Cleveland Sports Forum

Guardians Voice Named As One Of The Biggest Offseason Winners

January 18, 2025

By Andres Chavez

When you think of the Cleveland Guardians and their games throughout the years, Tom Hamilton immediately comes to mind.

His name and voice will be forever associated with the franchise, for all the right reasons.

Hamilton joined the Guardians (then, the Cleveland Indians) radio network in the 1990 campaign, and his voice has accompanied the team, for better or worse, since then.

Over his successful career, Hamilton has called more than 5,000 games, including the 1997 and 2016 World Series.

His career work earned him a highly prestigious award late last year, and that makes him one of the 2024-25 off-season winners in the eyes of The Athletic’s writer and former baseball executive Jim Bowden.

“The voice of the Cleveland Guardians learned at the Winter Meetings in December that he had won the Ford C. Frick Award and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this July in Cooperstown, N.Y. Hamilton has one of the best voices in MLB history. He has truly special energy and enthusiasm and a great baseball mind,”

The Ford C. Frick Award is given every year to one broadcaster for his contributions to the game of baseball.

Hamilton was the chosen one on this occasion, and he has every merit to be the recipient of the important recognition.

He received endless demonstrations of respect and admiration ever since the news was revealed.

Those who weren’t familiar with his work also got to know him and his voice.

You can say with confidence that he was, indeed, one of the winners of the off-season.

No, not all heroes wear capes: the beautiful game of baseball is more than just the players.

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Analyst Believes Guardians Made Best Trade Of The Offseason

January 19, 2025

By Andres Chavez

This weekend, the Cleveland Guardians pulled off a jaw-dropping trade.

They agreed to send outfielder Myles Straw, $2 million in international bonus slot money, and $3.75 million to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

No, we don’t know the player coming to Cleveland, and that’s if there is one.

But it hardly matters because the Guardians got rid of Straw’s contract.

Before the 2022 campaign, Cleveland extended Straw on a five-year, $25 million contract.

The deal has been a disaster because Straw is almost unplayable offensively.

He is so bad that Cleveland waived him and outrighted him to Triple-A before the start of the 2024 season.

He spent the vast majority of the year in Columbus.

Analysts think that the Guardians did very well in the trade.

Some even consider it the best trade of the 2024-25 offseason so far, just because they got rid of most of the $14.75 million guaranteed left on Straw’s deal.

“Chris Antonetti and Mike Chernoff played this perfect. Getting out of that Myles Straw for bonus pool $$ they weren’t going to use is massive for a small-market team. The best trade of the offseason for any team,” BBWAA member and MLB editor at The Score Brandon Wile wrote on X.

The Guardians essentially took advantage of the Blue Jays’ desperation to improve their offer to Roki Sasaki.

In the process, they took on the vast majority of the salary of a player who just posted a 72 wRC+… in Triple-A.

It didn’t seem possible at the end of the season, but Cleveland has managed to free up more than $100 million in two players who didn’t contribute offensively: Andrés Giménez and Straw.

Both players went to the same team: the Blue Jays.

It was a marvelous use of resources by Antonetti and Chernoff.

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Taking Guardians fans for granted is not the way to build on attendance success

Opinion: Bob Paulson

Bob Paulson, the former Republican mayor of Solon, writes an occasional column from the middle..

Published: Jan. 19, 2025, 5:26 a.m.

CLEVELAND -- In January 2023, I wrote a column stating that Cleveland will always be a football town, looking at how hard the Cavs work to keep their customer base engaged and some steps the Guardians should take to achieve the same. For weeks, I received reader feedback agreeing with me.

Two years later, it’s still a Browns Town, albeit wobbly. The Cavs look like an elite NBA team. The reigning American League Central Division Champion Guardians drew over two million fans for only the third time since 2008.

One reason they touted for breaking the two-million mark in attendance was their rollout of the $49 monthly standing-room-only Ballpark Pass. I often suggested a promotion like this was needed. The front office always pushed back, stating they don’t devalue their product with deep discounts.

What a great opportunity they had to carry over this excitement into the offseason. Then last month, they traded three-time Gold Glove winner Andrés Giménez, sidestepping paying him $96 million over next five years. Though surprising, this move gets a pass because the team’s baseball operations staff has been more right than wrong with personnel decisions.

Then, their business office followed it up with a press release stating the popular January Guards Fest would not be held. I am dating myself, but that screeching sound was like a phonograph needle being dragged across a vinyl record.

The club claimed the decision was made after “conducting fan outreach from the past several events” and it would return after the 2026 season as a “tri-annual event,” although they actually meant triennial, or every three years. The team is privately held and is not obligated to release the results of any customer surveys.

The outcry on social media was swift and angry. Disappointed fans claimed it was calculated move to further minimize player interaction with them. Season ticketholders said it was yet another perk that was being taken away.

My hunch is that the event was canceled for a combination of reasons. The second year of Progressive Field renovations are in progress and most of the staff has been working remotely. Fan interaction events are labor-intensive. Season ticketholder meet-and-greets with current players have also been scaled back in recent years.

Many players are already working out informally in Goodyear, Arizona ahead of the formal start of spring training next month. Flying a near-full squad across the country for that winter fan event can be disruptive. The Guardians front office was not going to admit that, so they used fan feedback as the excuse.

During the pandemic, the team closed their spring training practice fields to fans. Previously, fans could sit in bleachers near the main field to watch practice and interact with the players and coaches as they walked by.

Post-pandemic visitors to Goodyear can now only view workouts in remote locations in screened or fenced-off areas. They also may be lucky to obtain a couple autographs if players are willing to stop their cars as they exit the gated parking lot.

The excuse the club has used for limiting fan interaction is “for the safety and security of our staff and players.” Yet at the World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers facility in nearby Glendale, Arizona, fans can watch batting practice and simulated games right behind all the backstops.

In 2008, the then-Indians opened Heritage Park behind the center field wall. The two-tiered monument park was billed to “honor the greatest names in club history and celebrate the team’s most memorable moments.”

To help underwrite the cost, fans were invited to purchase commemorative brick pavers “to pay tribute to that special person who passed on their love of the national pastime to you” or to “secure your place in Indians History.” The cost ranged from $150 to $375.

Just over 16 years later, many paver inscriptions are now illegible even though there has never been inordinately heavy foot traffic in the lower tier of Heritage Park, nor is the area exposed to road salt or severe conditions from Cleveland’s winters other than snow.

Before Jacobs Field opened in 1994. excited fans also purchased commemorative pavers around the original location of the Bob Feller statue. They were relocated once during the first ballpark upgrade in 2015 and then dug up in 2023 when that plaza was repaved with concrete.

The current multimillion-dollar Progressive Field renovation is again being paid for by a combination of county and city funding, special taxes and the team. In addition to the necessary infrastructure upgrades, even more revenue-producing venues throughout the park are being created. When Progressive Field reopens this spring, it will have perhaps the largest, most expensive beer garden in Greater Cleveland. The taxpayers are also kicking in $300,000 for a renovated team shop.

When asked a year ago about the Heritage Park pavers, Guardians Senior Vice President/Public Affairs Bob DiBiasio replied that they were “certainly part of the renovations punch list.” Earlier this month, he responded that replacing these pavers is different from the current ballpark makeover and stated that once Progressive Field is “reimagined,” other areas of the ballpark that need attention would be identified.

Even though Heritage Park is not a revenue generator, it still is important to generations of Cleveland baseball fans who paid to be part of this legacy project.

Cumulative decisions like these are the reason fans are “in-like” but not in-love with this team. This too often tone-deaf front office has a curious knack of burning through any goodwill it occasionally generates.

Our Around the Horn series continues.



Over the next few weeks leading up to Spring Training, we’ll go position by position to break down each area of the Guardians’ roster. We’ve knocked out catcher, first base and second base. Let’s move on to shortstop:

Projected starter: Brayan Rocchio
The decision to trade Andrés Giménez was telling.

It showed that the Guardians don’t believe Giménez was going to be the same player he was in his 2022 All-Star season. It showed that they don’t think his glove was enough to outweigh his offensive struggles for the price they would eventually be paying for him. But it also showed their tremendous belief in Rocchio.

Rocchio stands as the lone obvious candidate to play shortstop in 2025. Sure, there are others who could see some time there, but with second base completely open, shortstop is going to fall into the hands of Rocchio once again.

It’s not like we entered the offseason thinking that Rocchio lost his job at shortstop. But there was always a question of whether this team would decide to shake things up at any given time. This is because of Rocchio’s lack of consistency since he has been in the Majors. He played in 143 games last year and hit .206 with a .614 OPS (76 OPS+). But in small windows, he demonstrated why he was a top prospect in the past.

The playoffs are a great example as to why there are still reasons to believe Rocchio can develop into a really solid player. In his first taste of postseason baseball, he recorded at least one hit in each of his first eight games. In 10 total playoff games last year, he went 11-for-33 (.333) with two doubles, a home run and a .906 OPS.

The Guardians know the potential is there.






The backups: Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneemann, Tyler Freeman

These options are dependent upon who wins the starting job at second base. Arias is the best suited of these options to handle shortstop, considering he spent most of his time there the past few seasons. However, all three of these infielders have proven they can move all over the diamond, including shortstop. If Arias starts at second base, Schneemann and Freeman can both fill in at shortstop, if needed.






Question to answer: Can Rocchio be the guy?

There was always a fallback plan. Everyone was anticipating that one day Giménez would be moved to shortstop to clear a path for Cleveland’s top prospect, Travis Bazzana. We even thought it could happen earlier with Juan Brito. Regardless, if Rocchio wasn’t the answer at shortstop, there was always Giménez, who spends his offseasons taking ground balls at short, who could shift over. If he’s a Platinum Glover at second, it seems safe to assume he could be a decent shortstop. But Giménez is gone. Suddenly, there’s no backup plan.

Rocchio can make an unbelievable, highlight-reel-worthy play one second but rush through a routine ground ball that results in an error the next. He can string together a week’s worth of being a real threat in the batter’s box but then go ice cold for the next few weeks. Everyone has seen the best of Rocchio in flashes. But the question that he needs to answer in 2025 is whether he can bring that consistency every day to earn this starting role.






Who else is in the Pipeline?

Guardians’ No. 4 prospect Angel Genao (High-A Lake County)
No. 9 Welbyn Francisca (Single-A Lynchburg)
No. 23 Alex Mooney (High-A Lake County)






Last week, the Guardians opened the 2025 international signing period by signing 25 players -- 15 from Venezuela, nine from the Dominican Republic and one from Cuba. Two of these prospects ranked among MLB Pipeline’s Top 50 International Prospects. Catcher Hiverson López came in at No. 41 and shortstop Heins Brito at No. 48.

“The opening of the International Signing Period is a special time as we celebrate the players, and their families and trainers who have supported them along the way. We are thrilled to welcome this group of players into our organization and look forward to partnering with them in their development. While it’s just the beginning of their professional baseball journeys, it’s important to acknowledge the effort, dedication, and perseverance it took to get to this moment. It’s also an exciting time for our organization, including our scouting staff, which worked tirelessly in getting to know these players, and we are so thankful and proud for their contributions.” -- Richard Conway, Guardians director of international scouting.

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Guards bring on reliever Paul Sewald to add experience to bullpen

By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02

January 22, 2025

CLEVELAND – The Guardians have prioritized adding to their rotation all winter long. Now, they’re adding some experience to their bullpen.

The Guardians and free agent reliever Paul Sewald agreed on a one-year contract with a mutual option for 2026, the club announced on Wednesday. In order to clear space for Sewald on the 40-man roster, the team designated reliever Pedro Avila for assignment.

The deal is expected to be worth $7 million guaranteed for 2025 ($1 million buyout), with a $10 million option for 2026, though the club did not confirm the value.

Cleveland had the best bullpen in the Majors last year and although the biggest contributors are set to be back in 2025, the team did part ways with names like Eli Morgan, Nick Sandlin and now Avila – all of whom provided some much-needed depth last season. Sewald will now fill that void.

From 2021 through ’23, Sewald was a steady bullpen presence, keeping his ERA under 3.15 each year while recording double-digit save seasons. His ’24 season wasn’t quite as consistent, with his ERA creeping to 4.31 and his strikeout numbers dropping, but he had to work around neck and oblique injuries that resulted in two stints on the injured list. From the start of 2021, Sewald owns the seventh-lowest batting average against among all MLB relievers at .187. Emmanuel Clase sits just behind him in eighth (.191).

The Guardians know that Sewald has a chance to become a weapon for them out of the bullpen. With Clase working the ninth inning, Cade Smith available for the most critical point in the game and Hunter Gaddis possibly reclaiming his eighth-inning role, Sewald could slide into multiple roles as needed on any given night.

But as important as it is to add another threatening arm to the roster, the Guardians also knew they needed experience. Yes, this group was the best bullpen in the Majors last year consisting mostly of young, inexperienced arms. In 2025, it’s going to be a similar story. Smith will be in his sophomore campaign. Andrew Walters and Erik Sabrowski will still be rookies. Nic Enright and Franco Aleman have really good chances to make their debuts this season. It’s going to be another tremendously young bullpen.

Bringing in a 34-year-old righty with eight years of experience could be key.

Sewald can help lead this group to another year of dominance. Not only is he a reliable arm, but he’s known to be a leader in the community as well. He and his wife, Molly, created Sewald’s Strikeouts 4 Kids in 2022, which has raised over $250,000 to provide children a safe environment that’s free from abuse and neglect. He served as Arizona’s Roberto Clemente Award nominee last year and has clearly demonstrated a natural ability to lead and set positive examples – an intangible quality to add to a young roster.

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Guardians Sign Paul Sewald

By Steve Adams and Darragh McDonald MLBTR

January 22, 2025 at 3:15pm CDT

The Guardians announced Wednesday that they’ve signed free agent reliever Paul Sewald to a one-year contract with a mutual option for the 2026 season. He’s represented by ISE Baseball. The righty is reportedly guaranteed $7MM on the deal, which will be paid out in the form of a $1MM signing bonus, a $5MM salary, and a $1MM buyout on a $10MM mutual option. Sewald can also earn an extra $100K for reaching each of 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 relief appearances in 2025, giving him the opportunity to earn a total of $7.5MM on the deal.

Righty Pedro Avila has been designated for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster, per the club announcement. Cleveland also signed right-hander Riley Pint to a minor league deal. The Excel client will be invited him to spring training.

Sewald, 35 in May, is coming off a bit of a frustrating year. He opened the 2024 season on the injured list due to a left oblique strain and missed a bit more than a month, getting reinstated by the Diamondbacks on May 7. Once back on the mound, the results weren’t up to his previous standard, which got him bumped from Arizona’s closing gig in August. He landed back on the IL in September due to neck discomfort and wrapped up the campaign there.

In the end, he tossed 39 2/3 innings on the year, allowing 4.31 earned runs per nine. His 26.1% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk rate were still good numbers but were worse than his previous form. From 2021 to 2023, between the Mariners and Diamondbacks, he threw 189 1/3 innings with a 2.95 ERA, 33.9% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate.

The Guardians are seemingly making a bet on a bounceback, which there is some justification for. Most of his struggles last year were during a short period of time where he seemed to be a bit unlucky. In the month of July, he allowed 12 earned runs in 10 innings, just before losing the closer’s job. Since he only allowed 19 earned runs all year, that was the majority of them. During that month, he allowed a .469 batting average on balls in play and had a 56.2% strand rate, which are both on the unfortunate side. That’s why his 3.94 SIERA was miles better than his 10.80 ERA that month.

Sewald averaged 91.4 miles per hour on his fastball last year, which was down from being in the 92-93 mph range in the previous three seasons, but it’s possible that his two injuries played a role there. With a bit better health, perhaps the Guards can get more of the 2021-23 Sewald than the ’24 version.

Though betting on Sewald is a perfectly sensible thing to do, it’s a bit of a curious path for the Guards at first glance. Cleveland had the best bullpen in the majors in 2024 and it wasn’t close. Their relief corps had a collective 2.57 ERA in 2024, with the Brewers coming a distant second at 3.11. They traded Nick Sandlin to the Blue Jays as part of the Andrés Giménez deal last month but still have Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin and others.

Given that the team doesn’t usually run huge budgets, the most straightforward way for them to allocate their resources this winter would be to upgrade the offense. The Guards hit .238/.307/.395 as a team last year, which was exactly league average. They are going into 2025 with a fairly similar group of position players. They traded Josh Naylor to the Diamondbacks and then signed Carlos Santana, a roughly cash-neutral move since Santana’s salary will be fairly close to Naylor’s this year. They subtracted Giménez, who is more of a glove-first player, but now second base projects to go to a fairly unproven player like Juan Brito or Ángel Martínez.

Perhaps the Guardians will line up a trade with one of their other relievers but it’s also possible that they see the value in leaning into their strength by further upgrading the relief corps. Relievers tend to be the most volatile part of a roster these days, with regression and/or injuries entirely possible, so having another experienced arm in the mixes hedges against that.






Avila, 28, has posted some solid but not outstanding results in his career thus far. Between the Padres and Guardians, he has thrown 146 1/3 innings in his career with a 3.51 ERA, 23.8% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate and 49.2% ground ball rate.

He exhausted his final option year with the Friars in 2023, which gave him a tenuous hold on a roster spot. He struggled out of the gate last year, which led to him being flipped to Cleveland. He ultimately finished the year with a 3.81 ERA in 82 2/3 innings.

Despite a solid campaign, Avila’s out-of-options status and a crowded Cleveland bullpen were going to make it hard for him to keep a roster spot all year, so he’s been nudged off today. The Guards will now have a week of DFA limbo to figure out what’s next, whether that’s a trade or a fate on waivers. Since the waiver process takes 48 hours, any trades would have to come together in the next five days.

Any acquiring team would have to deal with the same lack of options, though a team with a less-elite bullpen might be more able to manage that. Avila’s results have been decent and he still has less than two years of service time, meaning he hasn’t yet qualified for arbitration and could be cheaply controlled for as many as five seasons.






Pint, 27, was taken by the Rockies with the fourth overall pick in 2016. He was a top 100 prospect for a while but struggled badly with control in the minors and decided to retire in 2021. At that point, he had thrown 166 2/3 innings on the farm with a 5.56 ERA, 20.5% strikeout rate and 16.8% walk rate.

He un-retired in 2022 and posted decent results that year. He threw 45 2/3 innings across multiple levels with a 4.53 ERA, 56.6% ground ball rate and 29.1% strikeout rate, though the walks were still high at 15.6%. The Rockies were encouraged enough to give him a roster spot to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.

He spent most of the past two years as optionable depth for Colorado. He has just 3 2/3 major league innings on his track record, having allowed nine earned runs for an unseemly 22.09 ERA. He has struck out seven opponents but given out eight walks and plunked another two batters. Obviously, the minor league numbers have been better. He had a 3.92 ERA in 41 1/3 innings on the farm last year, striking out 36.3% of batters faced but also giving out walks at a massive 20.7% clip. He was outrighted by the Rockies in August and elected free agency at season’s end.

Pint is obviously still a project but the Guardians have a strong reputation for working with pitchers, so it’s understandable why they’d take a shot on a former top prospect without having to give up a roster spot. If he gets added to the roster at any point, he still has an option remaining and just a few days of service time.

With Sewald now added to the books, RosterResource estimates the club’s total commitments at $96MM for this year. They opened last year at $98MM, per Cot’s Baseball Contracts. After making the postseason last year, perhaps there’s a payroll bump coming. But on the other hand, the club has no broadcast deal for this year. Their deal with Diamond Sports Group, now known as Main Street Sports, expired last year. MLB is going to be handling the broadcasts this year, an arrangement that is sure to lead to less revenue.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported Sewald’s $7MM salary, with Zack Meisel of The Athletic reporting the specific breakdown.

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Hi! I’m Mandy Bell. We may be in the thick of winter, but these newsletters will continue to be delivered to your inbox each week throughout the offseason. Let’s get into the good stuff.

It’s time to close out the infield.

Over the next few weeks leading up to Spring Training, we’ll go position by position to break down each area of the Guardians’ roster. We’ve knocked out catcher, first base, second base and shortstop. Let’s tackle an easy one: Third base.

Projected starter: José Ramírez

I think we can eliminate the word “Projected” here. It seems like this guy has earned his starting role without having to compete with too many people this spring.

Ramírez has taken a lot of pride in improving his defense to match the skills that he obviously brings to the team with his bat and on the bases. He’s determined to add his first Gold Glove to his sparkling résumé. He’ll also be looking to pick up his fourth Silver Slugger in the past six seasons.

From 2022-24, Ramírez has been as consistent as the Guardians could’ve asked for. He hit .280 in ’22, .282 in ’23 and .279 in ’24. His OPS went from .869 to .831 to .872 in that span, as well. He logged at least 36 doubles in each season, with at least 24 homers. Two of the three years resulted in 100-plus RBIs. And if Game 162 wasn’t rained out last year, we may be talking about how he’s coming off of a historic 40-40-40 season (instead, he had a 39-39-41 season, which I guess is OK, too).






Undoubtedly, the desire for a 40-40 season will fuel him again in ’25 after coming so close last year. As long as the Guardians can figure out how to get proper protection behind him in the lineup after trading away Josh Naylor, Ramírez could make another exciting run once again.

The backups: Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneemann, Tyler Freeman, Angel Martínez

The Guardians value defensive versatility as much as anything else. It’s the reason the same four names will continue to pop up as backups for each position across the diamond.

Depending on who wins the starting second-base job, someone could fall out of this list, but clearly, Cleveland has options. The Guardians have tried to work in more DH days for Ramírez as he’s gotten older to make sure he stays fresh without losing his bat in the lineup. So any of those options could play third base on those days.






Question to answer: Is there enough protection behind Ramírez?

The Guardians traded away Naylor and replaced him with free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana. Naylor may not have been as consistent last year as he was the previous season, but he added power, which is something this lineup is always in need of. His threat was enough to provide much-needed protection for Ramírez, which helped him in his pursuit of a 40-40 season. Now that falls on the shoulders of soon-to-be-39-year-old Santana.

Santana showed signs of regression from 2021-23, but last year, he bounced back. He batted .238 with a .748 OPS, 23 homers, 71 RBIs and 26 doubles, while winning his first career Gold Glove Award. Was last year the fluke? Did he discover something to help him get back on the right track? Will it be enough to be a cleanup hitter in this lineup and help Ramírez see decent pitches? It’s hard to know.

Who else is in the Pipeline?

Guardians’ No. 4 prospect Angel Genao (High-A Lake County) and No. 23 Alex Mooney (High-A Lake County)

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My Opinion: Murakami would be the answer for aging Santana and a sub for Ramirez.....
But, can we afford him ???
Worth a shot across the bow

Munetaka Murakami, 1B, 3B
2018 AGE 18 36 HR;
2019 AGE 19 36 HR;
2020 AGE 20 28 HR;
2021 AGE 21 39 HR;
2022 AGE 22, 56 HR;
2023 AGE 23 31 HR;
2024 AGE 24, 33 HR;
43 AVG HR/YR
AGE 24, G 934, PA 3983, AVE 272, AB 3295, OBP 395, SLG 543, OPS 938, R 558, H 897, 2B 160, 3B 5, HR 241, RBI 670, SB 71, CS 40, W 640, K 997,

MURAKAMI WORLD CLASSIC HOMER VS TEAM USA

https://www.mlb.com/video/murakami-s-115-1-mph-home-run

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MLB Pipeline released its 2025 Top 100 Prospects list on Friday night and the Guardians had a quartet of rising stars make the cut.



No. 10: 2B Travis Bazzana
No. 36: OF Chase DeLauter
No. 60: OF Jaison Chourio
No. 62: INF Angel Genao

The hype for Chourio and Genao only built more throughout the 2024 season, however Bazzana and DeLauter may have realistic chances of cracking into the big leagues in ’25.

DeLauter absolutely should. He was the best player in Spring Training games for the Guardians last year and he wasn’t even technically in big league camp. Injuries set him back throughout the season, but if he can stay healthy, there’s no reason he won’t be in the Majors before the end of this season. Here’s what our MLB Pipeline experts think:

Few players in the Minors can match DeLauter's combination of size (6-foot-3, 235 pounds), athleticism, ability to hit for both average and power and plate discipline. He rarely strays from the strike zone and makes repeated hard contact against all types of pitches. He has an unorthodox left-handed swing that can get long and he'll get caught on his front foot at times, but his bat speed and strength allow him to pull pitches for power and drive them the other way with authority.

Bazzana was just drafted last July, but when you’re a No. 1 overall pick out of college, the Minor League journey may be short. And now that Andrés Giménez is not blocking anyone at second base, Bazzana could get a chance toward the end of the ’25 season. Here’s what MLB Pipeline experts think about his bat:

Bazzana has a compact left-handed swing with quality bat speed and makes excellent swing decisions, leaving him with no obvious weakness at the plate. He rarely chases, makes contact with ease while generating upper-echelon exit velocities and produces against lefties and righties and all types of pitches. His exceptional bat-to-ball skills overshadow his plus raw power, and he gets to most of it while displaying the ability to drive the ball out of the park to the opposite field.

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Former Cleveland Rotation Given Massive Recognition

The 2018 Cleveland Guardians are considered to have one of the top starting rotations in the last 30 years.

Tommy Wild | 2 Hours Ago

The Cleveland organization has always been known for its elite pitching development. In 2025, the Guardians have the best bullpen in baseball, with some exciting young arms at the top of their rotation.

However, Cleveland, at one point in time, had one of the best rotations in MLB, and there's one group that stands out above the rest.

Rowan Kavner of Fox Sports ranked MLB's top 10 best rotations over the last 30 years, and Cleveland's 2018 rotation came in at No. 10.

This legendary group consisted of:

Corey Kluber (2.89 ERA)
Trevor Bauer (2.21 ERA)
Carlos Carrasco (3.38 ERA)
Mike Clevinger (3.02 ERA)
Shane Bieber (4.55 ERA)

"A year after Kluber's second Cy Young Award with the club and two years before a then-rookie Bieber's first, this iteration of Cleveland's elite rotation was record-setting in its own right," wrote Kavner.

"The 2018 Guardians are the only team in MLB history to have four pitchers (Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, Clevinger) with at least 200 strikeouts in a single season. Over the past 30 years, the 2018 Cleveland rotation ranks third in strikeout-to-walk ratio and is one of only three teams with four starters who were worth at least 4.0 bWAR. The depth of the group gives it a spot on this list."






This group is undoubtedly the top rotation in franchise history, and some argue that they should be ranked even higher on this list.

Looking back on this rotation almost eight years later, it is incredible to think about how few runs they gave up and how many they imposed their will night after night.

As Kavner also points out, this rotation is "the only team in MLB history to have four pitchers (Kluber, Bauer, Carrasco, Clevinger) with at least 200 strikeouts in a single season."

It'll be difficult for another group in club history to ever overcome this special rotation. But with Cleveland's pitching development, anything is possible.

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What I'm hearing about why Guards signed Paul Sewald – Terry Pluto

Updated: Jan. 26, 2025, 5:02 a.m.|Published: Jan. 26, 2025, 5:00 a.m.

By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Why Paul Sewald?

That question came to mind when the Guardians signed the 34-year-old reliever to a one-year guaranteed $7 million deal.

There is a mutual option for $10 million in 2026. Rarely do mutual options become real deals because either party can refuse and negate the contract.

Can the Guardians use another veteran hitter, especially an outfielder? Absolutely.

But it was their elite bullpen that fueled their run to the Central Division title. Looking at the stats, it’s still incredible to find Cleveland’s relievers with a 2.57 ERA. The next best was Milwaukee (3.11).

The Guardians want to give manager Stephen Vogt and pitching coach Carl Willis lots of options in the bullpen.

Consider this from Jay Jaffe of FranGraphs:

“All season long, manager Stephen Vogt and company struggled to find effective starters, having lost Shane Bieber to Tommy John surgery early in the season. Their rotation’s 4.40 ERA and 4.51 FIP both ranked 24th in the majors. They had the highest ERA among the postseason teams … Of the six Guardians who started at least 16 times, four had ERAs of 4.86 or higher.”

Tanner Bibee threw 173 2/3 innings for Cleveland last year. He was one of only three Guards starters to pitch more than 100 innings. Joshua Gunter, cleveland.com

Rotation problems

Looking deeper, we find the following:

1. The Guards had only three starters to pitch at least 100 innings: Tanner Bibee (173 2/3), Ben Lively (151 innings) and Carlos Carrasco (103 2/3). Carrasco was off the roster near the end of the season.

2. Here are pitchers who started at least 10 games and their ERAs: Bibee (3.47), Lively (3.81), Gavin Williams (4.86), Triston McKenzie (5.11), Carrasco (5.64) and Logan Allen (5.73).

3. Cleveland’s rotation was in such sad shape for the postseason that they went with Bibee, Matthew Boyd and Alex Cobb as their starters. Boyd and Cobb were late-season additions, both coming off injuries. Boyd was magnificent for the Guards. Cobb couldn’t stay healthy. They started Williams in one playoff game and he lasted only 2 1/3 innings.

4. That’s part of the reason the Guards made the deal for Luis Ortiz, the starter from the Pirates whom they love. It’s why they brought Bieber back and are willing to wait (probably until midseason) for him to finish recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery. It’s why they added Slade Cecconi in the Josh Naylor deal with Arizona. If he can’t help in the rotation, the Guardians like Cecconi as a bullpen option.

Two Words - Jack Flaherty

[ Regardless of the cause of Flaherty’s depressed market, it was reported earlier this month that the right-hander is now open to short-term offers as he looks to find his new home with the start of Spring Training just two over two weeks away. The Tigers, Cubs, Orioles, and Blue Jays are among the teams that have been connected to Flaherty this winter. The right-hander expressed a desire to return to the Dodgers early in the offseason, but that door has long appeared closed in the aftermath of Los Angeles striking early to sign Blake Snell back in November. The Dodgers have also added Roki Sasaki since then, further crowding their rotation mix. Flaherty acknowledged the long odds of a reunion during the interview, noting that he “can do the math” and surmise that he’s “most likely” not returning to LA. He also has interest in returning to his other 2024 club this year, however, and spoke positively of the Tigers during the interview.

“You know, I wanted to stay in Detroit,” Flaherty said. “We had conversations, and I loved it there. And I thought the combo of me and Skub was incredible… we’ve been talking to them and talking to other teams… Hey, you know, it would be fun to go back there.”

NO TO DETROIT PLEASE ]

5. Finally, it’s why they signed Sewald, even though the 34-year-old veteran had some health problems last season.




Emmanuel Clase had an 0.61 ERA in the regular season. It rose to 9.00 in the playoffs. John Kuntz, cleveland.com

Help for Emmanuel Clase

Last season was one for the ages for Emmanuel Clase. He had a 4-2 record with an 0.61 ERA. He was 47 of 50 converting saves. It was one of the best seasons by a reliever … ever.

Then came the playoffs. Clase’s velocity was still in the 98-100 mph area. But his pitches seemed to lack the same movement. He was hammered with eight earned runs in eight postseason innings. He gave up more homers in those innings (3) than he did in 74 regular season innings (2).

Does a rocky postseason mean something is wrong with Clase? Probably not. But it is worth noting Clase has appeared in more games over the last three seasons than anyone else in the American League.

Furthermore, being the closer, there are no such things as easy innings. Everything is high leverage, as the modern baseball folks call it. Giving Vogt a veteran reliever with closing experience can carry some of the burden.

You can look at the Guardians' roster and project Hunter Gaddis and/or Cade Smith as future closers. Both have the power arms needed for the job. But Cleveland also wants an experienced closer as protection for Clase.




Paul Sewald had two trips to the injured list in 2024. AP Photo/Brynn Anderson

What Sewald brings

Sewald saved 34 games between Seattle and Arizona in 2023. When he was with the Mariners that season, his bullpen coach was Vogt. So the Guards' manager has a relationship with the new reliever.

Last season was a trial for Sewald. He suffered an oblique injury in spring training and missed the first five weeks of the regular season.

In May and June, Sewald was 11 for 11 in saves for Arizona, allowing only five hits and one run in 16 innings.

Then came July and a 10.80 ERA. He continued to struggle the rest of the year. It turned out he was trying to pitch with what was later called “neck discomfort,” which eventually landed him back on the injured list.

In 2024, Sewald had a 4.31 ERA with a 1-2 record and 16 saves.

From 2021-23, Sewald had a 2.95 ERA with 65 saves.

An MLB source told me that the Guardians consider Sewald “a great teammate and leader. They consider the injures last year to be rather minor, and they think he’ll bounce back. They are hoping for a bounce back year and they continue to work on depth for their bullpen.”

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Guardians Starter Achieves Important Training Goals With New Offseason Exercise

January 26, 2025

By Andres Chavez

Tanner Bibee has been, from the moment he made his MLB debut in 2023, one of the best and most consistent pitchers on the Cleveland Guardians.

He has posted ERA finishes of 2.98 and 3.47 in 2023 and 2024, respectively, and has surpassed the 3.0 fWAR threshold in each of the two campaigns.

But he wants more.

He knows that fans want more, too.

Since he will be asked to be the staff ace at least until Shane Bieber returns from his injury in the summer, Bibee is making sure to be at the very best of his physical abilities.

He introduced a new concept to his off-season training: pilates.

“Cleveland #Guardians RHP Tanner Bibee did a lot of work with pilates this off-season. His instructor Pilates with Priya on Instagram stated her goals for him during their work together,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.

https://x.com/CleGuardPro/status/188340 ... xercise%2F

Bibee's instructor Pilates with Priya on Instagram - he “crushed” his training

The pitcher’s trainer wrote: “This off-season, I had the pleasure of working with Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee. My goal was to challenge his brain to move in different planes with fluidity, to find stability in challenging positions, and also have his body move efficiently and build strength in lengthened positions.”

The instructor then reported that the pitcher “crushed” his training and wished him the best for this upcoming season.

In the video, you can see Bibee’s progress in his stability and fluidity of movement, aided by the excellent approach of his teacher.

For a pitcher, having full control of one’s body is a fundamental skill, one that Bibee appears set to master.

The Guardians’ co-ace looks primed for another fantastic season, but it feels like has another gear in him.

We will find out about that in 2025.

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Vogt looks forward to competition for bullpen, second base, outfield

By Mandy Bell @MandyBell02

4:44 PM EST

CLEVELAND -- The excitement for Guardians manager Stephen Vogt’s second season was written all over his face.

He sat with local media on Monday afternoon, smiling through every answer about his players and their preparation for 2025.

In that hour-long conversation was pure excitement. Now that he has a full year of managerial experience under his belt, Vogt knows exactly what to expect for his second season. He can truly appreciate the amount of work his coaching staff is putting in to make changes this winter. He can mentally prepare for the decisions that are looming over the next two months. And he certainly can envision topping last year’s ALCS performance.

Vogt hit on a number of topics throughout this discussion. Let’s take a look at five things we learned from Cleveland’s skipper:

1. The bullpen has three spots up for grabs

Emmanuel Clase, Cade Smith, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin and Paul Sewald are in the 'pen, for sure. The other three spots are available. That means guys like Andrew Walters, Erik Sabrowski, Nic Enright, Franco Aleman and any starter who doesn’t make the rotation are looking to claim these vacancies.






“That means there’s going to be good competition in that bullpen. We’re excited,” Vogt said. “I mean, we used 23 pitchers last year. I don’t envision a year where that is much different.”

Remember, Trevor Stephen is still working his way back from Tommy John surgery and won’t be ready until after Opening Day. Sam Hentges underwent left shoulder surgery in September and will have to miss all of 2025.

2. There’s no favorite for second base

Everyone is on an equal playing field.

After the Guardians decided to trade Andrés Giménez to Toronto, it left a gaping hole on the right side of the infield. The candidates to replace him are Gabriel Arias, Juan Brito, Tyler Freeman, Daniel Schneemann and Angel Martínez.






“We don’t have a front-runner. We don’t have an idea or a pipe dream, so to speak,’ Vogt said. “We want to see what guys can do. That’s the group of Arias, Freeman, Martínez and Schneemann. Juan Brito will be in that mix as well. … For us, it’s how do we get the best mix?”

3. The outfield picture

Steven Kwan is in left. Lane Thomas is in center. So, who is in right?

“I mean, ideally it’d be great to have one guy, but that’s not who we are, right?” Vogt said.

In a perfect world, Jhonkensy Noel or Will Brennan could step up and prove they’d be the everyday guy. Brennan had flashes of it in ’24 and Noel obviously left his mark on a handful of baseballs. But neither have demonstrated the consistency needed to be the everyday guy. So, Vogt rattled off the following names who will get time in right field this spring: Brennan, Noel, Martínez, Johnathan Rodriguez, Arias and Schneemann. He also noted that George Valera will be healthy during camp and will also see time in the outfield.

4. The key to get Triston McKenzie back in the rotation

This may have been the most disappointing part of the ’24 season for the Guardians, aside from losing their ace to Tommy John surgery. This was a time that the team needed an experienced arm to step up and help fill the void that Shane Bieber left at the start of the season, and McKenzie, in his first year back from dealing with injuries, couldn’t find consistency. Vogt has been watching his workouts in Florida from afar and has been pleased with the offseason work that McKenzie has done to try to win his rotation spot back.

“Now having a full year of health under his belt and he’s been working really hard, I’m excited to watch Triston throw,” Vogt said. “[The key is] just executing. Just pounding the strike zone with his best stuff consistently.”






5. What are the expectations?

The bar is set high, externally. It’s the same expectation this team had in the offseason going into ’23. How will they handle it this time?

“Our goal is going to be the same: Win the World Series,” Vogt said. “Expectations are what they are. That’s outside noise. That doesn’t reverberate with us. We have a job to do and that’s attack every single day and get better every single day and win that day. For us, we’re going to keep that the same.”

Mandy Bell covers the Guardians for MLB.com. Listen to her on the Ballpark Dimensions podcast with Sarah Langs.

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Have to link this because it's a podcast. Great interview with Paul Sewald. Remember, Vogt was bullpen coach when Sewald was in Seattle. I'm thinking Sewald is kinda like Hedges - meet your new bullpen player-coach.


https://open.spotify.com/episode/5v4DyD ... 2ea5f84204

Two-way catcher:

Can Guardians’ Bo Naylor balance offense and defense to become elite?

Published: Jan. 28, 2025, 8:52 p.m.

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — When last season ended after 92 regular season wins, a victory over Detroit in the American League Division Series and a five-game loss to the Yankees in the AL Championship Series, the Guardians had one message for catcher Bo Naylor.

“We told Bo to go home and turn his brain off for a while,” said manager Stephen Vogt in December at the winter meetings.

Naylor did not keep the switch to his gray matter in the off position long.

He’s spent the winter at the Guardians’ training facility in Goodyear, Arizona working with new hitting coach Grant Fink and the rest of Cleveland’s hitting group

Last season, Naylor’s first full year in the big leagues, he hit .201 (71 for 354) in 123 games. He showed power with 13 homers and 39 RBI, but there was a lot of swing and miss with 122 strikeouts and only 21 walks.

Naylor’s OPS (onbase percentage + slugging percentage) was .614 and his OPS+ was 73. Quality big-league hitters typically have an of .800 OPS or better. An elite hitter will post a .900 OPS or higher.

OPS+ is a metric that measures a player’s performance across the entire league, while taking into account the dimensions of his home ballpark. An average OPS+ score is 100.

Among AL catchers Naylor ranked eighth in homers and RBI and 10th in games played. He ranked fifth in strikeouts, 11th in walks, 22nd in OPS and 27th in batting average.

Naylor, no doubt, has work to do offensively, but the demands of the position have to be considered.

“We put a load on Bo last year,” said Vogt.

Naylor, 24, was much better behind the plate than at the plate. He finished sixth among all catchers last year in Statcast’s Fielding Run Value metric. Naylor had a Fielding Run Value of +8, which came from 8 runs from framing, 1 run from blocking and a -1 run from throwing.

FRV is a metric that “captures a player’s measurable defensive performance by converting all of Statcast’s individual defensive metrics from different scales onto the same run-based scale, which can then be read as a player being worth X runs above or Y runs below average.” Here’s how it breaks down for catchers:

Catcher blocking: 1 block saved = .25 run (stats available since 2018).
Catcher framing: 1 strike saved = .125 run.
Catcher throwing: 1 stole base prevented = .65 run.

Naylor threw out 20.8% (16 for 61) of the runners who tried to steal against him. The league average was 21.8%, according to Baseball Reference. The Fielding Bible ranked Naylor seventh among MLB catchers with 11 defensive runs saved.






“It’s very rare in our game to see a catcher who is elite at both (hitting and defense),” said Vogt. “Just like any job, when you have new responsibilities, you’re just getting through each day. Now with one year under his belt, Bo is going to be able to reflect on last year and find those little ways that he can do things a little differently. He can make adjustments where he wants to.”

If Naylor needs help, he has a lot of resources available to him. Sandy Alomar, first base coach and catching coach, was a six-time All-Star catcher for the Indians. Vogt caught 10 years in the big leagues. Bench coach Craig Albernaz was a catcher as well.

“It’s mental and it’s physical,” said Vogt, concerning the weight a catcher carries. “You get done calling a real tough inning, and you’re leading off the next inning. You’ve got to get your gear off and your brain is in a blender because you just called 25 high-stress pitches. Now you’ve got to go face this guy with nasty stuff. As you get more experience, it’s a lot easier to turn it on and off like that.”

As far as resources go, let’s not forget catcher Austin Hedges.

“More than anyone in the clubhouse, Austin was the biggest part of Bo’s progression and development last year,” said Vogt. “He challenged Bo to take ownership of things and supported him.”

The left-handed hitting Naylor tried to make a change in his posture and stance during the season last year. He had trouble nailing it down, but he did hit .364 (4 for 11) with two doubles against the Yankees in the ALCS.

Vogt said Naylor really dove into his hitting this winter and the reports from the Arizona desert have been encouraging.

“He really simplified his movement (in the batter’s box) and some things that he struggled with last year as far as where his weight is centered,” said Vogt. “I still think Bo could be one of the best two-way catchers in this game, and I think he learned a lot from last year.”

The Guardians would like nothing more.

Pitchers and catchers report to Goodyear on Feb.11. The Cactus League season starts on Feb. 22 with the regular season opening on March 27 in Kansas City.

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Hi! I’m Mandy Bell. We may be in the thick of winter, but these newsletters will continue to be delivered to your inbox each week throughout the offseason. Let’s get into the good stuff.

Guardians manager Stephen Vogt met with local media on Monday and started answering questions about his 2025 roster. What we learned is that there will be a handful of position battles during Spring Training, including in the outfield.

We’ve spent the last few weeks going position by position to bread down each area of the Guardians’ roster. We’ve knocked out the infield (catcher, first base, second base, shortstop and third base), so let’s take a look at the outfield.

Projected starters: Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas and … to be determined?

Kwan is in left field, and he will be the leadoff hitter. None of this is up in the air. This is a guy who’s won a Gold Glove in each year he’s been in the Majors. He flirted with a .400 batting average through the middle of June. He’s added more power to his offensive profile. We can move on. This is a lock.

Vogt explained that for now, the plan is to have Thomas handle center field most of the time. If the team needs help in right field, Thomas can move over and turn center field over to guys like Tyler Freeman or Angel Martínez. But let’s expect Thomas most of the time.


That brings us to right field -- a position that currently doesn’t have a designated starter.

“I mean, ideally it’d be great to have one guy, but that’s not who we are, right?” Vogt said.






So, this could be a rotating spot. It seems safe to assume that it will start with Will Brennan and Jhonkensy Noel again. The Guardians turned to that platoon for most of the second half of last season. But Brennan hasn’t been able to hit the same stride that he did when he first came up to the Majors in 2022. If he can’t see consistent success, maybe the Guardians move to a different option.

Or maybe Noel doesn’t pan out the way the team so desperately wants him to. This is a power threat that is so badly needed in a lineup that is now without Josh Naylor. But Noel will have to show some growth. He’ll need to be more selective at the plate and lay off the pitches that made him chase in ’24. If he can do that, he can see more playing time.






The backups: Johnathan Rodriguez, Gabriel Arias, Daniel Schneeman, Angel Martínez, Tyler Freeman, George Valera

Arias/Schneemann/Martínez/Freeman will be determined by who wins the starting second base job. Whoever doesn’t can work their way into the outfield mix.

The Guardians also have Rodriguez, who got a taste of the big leagues last year. In 13 games, he went 4-for-31 (.129) with just a .486 OPS.

Although Valera got hurt in September and then was designated for assignment, he’s now back in the organization and Vogt says he’s healthy enough to compete for a spot this spring. He has yet to make his debut, but after six seasons in the Minors, he may not have much left to prove before he gets a chance.

Question to answer: How long until No. 2 prospect Chase DeLauter is in the mix?

Those other backup options can work, but it’s time for the Guardians to get to the man who used to be their top prospect, according to MLB Pipeline -- before Travis Bazzana got in the mix. DeLauter would’ve made his debut last season if injuries didn’t get in his way.






Remember, this was a guy who wasn’t in big league camp last year but played so well that he convinced everyone (even people in the Guardians’ organization) that he was competing for an Opening Day roster spot. He was simply a Minor Leaguer who was asked to work out with the big league guys a few times to get some experience and play the final innings of Cactus League games. Somehow, that morphed into the star of camp.

Homers, RBIs, extra-base hits and a superstar confidence were on full display. It made everyone who saw him excited for his inevitable debut. And now that he’s healthy and had a great showing in the Arizona Fall League, maybe that day is coming quickly.






It wouldn’t be surprising if the Guardians want DeLauter to get some more time in Triple-A Columbus before joining the big league team because of the time he missed last year. It’s just a matter of how quickly he can knock the door down to get his first taste of the Majors.

Who else is in the Pipeline?

Guardians’ No. 3 prospect Jaison Chourio (Single-A Lynchburg)
No. 6 1B/OF C.J. Kayfus (Double-A Akron)
No. 17 Robert Arias (Rookie League)
No. 26 2B/OF Jake Fox (High-A Lake County)
No. 27 Petey Halpin (added to the 40-man roster this offseason)
No. 29 Alfonsin Rosario (Single-A Lynchburg)






QUOTABLE

“Anybody who watched [Ichiro Suzuki] play tried to do his stance. I think I was in high school when he broke in and for him, it was really neat just to be able to witness the first Japanese-born player getting into the Hall of Fame, while also knowing you played against him and competed against him. It was a really, really special feeling. And for CC [Sabathia], I faced him. That was really neat. Just knowing I’ve been in the box against him. Just a dominating presence. I mean, you all know that well in his time in Cleveland. Just everywhere he went, kind of a special feeling when you competed against somehow who gets into the Hall of Fame.” -- Vogt, on Suzuki and Sabathia being Hall of Famers

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The Guardians acquired left-handers Josh Hartle, Michael Kennedy and Luis Ortiz from the Pirates for Spencer Horwitz on Dec. 10, 2024 at the winter meetings in Dallas.Getty Images

By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Guardians fans knew Andres Gimenez, Nick Sandlin and Josh Naylor reasonably well. The same cannot be said for Spencer Horwitz.

Horwitz, to be fair, wasn’t a Guardian long enough to slip on a uniform jersey and cap as most players do at a press conference after they’ve been acquired in a trade.

Instead, he was flipped to the Pirates a couple hours after the Guardians acquired him and minor league outfielder Nick Mitchell from Toronto for Gimenez and Sandlin on Dec. 10 at the winter meetings in Dallas.

When the Guardians flipped Horwitz to the Pirates, they acquired right-hander Luis Ortiz and left-handers Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle.

It took a while for the reverberations from those two trades to subside, but the Guardians were still on the prowl.

On Dec. 23, two days before Christmas, they traded Naylor to Arizona for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B pick in the July draft. A moment or two later they confirmed that they’d signed free agent Carlos Santana to replace Naylor at first base.

Fans have had time to say goodbye to Gimenez, Sandlin and Naylor. They’ve been introduced briefly to Ortiz, who has been given a job in the starting rotation. Horwitz wasn’t here long enough to create a following, and this is Santana’s third tour with Cleveland so he needs no introduction.

All that’s left to examine is the four young players the Guards acquired in the three December trades.

Let’s start with Cecconi, who is on the 40-man roster and has the best chance to help the Guardians this year. Cecconi, 25, was Arizona’s first round pick in 2020 out of the University of Miami.




The Guardians acquired Slade Cecconi from Arizona in the Josh Naylor trade.Getty Images

The 6-foot-4, 219-pound Cecconi will arrive in Goodyear with a chance to make the Guardians as a starter or a reliever. He went 2-7 with a 6.66 ERA in 20 appearances including 13 starts last year. He struck out 64 and walked 17, but allowed 16 homers.

“We’re going to build Slade up as a starter,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “He’s got really good stuff and the pitching group has already made some delivery adjustments with him to get to where he wants to be optimally with his movement ... He’s one of a number of young starting pitching options. It’s going to be a very competitive camp.”

Mitchell, Kennedy and Hartle were assigned to Lake County, Cleveland’s High-A team, shortly after the trades.

Mitchell, 21, is a left-handed hitting outfielder. Toronto drafted him last year in the fourth round out of Indiana University and signed him for $467,500.

The 5-10, 185-pound Mitchell hit .289 (26 for 90) with two doubles, one triple, four homers and 13 RBI in 22 games for Class A Dunedin.

“He had a really good debut in Low A last year,” said Chris Antonetti, Guardians president of baseball operations, at the winter meetings in December. “We think he has a chance to contribute offensively, and defensively as well. He runs well and he’s athletic enough to play all three outfield positions.”

Mitchell hit .335 (68 for 203) with 15 doubles, three triples, five homers and 49 RBI. He stole seven bases in seven attempts and posted an .816 OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage).

In other words, he checks a lot of boxes for the kind of player the Guardians like.

Kennedy, 20, was the Pirates’ fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Troy (New York) High School. He was a combined 2-5 with a 3.66 ERA in 18 games, including 17 starts, at Single Bradenton and Greensboro (High A) last year.

“He really knows how to pitch,” said Antonetti. “He attacks the strike zone well, and has a good slider. We think there’s some projection left for him to continue to improve his stuff as he moves forward.”

The 6-1, 205-pound Kennedy signed with the Pirate for $1 million, exceeding his slot value of $554,800.

The 6-5, 210-pound Hartle made just one start for Single A Bradenton last year after the Pirates made him their third-round pick out of Wake Forest. Prior to the 2024 season, projections had Hartle, 21, going in the first round of the July draft, but he went 6-3 with a 5.79 ERA in 15 starts.

“He didn’t have the junior year that he would’ve hoped,” said Antonetti. “We think there’s great potential there and we’re excited to partner with him. He’s 6-5 with a good frame and really projectable.”

“Our first goal is to get to know them and understand them a little bit better,” said Antonetti. “We want to hear their perspective on things. What they feel they do well and share a little of our perspective and come up with a plan.”

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