Roger (Cleveland):

Two big-name infielders are not on this list: Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman (and Jose Tena if you wanted to count a third). What are evaluators saying about them that caused them to drop? Would they still be considered top-10 prospects in most systems?


Teddy Cahill: Jose Tena has actually never made a handbook top 10. He was No. 11 last year in an exceedingly close call with Angel Martinez. I don't think his star has dimmed any, the Guardians just have too many top-10 level prospects for them to all fit. Arias and Freeman were difficult to rank, Freeman especially. You're talking about a 23-year-old, who made his major league debut in a year that also saw him coming off a shoulder injury. Was this year great for him? No. But he's 23, can play up the middle on the infield and has overachieved expectations at every stage of his career. I'd still give him the benefit of the doubt. Arias will be 23 on Opening Day, has also made his big league debut and is a good defender up the middle. A lot to like there too. This was just kind of a disjointed year for him. Hopefully, he has a healthier 2023, which would help him settle in and find some more consistency.

PROJECTED 2026 LINEUP

Catcher: Bo Naylor (26)
First Base: Josh Naylor (29)
Second Base: Andres Gimenez (27)
Third Base: Jose Ramirez (33)
Shortstop: Brayan Rocchio (25)
Left Field: Steven Kwan (28)
Center Field: Chase DeLauter (24)
Right Field: Will Brennan (25)
Designated Hitter: George Valera (25)

No. 1 Starter: Shane Bieber (31)
No. 2 Starter: Triston McKenzie (28)
No. 3 Starter: Daniel Espino (25)
No. 4 Starter: Gavin Williams (27)
No. 5 Starter: Cal Quantrill (31)
Closer: Emmanuel Clase (28)

Listed below are the prospects with the best tools within the organization. To go directly to Cleveland's Top 10, click here.

BEST TOOLS

Best Hitter for Average: Tyler Freeman
Best Power Hitter: Jhonkensy Noel
Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Angel Martinez
Fastest Baserunner: Isaiah Greene
Best Athlete: Will Benson
Best Fastball: Daniel Espino
Best Curveball: Gavin Williams
Best Slider: Daniel Espino
Best Changeup: Logan T. Allen
Best Control: Tanner Bibee
Best Defensive Catcher: Bo Naylor
Best Defensive Infielder: Brayan Rocchio
Best Infield Arm: Gabriel Arias
Best Defensive Outfielder: Will Brennan
Best Outfield Arm: Johnathan Rodriguez

10. Will Brennan | OF
Will Brennan
Born: Feb 2, 1998
Bats: L Throws: L
Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 190
Minors: .314/.371/.479 | 13 HR | 20 SB | 528 AB
View Player Card

Track Record: Brennan flew under the radar throughout his college and professional career until 2022, when he delivered a breakthrough season, made his major league debut and earned a spot on the Guardians' postseason roster. While he has never been a famous player, Brennan has an impressive track record for hitting, going back to his Kansas State days. He tied for the minor league lead with 166 hits in 2022, while finishing second with 42 doubles.

Scouting Report: Brennan has a simple, compact swing and a disciplined approach at the plate. That combination allows him to consistently put the bat on the ball, falling into the kind of barrel-control approach favored by the organization. Brennan put up a .909 OPS against righthanders in the minors and majors in 2022, but hit .252 with no impact in same-side matchups. His power mostly plays to the gaps because he consistently hits line drives. He offers some raw power, though his profile is likely always going to be hit over power. Brennan is an above-average runner and gets the most out of his speed on the bases, where he is a threat to run. His speed, plus arm and actions give him the ability to play anywhere in the outfield. He has played mostly center field in the minors and has a chance to stay there, but his range profiles better in a corner. The former two-way player in college has an above-average arm.

The Future: Brennan's overall profile inevitably draws comparisons with Steven Kwan and makes him an intriguing player going forward. He'll head to spring training to compete for a big league job--and after making the playoff roster, he stands a strong chance to break camp with the Guardians. Proving he can handle upper-level lefthanders or man center field every day will likely determine his ceiling.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55 on the 20-20 scale

9. Chase DeLauter | OF
Chase DeLauter
Born: Oct 8, 2001
Bats: L Throws: L


Track Record: DeLauter was unheralded at Hedgesville (W.Va.) High and went to James Madison as a two-way player. While he played well at JMU over his first two seasons, the pandemic severely limited his game time, and he remained under the radar going into summer 2021. That's when he broke out in the Cape Cod League, where he tied for the league lead with nine home runs while hitting .298/.397/.589 in 34 games. DeLauter was off to a strong start in the spring of 2022, but a broken foot in April brought an end to his season. Despite the injury, he became the first player in program history to be drafted in the first round when Cleveland took him 16th overall.

Scouting Report: DeLauter first stands out for his size at a listed 6-foot-4, 235 pounds and then for his powerful lefthanded swing. He is a disciplined hitter with good strike-zone awareness. He walked more than he struck out during his college career, rarely expanding his zone and showing good barrel control. He has plus raw power and gets to it well, consistently making hard contact. DeLauter looks like a prototypical corner outfielder, but he has plus speed, covers ground and has good instincts in the outfield. That has allowed him to play center field to this point, and he'll continue to develop there, though an eventual move to a corner would not be unexpected. He has a plus arm.

The Future: DeLauter is not as polished as a typical first-round college position player. He got just 323 plate appearances over three years at JMU--or about what an everyday player for a College World Series team gets in a season--and his experience against high-level competition is limited. He will likely need a bit more developmental time, but as less of a finished product, there's room for more growth and plenty of upside. He'll look to start tapping into that as he makes his professional debut in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 60

8. Angel Martinez | SS

Born: Jan 27, 2002
Bats: B Throws: R
Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 165
Drafted/Signed: Dominican Republic, 2018.
Signed By: Jhonathan Leyba.
Minors: .278/.378/.471 | 13 HR | 12 SB | 363 AB


Track Record: Martinez made the biggest jump of any Guardians' position prospect in 2021 and then built on that progress in 2022, reaching Double-A Akron as a 20-year-old and then playing every day as one of the youngest players in the Arizona Fall League. Martinez's rise has been meteoric for a player whose professional resume coming into 2021 was limited to the Dominican Summer League and instructional league. His experience around baseball likely eased his transition. His father is former big league catcher Sandy Martinez, now the Nationals' DSL manager, and his older brother is Sandy Martinez Jr., who also played professionally.

Scouting Report: Martinez isn't the most tooled-up of Cleveland's middle infielders, but his baseball IQ and maturity make all his tools play up. The switch-hitter has a simple swing from both sides and can drive the ball to all fields with solid power potential, though it plays as doubles pop now. He's a disciplined hitter and makes a lot of contact. He prides himself in his ability to make quick adjustments at the plate. After struggling against lefthanders in 2021, he made significant strides with his righthanded swing in 2022, evening his splits. Martinez is an average runner but still covers a lot of ground thanks to his instincts, and he makes sound decisions defensively. He also has worked hard to improve his arm strength, which now grades out as plus. He can play anywhere on the infield and primarily played shortstop at High-A Lake County before playing mostly second base at Akron in deference to Jose Tena.

The Future: Martinez has consistently been one of the youngest players at his level, and the way Cleveland has challenged him is indicative of how advanced he is. He'll return to Akron to start 2023 and should find himself Cleveland's infield mix in the next couple years.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60

7. Tanner Bibee | RHP

Born: Mar 5, 1999
Bats: R Throws: R
Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 190
Minors: 8-2 | 2.17 ERA | 167 SO | 27 BB | 133 IP

Track Record: The Guardians used 11 of their first 12 picks in the 2021 draft on college pitchers, a haul that included first-rounder Gavin Williams, now the organization's No. 2 prospect. Four rounds later, Cleveland selected Bibee, who had a solid, but unheralded four years at Cal State Fullerton. His first professional season was anything but unheralded. He rocketed up the Guardians' depth chart, reaching Double-A by the start of July. Bibee finished sixth in the minor league ERA race at 2.17 and just outside the top 10 with 167 strikeouts.

Scouting Report: Bibee's breakout was fueled by a strong uptick in stuff while still maintaining the underlying traits that had led to his success as an amateur. He fits a familiar profile for Cleveland, with above-average control, four pitches and solid pitchability. But as an average-sized righthander with a fastball that sat in the low 90s, he didn't appear to have significant upside. The Guardians were able to help him improve his velocity, and his fastball ticked into the mid 90s and touched as high as 99 mph. His improved velocity helped the rest of his arsenal, especially his slider, which separated more definitively from his curveball. His slider has the promise of a plus offering, while his curveball and changeup--which has made significant strides as well--project as average pitches. That repertoire helped him compile a strikeout-minus-walk percentage of 27.1, which ranked fourth among minor league pitchers with 100 innings. He did so without sacrificing control and threw strikes at an above-average rate.

The Future: Bibee's breakout 2022 season has raised his profile and expectations. Comparisons to previous success stories in the organization like Shane Bieber are inevitable, though somewhat unfair at this stage. Bibee has put himself on an accelerated track and could make his MLB debut in 2023.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60. Curveball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 55

6. Logan Allen | LHP [despite his lousy AAA debut]
Born: Sep 5, 1998
Bats: R Throws: L
Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 180
Drafted/Signed: Florida International, 2020 (2nd round).
Signed By: Jhonathan Leyba.
Minors: 9-7 | 4.75 ERA | 177 SO | 51 BB | 133 IP


Track Record: Allen was one of the organizations' breakout prospects in 2021. After a decorated amateur career, he wasted no time making his mark in pro ball, rocketing to Double-A in his first season. His 2022 wasn't quite as spectacular. He reached Triple-A Columbus but struggled with his command.

Scouting Report: Allen stands out for his feel and competitiveness on the mound, with the knocks on him being his size and lack of a big arm. His fastball velocity has ticked up in the last couple years, and he now works in the low 90s. The pitch plays up thanks to some deception in his delivery and his ability to locate it to all four quadrants of the strike zone. Allen's best pitch is his changeup, which is a plus offering and is a weapon he can use against hitters on either side of the plate. His slider has long lagged behind his other two pitches, though it does have the potential to be an average offering. Allen added a cutter in 2022, which benefited both his fastball and slider, giving hitters another hard offering to account for at the plate. His control was among the best in the 2020 draft, and that transferred to pro ball, where it showed plus. In Triple-A, Allen's walk rate increased as more mature hitters chased his stuff out of the zone less often. His control remains plus and he repeats his delivery well, but he'll have to learn to adjust against better opposition.

The Future: Allen's experience at Triple-A showed he still has some necessary refinements to make. Breaking into the Guardians' rotation isn't easy--especially with their crowded 40-man roster situation--but Allen should be ready to make his major league debut in 2023. Without another tick up in stuff, his ceiling is somewhat limited, but he can be a solid big league starter.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 50. Cutter: 55. Changeup: 60. Control: 60

5. Brayan Rocchio | SS

Born: Jan 13, 2001
Bats: R Throws: R
Ht.: 5'10" Wt.: 150
Drafted/Signed: Venezuela, 2017.
Signed By: Jhonathan Leyba.
Minors: .257/.336/.420 | 18 HR | 14 SB | 510 AB


Track Record: When the Guardians made a big splash on the 2017 international market with the heralded signings of Aaron Bracho and George Valera, their move to ink Rocchio flew more under the radar. The Venezuela native has since made his own mark. Rocchio has been on an accelerated track throughout his career. After the 2021 season, he was added to the 40-man roster, and in 2022 he reached Triple-A Columbus as a 21-year-old.

Scouting Report: Rocchio doesn't stand out physically but earned plaudits for his high baseball IQ and game awareness. A switch-hitter, he has a smooth, consistent swing from both sides of the plate and excellent pitch recognition. He's an aggressive hitter and consistently barrels up the ball. Following the pandemic layoff in 2020--a time when Rocchio was forced to focus more on strength training because he was stuck in Venezuela with few on-field options--he started showing above-average power potential. In both of the seasons that followed, he has had 46 extra-base hits. Rocchio has answered any questions about his ability to stick at shortstop. He's an above-average runner, and his hands and arm are good enough for the position, especially because his instincts and baseball IQ help his tools play up. He's also seen time at second base and third base in the last two years to give him more versatility, which could come into play as he looks to break into a crowded Cleveland infield.

The Future: The Guardians have no shortage of middle infield prospects, and the strong play in 2022 of their major league double-play combination of Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez only further adds to the logjam. Rosario has one year remaining before he reaches free agency, so Rocchio is in line to open 2023 back in Columbus and likely make his MLB debut later in the season.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 60. Fielding: 60. Arm: 50

4. George Valera | OF

Born: Nov 13, 2000
Bats: L Throws: L
Ht.: 5'10" Wt.: 160
Drafted/Signed: Dominican Republic, 2017.
Signed By: Jhonathan Leyba/Domingo Toribio.
Minors: .250/.353/.463 | 24 HR | 2 SB | 484 AB


Track Record: The Guardians made a splash on the international market in 2017, taking advantage of rule changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement and a revamped international scouting department. They signed Valera, the No. 5 prospect in his signing class, to a $1.3 million deal. He was born in New York and lived there until his family moved to the Dominican Republic when he was 13. Valera was added to the 40-man roster after the 2021 season. He spent most of 2022 at Double-A Akron before an August promotion to Triple-A Columbus, where he was one of the league's youngest everyday players.

Scouting Report: Valera has long stood out for his advanced setup at the plate, one that drew comparisons to Juan Soto as an amateur. He has quick hands and keeps the bat in the zone for a long time, traits that enable him to make a lot of hard contact. Despite that loose, easy swing, there is swing-and-miss to Valera's game, and he has struck out in about a quarter of his plate appearances in full-season ball. His patience and feel for the zone mean that he also consistently works walks. He has above-average raw power and gets to it in games often. His 24 home runs ranked third among the organization's minor leaguers. Valera profiles as a corner outfielder with average speed and arm strength. He has mostly played right field as a professional.

The Future: Cleveland has been on the hunt for power bats for several years, and Valera could soon fill such a role in the middle of the order. He profiles as a traditional power-hitting corner outfielder. He'll return to Columbus to begin 2023 and could break through to the big leagues as a 22-year-old later in the season.

Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 55. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50 [none of those individual grades are that great]

3. Bo Naylor, I posted his whole report above, the summary
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 55. Arm: 55

2. Gavin Williams | RHP

Born: Jul 26, 1999
Bats: L Throws: R
Ht.: 6'6" Wt.: 238
Signed By: Pete Loizzo.
Minors: 5-4 | 1.96 ERA | 149 SO | 40 BB | 115 IP

Track Record: Williams has long had a big arm and big potential, but it took him a full four years of college to truly realize it. After primarily pitching out of the East Carolina bullpen for his first three seasons on campus, he took over a spot in the rotation in 2021 and produced an All-America season, going 10-1, 1.88 with 130 strikeouts in 81.1 innings. That turned him into the 24th overall pick, marking the first time the Guardians used a first-round pick on a college pitcher since taking Drew Pomeranz in 2010. Williams reached Double-A a year and a day after his last college start and ultimately was one of the best pitchers in the Eastern League. He made the BA Minor League All-Star Team after leading the minor leagues with a .173 opponent average and ranked third with a 1.96 ERA.

Scouting Report: Williams stands out for his size and arm strength. His fastball sits around 95 mph, has touched 101 and can get swings and misses, especially up in the zone. He throws both a curveball and slider, with his 11-to-5 curveball being the better of the two, though the short slider is a solid pitch in its own right. He also has good feel for a firm changeup, though it's the least advanced of his offerings. Williams had control issues early in his college career and those can still crop up at times, but he should pitch with average command.

The Future: The Guardians couldn't have asked for anything more out of Williams in his professional debut. He showed all the characteristics of an above-average starter, and he has a tantalizing combination of upside and proximity to the big leagues. He'll start 2023 at Triple-A Columbus and could pitch his way to Cleveland by the summer.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 70. Curveball: 60. Slider: 55. Changeup: 50. Control: 50

1. Daniel Espino | RHP

Born: Jan 5, 2001
Bats: R Throws: R
Ht.: 6'1" Wt.: 205
Drafted/Signed: HS--Statesboro, Ga., 2019 (1st round).
Signed By: Ethan Purser.
Minors: 1-0 | 2.45 ERA | 35 SO | 4 BB | 19 IP

Track Record: Espino was born in Panama and moved with his family to the U.S. when he was 15. He enrolled at Georgia Premier Academy, where he was able to continue his education while also adopting a near-professional mindset on the diamond. His performance and mentality carried over to pro ball and he put himself on the fast track. He impressed at the alternate training site in 2020, more than holding his own as a teenager against more experienced prospects, and then reached High-A in 2021, his first full professional season. He opened 2022 with Double-A Akron as one of the younger pitchers in the Eastern League, but he made just four starts before a knee injury at the end of April ultimately sidelined him for the season. He spent most of the year rehabbing at the Guardians' complex in Arizona.

Scouting Report: Espino is on the shorter end of what teams look for in a righthanded starter, but his excellent athleticism and a rare combination of explosiveness and flexibility help him access his lower half in a way most pitchers his size cannot. That helps him produce elite velocity, and his fastball can reach triple digits and sits 96 mph. Since entering pro ball, Espino has raised his arm slot and now generates significant ride on his fastball, adding to its effectiveness. He throws both a curveball and slider. His velocity helps his slider play up, and it's not uncommon for him to throw the pitch in the low 90s. It's a well above-average offering and creates swing-and-miss at an exceptional rate. His curveball is a big 12-to-6 breaker that works mostly as a chase pitch, but also creates groundball outs. His firm changeup is an effective fourth offering and has real promise but needs further refinement. He hasn't needed to use it often. Espino has a long arm action but typically pitches with average control. He has swing-and-miss stuff--in 2021 he ranked 15th in the minor leagues in strikeouts in just 91.2 innings--but he needs to continue to refine his command as he faces upper-level hitters with more mature approaches. While Espino made just four starts at Double-A before his injury, the early returns were impressive, and he was still getting plenty of swinging strikes against older hitters.

The Future: Espino's combination of premium stuff, control and makeup mark him one of the best pitching prospects in baseball. There's no telling how far he would have advanced in 2022 if he had stayed healthy. As it is, he'll be 22 years old on Opening Day and ready to attack the upper levels. He'll likely return to Double-A Akron to begin the season. With a strong summer, a big league debut in 2023 isn't out of the question. The Guardians will likely be cautious with him, because he has never thrown more than 100 innings in a season, but ultimately he has the potential to one day lead the Cleveland rotation.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 80. Curveball: 55. Slider: 70. Changeup: 50. Control: 55 they give very few 80s!

I tried a question on Leftwich along with Will Dion and Rodey Boone, fellow members of the 2021 draft class
Also posted but no answers on
Cody Morris
Johnnathan Rodriguez
Isaiah Greene
Logan Allen [although we did get his writeup in the top 10]
BA will post a full Top 40 list in March, I think.

he mentioned one pitcher I forgot about: Ross Carver, who we got in the Rule 5 preparation day trade for Carlos Vargas

Civ, thanks for the BA posts !

My thanks as well Civ. Good stuff. I will be watching Dylan DeLucia's stats next year.