Further from the Guardians web page
he bios below are for first-time Major League Spring Training camp participants.
LHP Will Dion
Ninth round selection by Cleveland in the 2021 MLB Draft out of McNeese State (LA). Spent 2024 season at AAA Columbus after earning Baseball America Double-A All-Star honors at Akron in 2023. Also named 2022 Carolina League Pitcher of the Year at Single-A Lynchburg. Owns a Minor League career ERA of 3.18 in 85 games/74 starts. [for some reason they omit his 2024 stats 5.48 ERA in his AAA debut 21 homers in 117 innings; a slow throwing short lefty; good at lower levels]
RHP Bradley Hanner
Spent most of 2024 at AA Akron, posting an 8-4 mark with 6 saves and a 2.77 ERA in 43 relief outings (17ER/55.1IP/66K). Selected by Cleveland in the 2022 Rule 5 Draft (Minor League phase) from the Twins organization (selected by MIN in 2019 MLB Draft).
RHP Zak Kent
Acquired out of 2024 Spring Training from Texas, was limited to 14 games/3 starts at AAA Columbus due to a right elbow strain, which sidelined him from April 15 to Aug. 6. Originally selected by Texas in the ninth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of VMI.
LHP Ryan Webb
Spent most of the season in AA Akron before logging the final five weeks at AAA Columbus. His combined 2.80 ERA over the two stops was the 3rd-lowest mark in the organization as he also finished 4th in organizational strikeouts (151) and 5th in innings (career-high 141.1 IP). Owns a career Minor League ERA of 3.13 following his 2021 fourth round MLB Draft selection out of the University of Georgia. Currently ranked as the 28th-best prospect in the Guardians system (MLB Pipeline).
C Kody Huff
Spent first season in the Guardians organization at AA Akron following his acquisition from Colorado on Nov. 17, 2023 for RHP Cal Quantrill. Walked 44 times and posted a .340 on-base pct while throwing out 33% of would-be base stealers. Selected by the Rockies in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Stanford.
C Cooper Ingle
Named Midwest League MVP at High-A Lake County in 2024, batting .313 (79-for-252) with 18 2B, 9 HR and 55 RBI in 68 games (.433/.500/.933). Also named a Baseball America High-A All-Star. Finished year by hitting .281 in 25 games at AA Akron. Was selected by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Clemson. Currently ranked as the 13th-best prospect in the Guardians system (MLB Pipeline).No. 7 on the BA updated list
INF Dayan Frías
Since 2021, he has spent a season along each level of the club's Minor League system, spending the 2024 campaign in AA Akron while making double-digit starts at all four infield positions. Entered season ranked as the 29th-best prospect in the system (MLB Pipeline) and was a member of Team Colombia in the 2023 WBC. Signed by Cleveland in 2018 as an international free agent. [Joe saw him as a potential Jose Ramirez clone a couple years ago; see Winter ball folder for more details
INF Milán Tolentino
Spent year in utility role for AA Akron, earning Player of Month honors for July. Made 56 starts at shortstop, 36 starts at third base and 14 starts at second base. Was Cleveland’s fourth round selection in the 2020 MLB Draft out of Santa Margarita High School (CA). Father, José, helped the University of Texas win the 1983 College World Series before embarking on a 15-year professional career that included one year in the big leagues (44 games with Astros in 1991).[241/313/370 in 2024; had a good July won Eastern League player of the month]
INF Yordys Valdés
Posted career-bests in walks (44), OPS (.656) and on-base pct. (.339) in first season above Single-A ball, spending entire 2024 season at AA Akron. Made 62 starts at shortstop, 27 starts at second base and 18 starts at third base. Born in La Habana, Cuba, was Cleveland’s second round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of McArthur High School (Hollywood, FL), where he was coached by former Clevelander Oddibe McDowell. Father, Oscar, played outfield for the Cuban national team.
[Always been considered a much better glove than bat]
INF Will WIlson
Selected by Cleveland in the 2024 Rule 5 Draft (Minor League phase) from the Giants organization, where he split the season between AA Richmond and AAA Sacramento. Former first round pick (15th overall) by the LA Angels in 2019 out of NC State and later traded to the Giants in exchange for INF Zack Cozart.
[Another IF going nowhere with his drafted team; Cleveland needed him for depth in AA or AAA when they lost Christian Cairo in the major league phase of Rule 5. It seems awfully likely that Cairo will return] and Aaron Bracho as a minor league free agent.
OF Chase DeLauter
Posted a season OPS of .841 in a combined 39 games at AA Akron, AAA Columbus and the Arizona ACL club around three stints on the Injured List. Ended the season healthy following a successful AZ Fall League season, batting .340 (16-for-47) with 5 2B, 1 HR & 11 RBI in 12 games (.986 OPS) while also working out at the club's Goodyear Complex on scheduled off days. Martinsburg, WV native was Cleveland’s first round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft (16th overall) out of James Madison and is currently ranked as the 2nd-best prospect in the Guardians system (MLB Pipeline).
OF Kahlil Watson
Spent the 2024 season as a jack-of-all-trades utility player for Double-A Akron, routinely starting games at four different positions over four straight team games. On the year, he appeared in 38 games at second base (37GS), 26 in CF (25GS), 19 in LF (19GS), 6 at SS (6GS), 2 at third base (2GS) and 7 starts at DH. Finished tied for 9th in the Guards Minor League system in home runs (16). Acquired from Miami at the 2023 trade deadline for 1B Josh Bell and was Miami’s first round pick (16th overall) in the 2021 MLB Draft out of Wake Forest (NC) High School. He had been projected as one of the top picks in the 2021 draft but slipped due to "character concerns"
He has had a suspension in the past for run in with umpires. None of that since he joined CLE organization
He still has a mix of power and speed but only 15/24 in steals; way too many strikeouts; and a batting average of 220
Re: Articles
10832the rest of the invitees, who apparently have all been invited before:
Pitchers:
RH Mason Hickman and Jack Leftwich [who for awhile had been very highly touted as a breakhrough and had an excellent spring camp in 2024 and Tanner Burns
LHP Andrew Misiaszek and LHP Parker Mushinski
C Andchia and Nunez, veterans
INF: Micha Pries
OF: A couple names from the storied past: Future RF and middle of the lineup linchpin George Valera, who is invited but is as usual recovering from a major injury;
and last but not least in terms of salary: Myles Straw who in fact is likely to earn as much in 2025 as the other 22 put together
Pitchers:
RH Mason Hickman and Jack Leftwich [who for awhile had been very highly touted as a breakhrough and had an excellent spring camp in 2024 and Tanner Burns
LHP Andrew Misiaszek and LHP Parker Mushinski
C Andchia and Nunez, veterans
INF: Micha Pries
OF: A couple names from the storied past: Future RF and middle of the lineup linchpin George Valera, who is invited but is as usual recovering from a major injury;
and last but not least in terms of salary: Myles Straw who in fact is likely to earn as much in 2025 as the other 22 put together
Re: Articles
10833Kody Huff
Huff has average power to the pull side. Defensively, he blocks well, receives well and does a good job handling the pitching staff. He's an average defender at the position with average arm strength who threw out 10-of-27 base stealers—good for a 37% rate.
Huff has average power to the pull side. Defensively, he blocks well, receives well and does a good job handling the pitching staff. He's an average defender at the position with average arm strength who threw out 10-of-27 base stealers—good for a 37% rate.
Re: Articles
10835


The dates are set. Pitchers and catchers will report to the Guardians’ Spring Training camp on Feb. 11, and their first workout will be on Feb. 13. The full squad will report on Feb. 16, and the first team workout will be on Feb. 18.
Baseball season is getting closer.
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. Last week we got things started with catching. Now we move to first base.
1st Base Projected starter: Carlos Santana
He’s coming home.
For the third time in his career, Santana is ready to begin a stint with Cleveland. The first one began 15 years ago in 2010; now the man who will turn 39 years old in April is ready to defeat Father Time once again with another productive season.
Last year, Santana hit .238 with a .748 OPS, 23 homers, 26 doubles, 65 walks and 99 strikeouts in 150 games for the Twins. He may be aging, but it’s not showing in his play, considering he took home a Gold Glove last year for his defense at first base. So, he can still bring some pop to the order (which will be necessary now that Josh Naylor is gone) and he can play a solid first base. He just needs to prove that he can do it all over again as he approaches 40.

The backups: Kyle Manzardo, Jhonkensy Noel
Manzardo will be the main backup. and with Naylor gone, he will likely be able to rotate in defensively more often than he did in 2024. In his second stint with the big league club last year, Manzardo showed just how impactful his bat can be by hitting five homers in 18 games in September. Now that he’s had that experience and gained some more confidence, he may be able to take his game to the next level in ’25.
Noel is also an option at first base, as he showed last year. He’s a threat to hit the ball 800 feet, but he’s also a liability when it comes to protecting the strike zone. Noel got off to a hot start to his Major League career last year before he essentially went ice cold. Of course, everyone remembers when he found his way out of it in Game 3 of the ALCS against the Yankees with his two-out game-tying blast in the bottom of the ninth, but the slugger known as “Big Christmas” will have to show more consistency this year to get prolonged playing time.
Question to answer: Was it worth parting with Naylor?
It may take some time to get this answer. Although the Guardians benefited from Naylor’s production the last few years, they knew they needed starting pitching help, and when they can only do so much on the free-agent market due to financial restrictions, Naylor was an obvious trade candidate because of his value and the fact that Manzardo was sitting behind him.

But this is a team coming off of a “final four” finish in ’24, and Naylor was one of the most critical bats in the lineup. Parting with him had to mean the return would outweigh the loss, and that responsibility now falls on the shoulders of Santana (free-agent replacement) and pitcher Slade Cecconi (acquired in the trade).

Who else is in the Pipeline?
Ralphy Velazquez (No. 5; High-A Lake County)
C.J. Kayfus (No. 6; Double-A Akron)
Micah Pries (unranked; Triple-A Columbus)

Remember last year when the Guardians’ then-top prospect, Chase DeLauter, mashed the ball during Spring Training? So much so that everyone started to wonder if this kid -- who hadn’t yet played above Double-A Akron -- was somehow going to sneak onto the Opening Day roster, but he wasn’t in consideration because he wasn’t even in big league camp?
Well, you can exhale now. No one has to worry about this confusion in 2025, because DeLauter is headlining the list of non-roster invitees.
The 23-year-old outfielder is returning after an injury-plagued 2024. In the small stints when he was healthy, his bat didn’t look like it did during his scorching-hot Spring Training campaign, when he was asked to fill in for a few innings during big league games. But don’t worry, Guardians fans, DeLauter extended his season by playing 12 games in the Arizona Fall League and fell right back into his groove, hitting .340 with a .986 OPS. Can he pick up where he left off?
DeLauter will have a chance to make the Opening Day roster, but it’s most likely that he’ll get some more time in Triple-A to find his offensive consistency again before getting the callup. But it’d be shocking to make it through 2025 without a DeLauter debut, assuming he stays healthy.
Here’s a look at the full list of non-roster invitees who will be in big league camp:
PITCHERS (10)
RHP Burns, Tanner
LHP Dion, Will
RHP Frías, Luis
RHP Hanner, Bradley
RHP Hickman, Mason
RHP Kent, Zak
RHP Leftwich, Jack
LHP Misiaszek, Andrew
LHP Mushinski, Parker
LHP Webb, Ryan
CATCHERS (4)
Anchia, Jake
Huff, Kody
Igle, Cooper
Nuñez, Dom
INFIELDERS (5)
Frías, Dayan
Pries, Micah
Tolentino, Milán
Valdés, Yordys
Wilson, Will
OUTFIELDERS (4)
DeLauter, Chase
Straw, Myles
Valera, George
Watson, Kahlil
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10836
Fans Vote Guardians Star As Best Third Baseman In Baseball
January 15, 2025
By Andres Chavez
MLB Network has been debating and analyzing the ten best players in the league at each position.
For the final results at each position, they consider fan voting and the opinion of analysts plus some offensive and defensive metrics.
These days, they are analyzing third base.
At this point, there is little doubt about who is the best third baseman in baseball.
We will give you a hint: he plays for the Cleveland Guardians.
Jose Ramirez, still one of the most underrated stars in the game, was chosen by fans as the best at the hot corner.
The future Guardians Hall of Famer and candidate for Cooperstown wrapped up another highly successful campaign in 2024.
He came up just short of a 40-40 season, hitting 39 home runs and stealing 41 bases.
He also added 39 doubles for good measure, plus 114 runs and 118 RBI.
He added a .872 OPS to those gaudy totals.
He won the Silver Slugger award and was a Gold Glove finalist.
Yes, there are plenty of quality third basemen in MLB, and some of them are close to Ramirez’s skills and accomplishments.
Any objective analysis will have him as the very best at his position, though.
He has been a steady, consistent performer for years.
In 2024, he was once again the heart and soul of the Guardians and took them to the American League Championship Series.
At least we know that most fans think Ramirez is the gold standard at third, and deservedly so.
Later on Wednesday, MLB Network will reveal the final results after including, according to MLB.com, “rankings based on past performance, various offensive and defensive metrics (including both advanced statistics and traditional numbers) and analysis by the MLB Network research team.”
Despite the myriad of varying sources, opinions, and ingredients for the final formula, Ramirez is still expected to lead MLB Network’s list of best third basemen.
Fans, however, have spoken.
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10838
Guardians move Myles Straw’s contract in trade with Blue Jays
Updated: Jan. 17, 2025, 3:23 p.m.|Published: Jan. 17, 2025, 11:45 a.m.
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Toronto continues to be a dumping ground for the Guardians’ multiyear contracts.
They traded Gold Glove second baseman Andrés Giménez to the Blue Jays at the winter meetings to get out from under the almost $100 million they owed him. They continued the pattern on Friday by sending another Gold Glove defender, Myles Straw, to Toronto for a player to be named.
Cleveland also sent international bonus pool money and cash to the Blue Jays to complete the deal. The G’s signed Straw to a five-year, $25 million deal in 2022 after they acquired him at the trade deadline from Houston in 2021.
The right-handed hitting Straw will make $6 million in 2025 and $7 million in 2026. He had club options worth $8 million for 2027 and $8.5 million for 2028. The 2027 club option includes a $1.75 million buyout.
The Guardians will pay $3.75 million of the $14.75 million that remains on Straw’s contract. They also sent Toronto $2 million from their international bonus pool to sign free agents. It means the Blue Jays have $2 million more to spend on international players, while the Guardians have $2 million less. The Guardians were unlikely to spend that $2 million if they had kept it.
The extra bonus pool money may allow the Blue Jays to pursue Japanese right-hander Roki Sasaki.
Straw spent almost the entire 2024 season at Class AAA Columbus after the Guardians outrighted him at the end of spring training. Earlier this week they announced that they were inviting him to spring training as a non-roster player.
Straw made an immediate impact with the Guards after they acquired him from the Astros. He played a great center field, while hitting .285 (68 for 239) with two homers, 14 RBI and 13 steals in 14 attempts over 60 games. That prompted the Guardians to sign Straw to five-year extension at the start of the 2022 season.
It was a deal that backfired on Cleveland.
Straw hit .221 (118 for 535) with no homers and 32 RBI in 152 games in 2022. In 2023, he hit .238 (110 for 462) with one homer in 147 games.
Before the start of the 2024 season, the Guardians designated him for assignment and outrighted him to Columbus. He appeared in four games with the Guardians last season, but spent most of the season at Columbus, where he hit .240 (104 for 434) with three homers, 47 RBI and 30 steals in 31 attempts.
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10839
Triston McKenzie determined to bounce back for Guardians in 2025
Updated: Jan. 17, 2025, 3:17 p.m.|Published: Jan. 17, 2025, 10:44 a.m.
By Joe Noga, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — Triston McKenzie sounds like he is ready to put the struggles of his 2024 season behind him and make a difference in the Guardians' starting rotation in 2025.
After posting a 3-5 record and a 5.11 ERA in 16 starts last season, McKenzie was optioned to Triple-A Columbus at the end of June and continued to put up abysmal numbers while trying to recapture the stuff from his breakout 2022 campaign.
A pair of trips to the injured list submarined McKenzie’s 2023 season, but the Florida native said throughout his rehab process he was able to hone in on what makes him good at throwing strikes and eat up innings so that he can be the kind of competitor upon whom his teammates rely.
McKenzie joined the Foul Territory podcast from his home Thursday and talked about how difficult it was to watch from the stands during Cleveland’s run to the American League Championship Series last year, and how he is itching to get back on the mound and contribute to the club’s next postseason pursuit.
“Just wanting to go out there and, not even prove myself, just put my best foot forward and help the team,” McKenzie said.
The 27-year-old righty admitted to hosts A.J. Pierzynski, Erik Kratz, Cameron Maybin and Scott Braun that the “what ifs” and how the playoffs could have turned out differently followed him throughout the offseason.
“It was on everybody’s mind,” McKenzie said. “What the team could have looked like if I had been the best version of myself, or if we had (Shane) Bieber out there being the best version of himself, how much further the team could have gotten.”
McKenzie said the goal entering 2025 is for Guardians players to put themselves in position to defend their AL Central Division title.
“Just to be the best version of the Guardians that we can, knowing that we have a leader like Stephen Vogt, and knowing the presence we have in the clubhouse with a guy like José Ramírez,” McKenzie said.
McKenzie had a little fun during the podcast as well, talking sneakers and fashion as well as where he was on the field during the infamous 2023 brawl between Ramírez and Chicago shortstop Tim Anderson.
McKenzie revealed that while he enjoys the rivalry between the Guardians and White Sox, his favorite part to pitch at is in Detroit.
“It might just be an AL Central thing,” McKenzie said. “I love pitching against the White Sox, but for whatever reason, any time we’re in Detroit and I’m throwing at Comerica (Park), I’m throwing good.”
On the heels of a historically good performance by the bullpen in 2024, McKenzie was asked whether or not he might object if Vogt comes out to the mound to pull him out of a game early. He said that it would probably prompt a conversation off the field, but he would never show his manager up on the mound.
“Whenever they’re making moves, they’re making moves for a reason,” McKenzie said. “We have possibly the best bullpen in history ... I have guys that I can rely on in the bullpen and (I) trust them and trust my coaching staff and their decision making.”
But at the end of the day, McKenzie is a competitor at heart.
“I want to go out there and be the best version of me,” McKenzie said. “In my mind, I’m going to try and throw nine (innings) every game. If they pull me at four, then so be it. I may express my displeasure with that after, but I’m going to try and do that regardless.”
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10840
Guardians Get More Salary Relief With Recent Trade
January 17, 2025
By Andres Chavez
The Cleveland Guardians have had a better off-season than you think.
Yes, they traded an important source of power in Josh Naylor.
And yes, they also flipped fan favorite and defensive star Andres Giménez.
However, the Guards have also been able to replenish their farm, re-sign ace Shane Bieber, bring in some much-needed pitching reinforcements in Luis L. Ortiz and Slade Cecconi, and create some financial room.
That last item, creating financial room, is much, much easier to do when the assets that are traded are highly effective players: everybody would want them if that’s the case.
However, Cleveland and president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti removed almost $100 million allocated to a player who had become an offensive liability (Giménez).
He also worked some magic on Friday, trading Myles Straw: a player who had been so bad with the bat that he was waived before the start of the 2024 campaign and eventually returned to the organization on a minor league deal, spending the majority of the year at Triple-A Columbus.
Antonetti got the Toronto Blue Jays to cover the majority of the money owed to Straw over the next two seasons.
“Cleveland is covering $3.75 million of the remaining $15.5 million owed to Myles Straw, source tells me & @ShiDavidi. Also worth noting: Straw’s money counts towards the Blue Jays’ CBT calculations regardless of whether he’s on their 40-man,” Blue Jays insider Ben Nicholson-Smith posted on X.
Cleveland took advantage of Toronto’s desperation to add some extra international bonus pool money in their quest for Roki Sasaki.
They sent $2 million in bonus slot money to Toronto plus Straw, but it was a masterful use of resources given that Cleveland had already signed 25 international prospects.
They didn’t really need to add more: it’s even possible that they left that money untouched in case one of the teams in contention for Sasaki came calling.
To make it all worth it, however, the Guardians must re-invest the money on the roster, whether it is on free agent hitters or pitchers or a contract extension.
Will that be the case?
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10841Guardians send Straw to Blue Jays for player to be named or cash
11:26 AM CST
Mandy Bell
CLEVELAND -- The Guardians have dealt another player to Toronto.
The team announced Friday morning that outfielder Myles Straw had been traded to the Blue Jays along with international bonus pool money and cash in exchange for a player to be named or cash. According to sources, the Guardians will send a total of $3.75 million to the Blue Jays over the next two seasons to help pay some of Straw's contract while also sending $2 million of international bonus pool space now. The club has not confirmed the financial terms of the deal.
Cleveland has been shopping Straw over the past two years, hoping to pass on his contract to another suitor. The Guardians first landed the outfielder at the 2021 Trade Deadline, and he immediately made such a strong impact that the organization didn’t hesitate to lock him up to a five-year, $25 million extension.
This is a team that had been searching for any form of consistency in the outfield since Michael Brantley left. Straw provided elite defense in center, and he hit .285 with a .739 OPS in his 60 games with his new team. It finally seemed like Cleveland found the player it had been looking for.
Since then, the defense remained steady, but the offensive production waned. In ’22, Straw hit .221 with a mere .564 OPS in 152 games. He endured a stretch of 1,160 plate appearances over 716 days without hitting a home run. His average sat at .238 in ’23, and his OPS was still under .600.
Straw came into Spring Training in ’24 determined to prove he could win his roster spot again. He showed improvements offensively and the organization seemed pleased with the muscle he had gained over the winter. However, after missing the playoffs, the Guardians knew it was time for a change. Even though he was still owed nearly $19 million at the time, Cleveland knew it was better off paying him to play in Triple-A Columbus until he proved he could be an impactful everyday player.
Straw only saw seven big league games after that decision. According to Spotrac, he’s still owed $13.8 million over the next two seasons. He has an $8 million club option in ’27 and an $8.5 million option in ’28. But if Toronto decides against exercising his option, Straw would receive a $1.75 million buyout.
Cleveland had extended a non-roster invitation to Major League Spring Training to Straw prior to this trade, but losing him won’t hurt the team’s outfield depth, considering he wasn’t in the picture in ’24. For now, Lane Thomas has center field locked up, but he could also play right. Steven Kwan will be in left. The team has Jhonkensy Noel, Will Brennan, Petey Halpin, Jonathan Rodriguez, Angel Martínez and Tyler Freeman as other outfield candidates on the 40-man roster.
Once again, the Guardians have found a way to trade a hefty amount of guaranteed money for the future. They also sent second baseman Andrés Giménez to the Blue Jays earlier this offseason, freeing up nearly $100 million over the next few seasons. But so far, the team hasn’t done much with the sudden financial flexibility.
Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said after the Giménez trade that the goal would be to reinvest these funds into the team as soon as possible. Maybe there’s still another addition to be made to this roster before Spring Training begins.
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10842
Promising Player Projected To Bounce Back With Guardians In 2025
Bo Naylor could become one of the more reliable hitters in the Cleveland Guardians lineup during the 2025 season.
Tommy Wild | 14 Hours Ago
There's a reason that Bo Naylor was considered one of the Cleveland Guardians' top prospects as he made his way through the farm system.
A young catcher who can be a plus defender and a power-hitting threat in the lineup is worth being very excited about.
Since taking over as Cleveland's full-time catcher halfway through the 2023 season, Naylor hasn't quite lived up to that expectation. Bo has shown flashes of what he can be, but he is still working on making that his norm.
However, 2025 could be a new page in the 24-year-old's career, as FanGraphs' ZiPS projection predicts Naylor to have somewhat of a bounce-back season in 2025.
The famous forecasting model is predicting Bo to finish the season with a WAR of 2.0, which would rank third on the Guardians behind Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan in their projection.
Naylor has always been a relatively solid defender in the majors, but this prediction suggests that he will finally find some consistency at the plate.
ZiPS favors Bo to have a solid offensive season and predicts him to hit .220/.309/.397 with an OPS+ of 100. These stats included Naylor hitting 20 doubles, 16 home runs, and 55 RBI.
In the grand scheme of things, these numbers would still make Naylor a league-average hitter with a little more pop from a season ago.
However, Bo was one of the Guardians' worst hitters last season, so even having him improve to an average hitter would help the back half of Cleveland's lineup.
It's important to remember that this is still just a model and prediction for how the season could go. Bo still needs to make the necessary adjustments for it to come to fruition.
But if these projections are correct, a more reliable Naylor at the plate could make up for some of the offense the Guardians lost when they traded Bo's older brother during the offseason.
<
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10843
The Most Polarizing Player On The Cleveland Guardians
Cleveland Guardians pitcher Slade Cecconi still has plenty of potential as an elite Major League pitcher.
Tommy Wild | Jan 16, 2025
The Cleveland Guardians have many intriguing players, which will draw plenty of interest during Spring Training and into the regular season.
However, RHP Slade Cecconi stands above the rest as arguably the most polarizing player on the roster due to his potential but overall lackluster performance in his limited big league appearances.
Cecconi was drafted 33rd overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and he made his debut in August of 2023.
For as high a pick Cecconi was, he hasn't quite lived up to expectations. In 27 career MLB appearances, including 17 starts, he has a 6.06 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.
However, he's still posted great numbers as a prospect. Cecconi had a 3.06 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 29.5 K% in the minors last season.
There's still a reason to be incredibly high on the 25-year-old, and the Guardians clearly see that, too.
Chris Antonetti recently said that Cecconi will "come into Spring Training with a chance to compete for a spot on the pitching staff; could be in the rotation, could be in the pen."
The Guardians' executive went on to say this about the fascinating pitcher:
"Slade has a good track record in the minor leagues. His calling card has been his ability to pound the strike zone and throw strikes. He's got a good four-pitched mix, which is highlighted by a mid-90s fastball that touched the upper 90s when he's been in a relief role. His best secondary pitch is a curveball."
Cecconi's command is clearly his strength. During the 2024 season, he ranked in the 92nd percentile in BB% and BB/9, with a score of 1.99.
The only issue is that Cecconi tends to leave that ball over the plate too much, which results in plenty of contact by opposing hitters.
If he can clean some of this up, develop a solid offspeed or breaking pitch, and increase his swing-and-miss rate, the Guardians could be looking at one of the better pitchers in their staff down the line. However, it remains to be seen if this will happen.
With as good of a fastball as Cecconi has, his command of the zone, and being part of Cleveland's elite pitching development system, he could very well be a key contributor at some point this season or in the future.
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“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10844

Who will man 2nd base for Guards this season?
Let’s keep whipping around the horn.
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 and first base. Let’s move on to a trickier position: Second base.
Projected starter: Your guess is as good as mine
OK, if we have to say names, let’s just go with Gabriel Arias as the placeholder right now, but this is a position that is 100 percent up for grabs. Andrés Giménez has provided his pitchers, coaches, managers and fans so much reassurance over the past few years, knowing that if a ball is hit to the right side of the infield -- no matter where it is -- it’d be fielded beautifully and an out would be recorded. Offense ends up getting talked about more than defense, but there’s something to say about the level of comfort the 2023 Platinum Glover gave everybody.
But that reliable glove is in Toronto now. Giménez's lack of offense (.638 OPS in 2024) ended up outweighing those defensive contributions, considering he was still owed nearly $100 million in his contract over the next five years. Cleveland wanted to free itself from that contract and open up an opportunity for another player to hopefully bring some more life with his bat while also playing a sound second base. We just have no idea who that will be yet.
As I said, if we have to name a leader in the clubhouse right now, we can turn to Arias. Why? Well, he obviously has a good bit of Major League experience. Arias is another player who is known for his glove and can play a sound shortstop, which should translate to second base. When he was optioned to Triple-A Columbus last year, he started to find his groove again at the plate, hitting .317 with a .905 OPS, five triples, six homers and 20 RBIs in just 43 games. Arias then played in the Venezuelan Winter League and hit .292 with a .911 OPS and six homers in 27 games. The Guardians have been very encouraged by this trend, which would lead us to believe that he’ll be the favorite to start at second base until proven otherwise.
Other candidates: Juan Brito, Daniel Schneemann, Tyler Freeman, Angel Martínez
Brito is the only player in this group who has yet to make his Major League debut. He is someone the Guardians have really liked for a long time, so much so that they traded their former top prospect, Nolan Jones, to acquire Brito from the Rockies. He’s currently ranked as Cleveland’s No. 8 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, and the switch-hitter can control the strike zone and has made pretty consistent contact from both sides of the plate in his professional career, though he’s definitely seen more success as a lefty hitter against righties the last two seasons. Brito is best suited to be a second baseman in the Majors and may develop into a solid big league hitter. He just needs an opportunity to prove that could be the case.
At some point, Brito will make his debut in 2025, but if it’s not right away, it could be Freeman, Schneemann or Martínez who win the second-base duties. Although Freeman played mostly in the outfield last year, he’s a natural infielder and can easily slide back in at second base. It will be dependent upon how reliable his bat looks during Spring Training to determine whether he should get the starting job. But he and/or Schneemann could also serve as the utility man given their defensive versatility.
Question to answer: Who will hit?
It’s really that simple. Yes, there will be a drop-off in defense at second base no matter who wins the job. It’s nearly impossible to replicate the things Giménez is able to do with his glove. It’s the offense that’s been lacking since Giménez’s All-Star season in 2022. The team needs more hitters, which is why this trade happened in the first place. If Arias can continue his hot streak through Spring Training, there’s no reason he wouldn’t win the starting job. But Cleveland knows there’s untapped potential in Brito, and if he can give his coaches a taste of what he can do consistently against big league pitching in some Cactus League games, he could earn an Opening Day roster spot.
Who else is in the Guards' Pipeline?
No. 1 prospect Travis Bazzana (High-A Lake County)
No. 4 Angel Genao (High-A Lake County)
No. 9 Welbyn Francisca (Single-A Lynchburg)
No. 23 Alex Mooney (High-A Lake County)
No. 26 Jake Fox (High-A Lake County)
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“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
Re: Articles
10845What I’m hearing about Guardians offseason moves – Terry Pluto
Updated: Jan. 19, 2025, 5:26 a.m.|Published: Jan. 19, 2025, 5:25 a.m.
By Terry Pluto, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio – What I’m hearing about what was behind the main moves by the Guardians this winter:
Let’s talk prospects: Part One
1. Let’s talk about the big picture, and money is always a part of the big picture. But so is something else. For more than a decade, Cleveland’s farm system has been producing pitchers. They are rated the best in baseball when it comes to that category, according to a survey by MLB.com.
2. I made a list of the top seven candidates for the rotation: Gavin Williams (first round, 2021), Tanner Bibee (fifth round, 2021), Logan Allen (second round, 2021), Triston McKenzie (first round, 2015) and Joey Cantillo (acquired in a trade from San Diego, been in the farm system since 2020). Only Ben Lively and newcomer Luis Ortiz are coming directly to the big leagues from other MLB teams.
3. Another part of the big picture: Most of the Guards’ top prospects are position players. The MLB Pipeline has five Cleveland players in their top 100 MLB prospects. None are pitchers. Baseball America has only one pitcher (Cantillo) in its top 10 Cleveland prospects. MLB Pipeline also has one (Daniel Espino, recovering from shoulder surgery). The analytics site FanGraphs has only one Cleveland pitcher in the Guards' top 10 prospects — Parker Messick.
4. Why talk about prospects? Because the Guardians were determined to acquire at least one MLB ready starter via a trade. They want to prop up their rotation depth. Yes, they like prospects such as Doug Nikhazy, Ryan Webb and Cantillo who have experience and promise, but they want more right now. You can never have enough pitching, especially in this era where 36% of all MLB pitchers have had at least one Tommy John elbow surgery.
5. The Guardians resigned Shane Bieber. The hope is he’ll be back at mid-season from his 2024 Tommy John surgery to give the rotation a boost.

The Gimenez trade
1. When it came to dealing Andres Gimenez to Toronto, money was part of it. Gimenez is paid $10 million in 2025. It rises to $15 million in 2026. Then it’s $23 million annually from 2027-29.
2. As one top source told me, Gimenez is the best defensive second baseman in the majors. He plays every day, plays hard and his glove makes him one of the pitcher’s best friends. If his salary remained at the $10 million range (2025) for the next several years, Cleveland probably would have kept him. But once he reaches that $15 million in 2026 with those three $23 million seasons looming, it would have been nearly impossible to trade him without taking a bloated contract in return.
3. Because of the contract, the trade market for Gimenez was not strong. Toronto is a major market team. Former Cleveland president Mark Shapiro and executive Ross Atkins are feeling the pressure to win. They have been in Toronto since the middle of the 2016 season. They view Gimenez as an immediate fix at second base, which has been a trouble spot. They also know he can move to short if the team makes other moves.
4. But there is another important part of the big picture. The baseball part. The pitching part. The Guards were not going to deal Gimenez unless they could receive an MLB-ready starter in return. That became Luis Ortiz from Pittsburgh. Ortiz is 25. He had a 7-6 record with a 3.32 ERA with the Pirates. He opened the season in the bullpen.
5. Gimenez and reliever Nick Sandlin were traded to the Blue Jays for first baseman Spencer Horwitz and Class A outfield prospect Nick Mitchell. The Guardians then flipped Horwitz to the Pirates for Ortiz.
6. Pitching also was a part of the deal beyond Ortiz. The Pirates also sent young starters Michael Kennedy and Josh Hartle to Cleveland as part of the deal. Kennedy pitched in Class A. Hartle was a 2024 draft pitck. They are rated No. 16 (Kennedy) and No. 18 (Hartle) on the Guardians' list of prospects compiled by mlb.com.
Let’s talk prospects: Part Two
1. Gimenez received that huge contract after his 2022 season when he batted .297 (.837 OPS) with 17 HR and 69 RBI at the age of 23. They thought he’d develop into an impact hitter, along with being a sensational fielder. But in the last two years, Gimenez batted .252 (.670 OPS), averaging 12 HR, 62 RBI and 30 stolen bases. Decent numbers, but not the kind that corresponds with the $23 million a year in the final three seasons of his contract.
2. The Guardians also were willing to trade Gimenez because they are extremely excited about Juan Brito. Cleveland traded Nolan Jones to Colorado for Brito before the 2023 season. He was playing in Class A, and they targeted him for a possible trade. The Guardians wanted to open second base for Brito, who batted .256 (.807 OPS) with 21 HR, 40 doubles and 84 RBI for Class AAA Columbus at the age of 22.
3. The Guardians aren’t saying it, but they like Brito much like they did Steven Kwan heading into the 2022 training camp. They gave Kwan a real shot to win the left field job, which he did. Like Kwan, Brito is a contact hitter who doesn’t strike out a lot. But Brito has shown more power than Kwan.
4. While Brito will receive the first chance to grab second base, the Guardians have other possibilities such as Angel Martinez and Tyler Freeman at the big league level. Martinez also will play a lot in the outfield during spring training, as will Freeman.
5. Looming is Travis Bazzana, the top pick in the 2024 draft. The second baseman from Oregon State is likely to begin the 2025 season at Class AA Akron, but could move up fast.
6. So the Gimenez trade was about A) Adding a starting pitcher. B) Moving away from the rich Gimenez contract. C) Opening up second base for Brito, etc.
The Naylor trade
1. The Guardians also sent Josh Naylor to Arizona for pitcher Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Balance Round B pick in 2025. That selection comes between the second and third rounds. But Carlos Santana was part of the equation.
2. Cleveland viewed the trade like this: Naylor was in the final year of his contract. They decided they’d rather bring in Carlos Santana for one year to play first base – especially because it allowed them to add Cecconi and the draft pick. They considered the draft pick to be important.
3. Like the market for Gimenez, there was not a lot of interest in Naylor – at least in terms of trading top level prospects or young, talented MLB players. Hard to believe because Naylor made the 2024 All-Star team. He batted .243 (.776 OPS) with 31 HR and 108 RBI. Even if Naylor doesn’t approach those numbers in 2025, his presence batting behind Jose Ramirez will be missed.
4. What was wrong with Naylor? His physical conditioning is poor. The Guardians worked with him on his weight, but he actually added pounds during the season. He’s listed as 5-foot-11 and 250 pounds by Baseball Reference. He batted .240 with nine HR after the All-Star. His impending free agency and his weight problems scared off many teams.
5. The Guardians viewed the deal as Naylor for Santana, Cecconi and the draft pick. It was not about the money Santana is making more ($12 million) than Naylor ($10.9 million). The Guardians won’t say it, but their actions indicate they don’t expect Naylor to repeat his All-Star season. Naylor also missed 81 games over the 2022-23 seasons with injuries.
6. In 2024, Santana won his first Gold Glove at the age of 38. The Guardians see him as a major upgrade defensively at first base. That will help the right side of the infield with the loss of Gimenez at second base. Santana batted .238 (.749 OPS) with 23 HR and 71 RBI for the Twins in 2024. He played 150 games. The Guardians view him as an instant leader for the clubhouse. Santana is one of baseball’s most respected players.
Talking prospects: Part Three
1. The Guardians had no intention of signing Naylor to a long-term deal. His physical conditioning was part of it. But so are the prospects. Kyle Manzardo will probably be the DH this season with Santana at first. But Manzardo is expected to take over at first at some point. He hammered five homers for Cleveland in September. Santana will be 39 on April 8. He can’t play forever, can he?
2. The Guardians also have Jhonkensy Noel, who can play first base. As can David Fry, once he’s fully recovered from his elbow surgery.
3. Cecconi is a pitcher whose stuff is better than his stats. His fastball is in the middle to high 90s mph. His control is very good, at least in terms of avoiding walks. But he is prone to home runs, allowing 20 in 104 MLB innings with a career 6.06 ERA.
4. In 2024, Cecconi was 4-2 with a 3.06 ERA for Class AAA Reno, which is a tough place to pitch. My guess is the Guardians believe he can eventually help in the bullpen, although they want to work with him as a starter.
5. Let’s put it all together: The Guardians traded Naylor, Gimenez and Sandlin. They added Ortiz, Cecconi and Santana along with minor league prospects Mitchell, Hartle and Kennedy. They also considered the additional draft pick a significant part of the deal.
6. Nearly every year, the Guardians make moves that are tough on the fan base. This is no exception. They traded a popular Gold Glove second baseman and a first baseman who made the All-Star team. They added young pitching, a draft pick and Santana back for his third tour of duty in Cleveland. But there was more under the surface driving these moves. With this front office and its track record of success, I generally give them the benefit of the doubt because they have earned it.
>
“Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday's success or put its failures behind and start over again. That's the way life is, with a new game every day, and that's the way baseball is.”
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO
-- Bob Feller
Democracy Dies In Darkness - WAPO