 walks in 72 2/3 innings over 15 starts in ‘25.
2025 Draft: Ryan DeSanto, LHP
Jun 24, 2025 · 0:59
2025 Draft: Ryan DeSanto, LHP
Aaron Savary, pitcher
Round 13 (No. 402 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Iowa
Calling Card: Savary struck out 82 compared to 33 walks in 80 1/3 innings over 15 starts with the Hawkeyes in 2025. The right-hander was Iowa’s 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year during his preps career.
Anthony Silva, shortstop
Round 14 (No. 432 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: TCU
Calling Card: Silva is known as a plus defender at shortstop and he also played second and third base in 2024 in the Cape Cod League. He demonstrated a good hit tool at TCU. He slashed .283/.350/.425 over 59 games as a junior in 2025.
Quote: “[He’s] just a really intriguing player who’s had a really strong career, and we're excited to bring him into the organization.” -- Gillispie
TCU shortstop Anthony Silva on the 2024 season
May 17, 2024 · 8:47
TCU shortstop Anthony Silva on the 2024 season
Evan Chrest, pitcher
Round 15 (No. 462 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Florida State
Calling Card: Chrest only made four starts for FSU in 2025, after he transferred from Jacksonville, due to injury. His fastball has reportedly been clocked around 91-93 mph, and he also features a cutter and changeup. He posted a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts and five walks over 16 2/3 innings this past season.
Quote: “Similar to some of the guys that have had injury histories in the past, we want to make sure we get him into the organization [first and foremost]. We're going to get everybody to Arizona here as soon as possible, partner with them, making sure everything feels good, everything's in place. Make sure the attention to detail is there with the injuries that they've had.” -- Gillispie
Luke Fernandez, pitcher
Round 16 (No. 492 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Wallace State CC (Alabama)
Calling Card: Fernandez’s strikeout numbers jump off the page. He struck out 227 batters in 165 2/3 innings over 28 games (26 starts) over two seasons with Wallace State Community College. He was named the 2025 NJCAA Division I Baseball Pitcher of the Year after he recorded a 1.34 ERA and 127 punchouts in 80 2/3 innings over 13 starts.
Quote: "Luke Fernandez is the most complete pitcher I've ever coached. In my opinion, he's the most dominant pitcher the Alabama JUCO system has ever had. Congratulations to Luke on winning this most deserving award.” -- Wallace State head baseball coach Randy Putman
Cannon Peebles, catcher
Round 17 (No. 522 overall)
Bats/throws: S/R
School: Tennessee
Calling Card: Peebles slashed .253/.335/.483 with 11 homers and 41 RBIs over 52 games as a junior this past season. He had a noticeable spike in power from 2024, when he hit just two homers in 54 games on Tennessee's College World Series championship team. Like Howard, the Guardians think he has a good chance to stick behind the plate.
Quote: “[He’s] a guy who's been around for a while, had some success, national championship. He has some of those leadership qualities that you look for in a catcher.” -- Gillispie
Zane Petty, pitcher
Round 18 (No. 552 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Texas Tech
Calling Card: An 13th-round pick by the Brewers in the 2022 Draft, Petty honored his college commitment. As a junior this past season, the right-hander recorded a 5.92 ERA in 62 1/3 innings over 14 games (12 starts).
Derek Munoz, pitcher
Round 19 (No. 582 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Miami Christian School (Florida)
Calling Card: One of the younger players in the 2025 Draft class, Munoz will not turn 18 until Sept. 21. He already has a big frame, being listed at 6-foot-2, 196 pounds, and wields a fastball that sits in the low-90s and is up to 96 mph. The Guardians are intrigued by his heater and the vertical attack angle he can create.
Quote: “[In the later rounds], you're doing everything you can to shake as many bushes as you can, turn over as many rocks as you can, to find value for the organization. Kudos to our scouts who were able to identify him and help the organization get to know him, so that we feel comfortable bringing him in.” -- Gillispie
Vaughn Neckar, pitcher
Round 20 (No. 612 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Vista Murrieta High School (California)
Calling Card: Another preps arm with a big frame, Neckar is listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds. He reportedly features a fastball that sits 93-95 mph, and a slider, curveball and changeup. Neckar is committed to Oklahoma.
Quote: “We've got to see how things play out here over the next several days. We're going to be in contact with him. Of course, we've had communication with him, and we just need to see how things play out.” -- Gillispie