Cleveland Sports Forum

BA will be doing Cleveland's top 30 for 2023 any day now. They're working on Central Division team.

I wonder if they still put Espino Number One: everyone loves his stuff; he wowed scouts from all over the map during spring training and then kept at in April. and that was his whole season.
Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee had great debuts that got them both to AA where they performed as well as in Lake County. Neither has stuff that is as overwhelmng as Espino's but that actually are capable of pitching
Logan Allen was rated at number 9 last season behind Espino 2; and Williams 8; on the Cleveland top 10. Then he opened up very strong in Akron and was quite lousy for Columbus.
Bibee was nowhere to be seen on the Top 30; pitchers who were included:
another Tanner B, this one Burns at 12
Peyton Battenfield 14
Cody Morris 15--- he is higher than that on my list now
Ethan Hankins 19 - missed the whole season
Doug Nikhazy 21 --- walked nearly 8 for every 10 innings
Tobias Myers 23 -- on the 40 man roster; he was awful and released
Carlos Vargas 26 -- traded at roster-fixing day last month
Xzavion Curry 28 -- reached Cleveland although not quite ready but should move up aways
Tommy Mace 29-- supplement 2nd round pick in 21, he wasn't very good by any measure, didn't get out of Lake County; Bibee soared past him
Konnor Pilkington 30 Cleveland's designated makeup DH game 2 starter. Better numbers in Cleveland than Columbus

The toward the end of summer 2022 list which should be pretty much what the new mimics rated pitchers:
Espino No. 1
Williams No. 3
Allen was actually up to No. 6
Justin Campbell No. 2 pick in 2022 No. 11
Bibee 13
Joey Cantillo15
Curry 18
Hunter Gaddis 20, miserable in not-ready for Cleveland spot starts instead of Pilkington
Parker Messick 22 smallish 2nd round righty
Tanner Burns 23
Battenfield 24
Cody Morris 26 on their; which might be from before his return from injury and certainly before his competent debut with the Guardians
Nikhazy 29

By the way, the No. 27 prospect last winter was an undersized OF Steven Kwan. The writeup on him:

Track Record: Kwan starred at Oregon State, helping to lead the Beavers to the 2018 national championship. While in college he built a strong track record for on-base skills and hitting, and that carried over to pro ball. He had a breakout 2021 season while splitting time between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus.

Scouting Report: Kwan’s size has always led to questions about his impact potential. What’s never really been in doubt, however, is his ability to put the bat on the ball. He has excellent feel for the barrel and rarely strikes out—he whiffed in just 9% of his plate appearances in 2021. That fit with his profile as a slap-hitting leadoff hitter prior to 2021, but in 2021 he produced surprising power. While Akron and Columbus are both hitter-friendly ballparks, he did his best to answer questions about his ability to drive the ball. Kwan is an above-average runner and tracks balls well in center field.

The Future: Kwan’s 2021 season led the Guardians to add him to their 40-man roster in November, setting him up to make his major league debut as soon as 2022. While he’s likely to end up as a fourth outfielder in the long run, Kwan has exceeded expectations throughout his career and if his newfound power carries over to the big leagues he could do so again.

sounds promising despite the low rating

Guardians Prospective
@CleGuardPro
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Kelly has now been traded to the Rays for cash considerations.

there are always a few of those Rule 5 planned ahead trades when teams drafting lower ask another team for a favor and toss them a few bucks

This one would be different. You have an organization known for how they handle their pitching. A team who is an annual playoff contender wanting to keep our minor league player on their team for the season.

Baseball America is likely to have its annual Q and A on Guardians' prospects some day this week; tomorrow is possible.
Anyone you want me to inquire about other than the obvious?

Civ,

I am interested in Jack Leftwich. Great numbers but old for his age. https://www.milb.com/player/jack-leftwich-676393 His numbers were much better than Tommy Mace who was picked much higher.

Jack Leftwich excelling in many roles at Florida, Lynchburg | Guardians minors spotlight
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Lynchburg pitcher Jack Leftwich delivers during a game this season. (Gary Streiffer - Lynchburg Hillcats)
Lynchburg pitcher Jack Leftwich delivers during a game this season. (Gary Streiffer – Lynchburg Hillcats)
By JUSTIN LADA |
June 23, 2022 at 8:00 a.m.
With 70 strikeouts, eight walks and a 2.06 ERA in 48 innings to start his pro career in 2022, you wouldn’t guess Guardians 2021 seventh-round draft pick Jack Leftwich hasn’t had a consistent pitching role in the last year or so.

The 6-foot-4 right-hander from the University of Florida was a starter for the Gators for the first three years of his college career. After going undrafted in the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, Leftwich returned to Florida and ended up serving many roles for the Gators’ pitching staff. He was a starter, fireman and closer at times. He started six games, saved five, and posted a 3.62 ERA in 69 2/3 innings in his final collegiate season.

So far, Leftwich has been a piggyback starter and is now a starter in the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats rotation on his own, and piling up good outing after good outing.


“I started for the first three years in college,” Leftwich said of his varied pitching history. “At first, (Florida) worked me into it with a clean inning. Then it happened out of nowhere. I’m not the kind of person to complain or say anything. I just do whatever my coaches want me to do. I kind of ran with it. I started to like the closer role. It was nice to sit back and then hurry to get warmed up. It helped when I got drafted because they still don’t know if they want me to start or be a reliever or closer. This year, I was piggybacking in the beginning and had success. Now I’m starting and having success. So it’s good that I can handle any role.”

Like many arms Cleveland has drafted, Leftwich is working on some improvements from college that have helped him take off. Along with some data and instruction from the organization’s pitching development group, Leftwich is trying to change how his fastball, which runs 92-97 mph at times, moves up in the zone, to better play off his big slider, as he continues to incorporate his changeup more often.


“One thing that has helped is learning about where my pitches work best against hitters, and where I should target them,” the 23-year-old right-hander said of his improvements in the pros. “Having confidence in it, feeling comfortable in knowing that I have good enough stuff to get anyone out. I haven’t changed anything I’ve done. Mainly refining my fastball. I don’t worry about that as much in season. I just go out there and throw it and where I target it. Throwing my changeup more, last year in college I didn’t throw it much. Adding that as a third pitch has been helpful.”

Cleveland has already moved 2021 first-round pick RHP Gavin Williams up to Double-A, joining a loaded Akron rotation. Lake County pitcher and fellow 2021 pick RHP Tanner Bibee has dominated the Midwest League, and Leftwich has been flanked in Lynchburg by other 2021 picks, LHP Will Dion, LHP Rodney Boone (now in Lake County), and RHP Trenton Denholm, to name a few, that are having big success in the Carolina League. That developmental success instills confidence in the pitchers that Cleveland drafts, like Leftwich.

“It’s a good mixture of giving you the info you need and they also let you do your own thing,” Leftwich says. “It’s nice to see others have success and move through the organization. Then you know you’re on the right path, and you can buy into what they’re saying. It’s relaxing too. A lot different than college. I’ve felt more confident and more trust in my pitches.”



Leftwich was already very familiar with some of his fellow 2021 draft picks, as well. Cleveland selected his college teammate and best friend, RHP Tommy Mace (currently in Lake County), in the sixth round (ACTUALLY PICK 69 -- COMP B), as well as 2021 college teammate, RHP Franco Aleman in the 10th round.

“We had a joke at school together that you couldn’t say Tommy’s (Mace) name without saying my name, or my name without Tommy’s,” Leftwich said. “We were always together. When we got drafted it was funny. We joked together that our freshman year Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar were best friends and both got drafted by the Royals. It was kind of funny. Then we lived together during instructs in our first taste of pro ball. It’s nice to have a familiar face to go into it.”



“We’re close,” Leftwich added about his current Guardians organization teammate. “It’s been nice having (Aleman) around. We know each other and know what makes each other tick. It’s been helpful to have that kind of relationship.”

In addition to his experience with different pitching roles in college in 2021 and learning about his pitch mix better in his first pro season, Leftwich credits his parents as his biggest influence and his dad for helping him find the and learning to enjoy putting in the kind of work it took to play baseball in college and eventually get drafted.

“My junior and senior year of high school, I said I really wanted to go to a good college baseball program,” he said. “I was kind of lazy and a little out of shape and I didn’t think you’d have to work for it. And my dad said ‘you shouldn’t feel like you have to practice, you should want to practice, and you shouldn’t feel like you have to work out, you should want to work out.’ I realized if this is really what I wanted to do, I actually should want to do the work. And I fell in love with the process of the work that goes into baseball. It was a pretty cool moment.”

Jack Leftwich File
Age: 23

Throws: Right

Height: 6-foot-4

Weight: 220

Acquired: 2021 MLB Draft, Round 7

College: Florida

Current Level: Low-A Lynchburg

Stats: (as of June 22) 48 innings (12 games), 70 strikeouts, 8 walks, 2.06 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 3-1 W-L

Biggest hobby: Reading

Pregame ritual: Used to be yoga, now reading and sticking to same routines, wearing same cleats

Favorite food: Mellow Mushroom BBQ Chicken Pizza on a cheat day

Warmup song: “Good Thing” by DENM

https://guardiansbaseballinsider.com/20 ... -leftwich/

The Cleveland Indians selected Jack Leftwich – Right-handed Pitcher with the seventh-round pick (216th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft.

Jack Leftwich – Right-handed Pitcher
School: Florida
Age: 22.8
Height: 6’4; Weight: 220
Throws: Right

Jack Leftwich Pre-Draft Rankings:
IBI – round 5-7

Prospects Live – 167

Baseball America – 209

MLB.com – 156

Willie Hood’s Analysis:

He was initially drafted in the 39th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers; the righty opted to honor his college commitment to the University of Florida. The Gators’ swingman pitched in a variety of roles over his four seasons at UF. Leftwich appeared in a whopping 64 games, including 35 starts throughout his collegiate career. In 2021, he appeared in 23 grames, making 6 starts while recording 5 saves. Leftwich punched out 74 batters (9.94 K9), with 21 walks (2.82 BB9) over 67 innings pitched.

While Leftwich’s role is to be determined by his new organization, it stands to reason he could be moved to the bullpen, where he could advance quickly. The right-hander is an intense competitor with plenty of experience in high leverage situations because of his exposure and usage while at Florida. There is effort, intensity, and evil intentions when the righty is on the bump. He utilizes a quick whippy arm action from a three-quarters delivery. Stuff-wise, his fastball sits low-to-mid 90’s and touches 96. His slider is inconsistent but could be an above-average to plus pitch with development. Leftwich rounds out his repertoire with a fringey changeup and shows above-average control.

Justin Lada’s Take:

Leftwich has a bit of a effortful delivery and tough finish on his knee, but he’s up to 96 and has filled a variety of pitching roles in Florida. He’s got good arm speed and his fastball/slider combo give him two above average offerings. The changeup lags behind those two but he has above average control and average command, so he could very well track as a relief option, possibly a multi-inning reliever. Cleveland may give him a chance to start initially and see if they can help get his changeup up to around average and utilize his durable frame. He could move faster in the bullpen with the fastball/slider and those two pitches could be devastating for him as an eventual setup man playing up in shorter stints.

That’s a lot of interesting content. He sure did get my attention for the numbers he put up
I’ll ask BA about him.

His lynchburg teammate Will Dion had very impressive stats too. And made league all star lists but i dont think he throws as hard.

BA finally got around to Cleveland and I will have to rush together my questions on a busyish afternoon. The chats starts in 30 minutes.

The top of the Guardians system features two of the most exciting pitching prospects in baseball, and it's bolstered by some intriguing up-the-middle talents.

Today, we unveil the 10 best prospects in the Guardians system as it enters 2023.

1 Espino
2 Williams
3 Naylor
I'll post more later

questions and answers:

Matthew (Chicago): Despite graduating some key contributors last season, hard not to notice that the last line of each of the top 7 is some version of "should debut in 2023." Do you think they can successfully find opportunities for all of these guys while trying to repeat their division title?


Teddy Cahill: Well, I think there's a big difference between debuting and playing a key role on a playoff contender. For all the players they had debut in 2022, only a few rookies were regular contributors. I wouldn't look for, say, Daniel Espino to take a regular turn in the rotation down the stretch. But could he arrive and throw some innings, maybe even important ones? Sure. I think you're likely to see a couple of those top prospects carve out regular roles, while the rest have more limited, get your feet wet kind of appearances in Cleveland.

Toy (New York): In 2022, Steve Kwan, Xzavion Curry and Konnor Pilkington all rose up from outside the top 10 through the ranks to contribute to the MLB team, Kwan especially so. Who are some candidates outside the organization's top 10 that could have helium this year like the aforementioned or like Tanner Bibee (who didn't get to the MLB but skyrocketed up the rankings)?


Teddy Cahill: I think a lot of the players on the cusp of the big leagues that could have that kind of impact in 2023 are ones that you already have seen - Curry, Richie Palacios, Cody Morris. Maybe Tanner Burns or newly acquired Ross Carver burn through the upper levels to get to the big leagues like Curry did. I'm also very intrigued by Tim Herrin, who could make an impact out of the bullpen in some capacity. If you're looking for this year's Bibee, I spent a lot of time this year watching Dylan DeLucia look amazing and I wouldn't put anything past him. Jack Jasiak is also intriguing if he's able to get back to full health. But, of course, the reality is that Bibee is a special player and finding the next runaway success story like that isn't easy