Waiting For Next Year: Recent Episodes
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There aren’t many better ways to wake up on a Monday in September than with a thorough drubbing of a division rival, and it’s even better […]
Matt and Todd deliver to you this week’s Dery Brothers Guardians Cast. Some of the topics they got on the mic’s to discuss: Frustration with the […]
Taylor and Matt react to the Browns’ 24-3 dismantling of the Bengals in Week 1 that left them speechless at times. The BrownsCast recap discusses how much we can take away from the defensive performance, what we would still like to see from the offense, and where Joe Woods should be sent for holding this defense back.
The long wait for NFL football is finally over, and while we were graced with a great football game last night between the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs,1 it just isn’t the same as a Browns Sunday game. Whether you have plans to be in the Muni Lot pregame or watching on YouTubeTV on the couch, anyone can enjoy our WFNY Roundtable!
Nick Chubb didn’t get much run in the preseason but owns Cincinnati, averaging 88.6 YPG and a touchdown in the nine games he’s played them. How do you think he fares getting the lion’s share of the workload this week?Bode: Chubb averaged 18 carries per game in 2023 but only two targets per game. Last December, the Bengals altered their entire defensive scheme to stop Chubb from being the focal point. The hope is that he is needed less in the grinding of the run game but participates a bit more in what should be a more pass-heavy offense, which would render such strategies useless.
Corey: The secret is out on Nick Chubb – he’s good. Browns fans screamed for Chubb to tote the rock more in 2022, but with Kareem Hunt gone and a less-proven backup in Jerome Ford, it’ll be interesting to see how number 24 does with an expanded workload this season. Luckily for him, DeShaun Watson’s increased comfort with the playbook should lead to more passing plays early in drives and render Chubb’s touches less predictable. That should give him an edge and put him on track for 100+ yards on Sunday.
Chris: Running the ball with Nick Chubb is not only one of the best plays the Browns can run, it’s one of the best available plays to any team in football. I have no questions about that aspect of his game. I am, however, interested in seeing how he’s deployed in the passing game. I wonder how much more if at all, he is used to catch the ball out of the backfield. I don’t think he has bad hands or is a useless receiver, but he doesn’t seem to get the same momentum to his runs catching it as he does on handoffs. Also, how many opportunities does Elijah Moore take from him catching from the backfield? I’m excited to see it. I think he runs for over 100 yards and catches a TD pass.
Andrew: I’m not concerned at all about Nick Chubb’s lack of preseason workload. We all know how hard he works in the offseason and he’ll be ready to go. He rushed for 141 yards in the opener last season against Carolina and I think he’ll be primed for a big game against Cincy as long as the Browns don’t fall behind early and resort to just passing.
Gerbs: Feed. The. Man. I’m slightly worried about the season-long implications of giving him 25+ touches a game, but for Week 1, absolutely not. The man has everything you could ask for and everything opposing teams hate. I wouldn’t be surprised if he does get 25 touches+targets this week and goes off for 200 all-purpose yards and a tudder.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has said he’s given the keys to the offense to Deshaun Watson. What does that mean to you and give me a target breakdown of the top 4 guys (Amari Cooper, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Elijah Moore, and David Njoku).Bode: I doubt the Browns offense cares or considers a target breakdown ahead of games. Watson was elite in Houston because of his ability to read and find the weak spots of the defense. The Bengals will dictate who gets the most targets as they cannot cover the entirety of the field the same way. The good news for the Browns is that they now have multiple weapons that can take advantage of those weaknesses.
Corey: I don’t think Watson will conduct peak Peyton Manning-level audibles at the line, but I expect him to make more adjustments than last year. That cuts both ways: predict a blitz then adapt and you’re back, but shift a play into the scrum and you’re washed. I think DPJ will be the primary target for the first quarter at least. Everyone expects Cooper to get the looks so the secondary will key on him. I think DPJ on a slant can go for a slate of first downs.
Chris: Deshaun is the driver: He controls everything that happens behind the wheel of the offense. Kevin is the lead mechanic and engineer: He makes sure everything is working and the driver is in the best place to win the race. Deshaun is going to do things out of pocket that are not planned, but as long as the machine is well-oiled, it’ll handle an aggressive driver. I used to be a mechanic and this is the best I can do for metaphor and analogy. Anyway, the targets will be a little unique this week, in my estimation. I go back to Anthony Schwartz’s first game where he seemed a little featured (and it was all down hill from there). Stefanski likes to show off new toys a little, so I’ll say 10 targets for Moore, 8 for Cooper, 8 for Njoku, and 5 for DPJ.
Andrew: I think Watson at his best is a QB who takes what the defense gives. One of his most revered traits as a passer in Houston was his ability to read defenses and make the right pass. Before he was notorious for other things, YouTube was full of clips of him breaking down what defenses were doing for reporters. So I truly believe the Browns’ target breakdowns will vary quite a bit this year. I do expect David Njoku to get a lot of looks inside the red zone though. He is still a large target with elite athletic ability.
Gerbs: I have no issue letting Watson drive the bus, as it were, given the fact that he is the one on the receiving end of alllllll that money. If you think he’s the guy, let him do it, and I think this year, with the snaps from 2022 and a full offseason of work with the team, he’s in a position to do it. We didn’t get to see a whole bunch of it last year due to the rust, but I think we are ready to be blown away by his play. As for a target breakdown, I expect 10+ for Amari, 5-7 for Moore, Njoku, and DPJ.
Myles Garrett has never had this kind of help along the defensive line, with the front office adding Za’Darius Smith, Ogbo Okoronkwo, and Dalvin Tomlinson. He’s famously been the most double-teamed player in the league; how do you think his Week 1 will go?Bode: Myles Garrett has been amazing… but, he’s been somehow even more amazing than his own high standards against Cincinnati. The Bengals are going to make the rest of the defensive line beat them as I doubt they change their Myles-overload strategy in Week 1. It’s up to the upgraded players around him to make future opponents reconsider that philosophy.
Corey: Cincinnati’s offensive line is better than their Super Bowl season, but Myles will get his stats. Regardless of protection, I expect at least one sack, two tackles for loss, and let’s throw in a deflected pass just for kicks. If Smith and Okoronkwo can pick up a sack apiece then the Browns are in good shape. (Unrelated – it’s a shame that Ogbo didn’t elect to wear No. 7, because “OO7” would have been just a fantastic shorthand for him).
Chris: I’m looking for splash plays from all sides in this game. Both teams, offense and defense. I expect the Browns to come out aggressive to show they are serious this year, and I expect Joe Burrow to play a little safe around pressure in the pocket (when he’s not hitting a deep ball) leading to 5 sacks. Myles will get 2, Smith will get 1, Ogba will get 1, and a linebacker of your choice will clean up the last one.
Andrew: It seems like Cincy’s strategy has never been to load up against Myles. They have seemed content to just let him do his thing all game, and I’m not sure I fully understand why. Now that Myles has more help beside him, will Cincy change their strategy? If so, I think some of the new guys could have big games. If they don’t change their strategy, though, look out. Myles will have an absolutely monster game.
Gerbs: “Make sure Myles doesn’t beat you” has been the mantra for years and it likely will continue to be, but this year the other side could absolutely beat you this time around. Smith and Okoronkwo are the best rushers he’s played with and when you add in Tomlinson and Shelby Harris, it’s one of the most talented lines in the league.
Denzel Ward is still in the concussion protocol as of Thursday morning. Do you think he plays and if he doesn’t, how does Jim Schwartz’s defense make up for that against the tough matchup of Cinci’s receivers? Bode: Ward’s at his best going up against physical wide receivers man-on-man. Not having him against Ja’Marr Chase is a huge detriment to the defense if he sits out and likely means the team will need to shift more bracket coverage that way, which opens up the other side of the field.
Corey: It’s a long season, and I think caution wins out before Sunday – I expect Ward to sit. (Whispers – like he should have sat in the last preseason game). Anyway, Chase is terrific and while Greg Newsome II might be able to step up against him I’m not certain if the Browns secondary has enough depth to make up that loss across the board. No Ward = 50 more passing yards for Burrow.
Chris: Ward is on track to potentially be available, and I think he plays, but I’m quite worried that he’s one more weird play away from missing a large chunk of the season with another concussion. A bit worried for the guy more than the player. Without Ward, the Browns play more zone and less aggressive rushes, most likely. I don’t like the defense’s chances like that.
Andrew: I don’t know if he will play or not, that will just come down to what the team’s medical staff thinks. But obviously, it’s a huge adjustment without him. Against most teams, the Browns can survive just slotting some guys up a notch, but with the depth Cincy has at wide receiver, it’s going to create some issues. That’s where you really just hope the D-line can get enough pressure to take some of the stress off the DBs.
Gerbs: I want him to sit for his sake, but I think he will play at this point. He was at least limited in both practices leading up to Friday if not a full participant on Thursday. If he plays, they are able to play defense the way they want: man-to-man on the outside, funnel help with safeties over the top, and let the line wreak havoc. Let slip the dogs of war on money man Burrow.
Week 1, Cleveland is getting 2.5 points at home. Are you taking the points? Can Cleveland win outright? Bode: Cleveland can win as the Browns have gotten the best of the Bengals in five of the last six meetings despite starting the likes of Baker Mayfield, Case Keenum, and Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. Cincinnati though is the more experienced team with fewer questions entering 2023 and is considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender by many. Not to mention the well-documented issues the Browns have had the first week of any season. But, hey, it’s Week 1… have to believe the Browns will win.
Corey: In my waking lifetime since 1999, the Browns are 2-21-1 in Week 1. They haven’t won at home in Week 1 since 2004… when rookie o-lineman Dawand Jones was three years old. If you’re willing to bet on the Browns in this moment then you’re a braver person than me. Of course, I’m writing this wearing my brown and orange “Cleveland is the City” t-shirt so who really knows? For what it’s worth, there’s not yet been a tie in the Battle of Ohio.
Chris: I’m taking the points for sure, and the Browns outright win a shootout that features big sacks and INTs as well. Browns, 38-35.
Andrew: I don’t bet on the Browns, but if I had to, I would not take the points. I would bet on the Browns to win outright. But that’s only because I like the value more without the points. I’m probably not quite as high on the Browns yet as a lot of fans are. I think I’m jaded in my old(er) age. The Browns have to prove it to me before I can fully believe. I think the Browns will probably lose this game because I do think Cincy is the more established team. I suspect it could take a few weeks before the Browns really gel as a team. And as boring as it is to talk about, we know how the Browns typically fare in season openers.
Gerbs: Take the points and put them elsewhere in a teaser if you want because I think Cleveland wins this outright. Thank Ja’Maar Chase for the bulletin board material from yesterday. Cleveland is Cleveland, the Browns is the Browns, and they are gonna come out firing.
- Thanks Detroit for hanging a loss on an AFC contender.
I always feel bad for Doubting Thomas, mostly because we all know his name because of his doubt and not because of the rest of his life. If you are unfamiliar with Doubting Thomas, he was one of Jesus’s 12 disciples and after Jesus’s death and subsequent resurrection, word spread that he had returned. Thomas, in a moment of pragmatism that belied any of his other accomplishments in life, told the rest of the disciples “I can’t get behind this, I will believe our Lord has risen when I can put my fingers in the holes of his hands.”1 When he was finally in front of the resurrected Christ, Jesus didn’t shy away from being a smart aleck and told Thomas “here man, check it out”2 The story is told and shared in a way that tries to convey to Christians and other believers that faith, while being important, does not need to be blind to be real.
Thomas had just witnessed the man who he believed to be the Messiah beaten and killed in front of him, had seen him placed in a tomb, and seen the boulder rolled in front of the grave. Sure, he believed that Jesus was who he said he was, but with everything in front of him, he couldn’t get there in the moment when he heard the news about the resurrection. Isn’t that also kinda how it feels with Browns fans and this team this season? I know I feel a little like “Show me and I’ll believe it”.
We’ve seen the front office try to add to the defensive line opposite Myles Garrett to no avail. Jadeveon Clowney and Olivier Vernon and Emmanuel Ogbah and Danny Shelton and Larry Ogunjobi were all names along the D-line, both inside and out, that were going to finally be the last piece of the puzzle to help take the pressure and double teams off of Garrett, all to no avail. So you’ll forgive me for wanting to see Za’Darius Smith and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris actually do it before I believe fully that the personnel problems along the defensive front are finally fixed.
The QB Jersey list is long and overplayed and may be over entirely now that Deshaun Watson is in the building. But are you sure of that? Can you really have full belief that Watson is the “savior” of the franchise when last year we saw him exercise and exorcise rust and demons alike after not being on a football field for nearly two years? I want to! but I’m not there yet. I need to see the shuffling and scrambling and arrows launch into the sky before I fully commit to burning all the other memories of Baker Mayfield being the one to lead us to the promised land. And we can see how that turned out as Mayfield is set to become the first person to ever start a game for four different franchises in the span of two years.
As Browns fans, we are the city in the valley who has heard the boy come running down the hill, scared out of his wits about a wolf getting into his flock only to be tricked once twice 16 times too many. Is this time the right time? Is this the moment we’ve all been waiting for? I don’t think even the most diehard fan can say with certainty that this amalgamation of players is the one that makes the Super Bowl. It doesn’t help that there are only two teams in this year’s AFC that you can safely bet on to not make the playoffs. Every other team has paths and avenues and scenarios that can make it possible to outseat the Browns for a wild card or division title.
So while today starts the NFL season (not for Cleveland fans of course) we stare another year in the face asking, “is this finally it?” And I think most fans can agree with me, even with the mounting evidence that this may in fact be it, we are all a little like Thomas. “Show me and I’ll believe it.”
- Gerbs translation.
- Again, Gerbs translation.
Taylor and Gerbs are here with a mega-sized Week 1 preview! The guys discuss last year’s matchups with the Bengals and if they translate to this year, changes to the Browns defense and how it unlocks Myles Garrett, what missing Denzel Ward could or would mean to the defense, and a look at what the offense could be in 2023. Also on the episode:
- Confidence level in Deshaun Watson
- Is Cleveland getting a lack of respect from the prognosticators in the media?
- Nick Chubb being unlocked and unleashed this season without a big-name backup
Prop bets for the week:
- Watson: O/U 235.5 pass yards (Taylor and Gerbs over, Matt under)
- Chubb: O/U 90.5 rush yards (Gerbs and Matt over, Taylor under)
- Burrow: O/U 265.5 pass yards (Everyone over)
- Which team wins turnover battle? (Gerbs and Matt took Cleveland to win, Taylor said push)
- Browns total sacks: O/U 3.5 (Taylor and Matt said over, Gerbs said under)
- Does Dustin Hopkins miss an XP/FG? (Everyone said no)
Game Picks for the week (Bonus point given for underdog picked or spread covered):
- 49ers @ Steelers (+2.5) (Gerbs is the only one that took Pittsburgh)
- Packers @ Bears (-1) (Matt took the Bears, Gerbs and Taylor took Green Bay)
- Dolphins @ Chargers (-3) (Taylor took the Chargers, Gerbs and Matt picked Miami)
- Bills @ Jets (+2.5) (Everyone took the Bills)
- Bengals @ Browns (+2.5) (Everyone said the Browns will win!)
Matt and Todd are here for your weekly Dery Brothers Guardians Cast. With a big series with Minnesota and the September call-ups here, the brothers discuss:
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- Does the team have a legit shot at the division?
- the waiver claim that brought in three former Los Angeles Angels
- The team gonig all-in for Tito’s last ride
- Josh Naylor’s return
- Why is Cam Gallagher getting starts?
- Will the team bring back Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie if the season is over?
The Cleveland Guardians wake up today, the first of September, five games back of the Minnesota Twins who lead the decrepit American League Central. But there is a new glimmer of hope in the spark on the hair of the flea on the frog on the log in the bottom of the lake of the chance that the Guardians will make the playoffs and the only team to thank is the Los Angeles Angels. No, the faltering franchise didn’t sweep the Twins to help get back games, but they made some of the most shocking and boneheaded personnel moves in baseball this week. In what can only be described as a cost-cutting move, the Angels surprised everyone when they placed five players on waivers, three of whom they acquired during the trade deadline to help bolster their chances of finally going to the playoffs with Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the feasible last year they will play together. Those five players, starter Lucas Giolito, relievers Reynaldo Lopez and Matt Moore, and outfielders Hunter Renfroe and Randal Grichuk, were all claimed by other teams with the exception of Grichuk, meaning the Angels lose out on their services for the rest of the season and relinquish them over to the claiming team, no harm no foul.
As mentioned, most of these were paid for with prospects. Renfroe was the only player of the four who had started the season as an Angel, but Giolito and Lopez were sent to LA for catcher Edgar Quero, a top-100 and 3rd-best Angels prospect, and pitcher Ky Bush, a promising mid-rotation-ceiling arm. Moore signed with the Angels this offseason, a one-year deal worth $7.55m, part of which is still being paid for by Los Angeles as a signing bonus. Never has baseball seen such a quick turnaround of an organization from buying into selling off, especially given the price they paid for those players. So why are we discussing these mind-boggling moves by a team 3,000 miles from Cleveland? Those three were claimed by Cleveland as 1) an attempt to strive for those last five games needed to overtake the Twins 2) help out a roster that is dragging itself to the back end of a season and 3) blocking other teams, mainly the Twins, from getting said players. In all my years of being a baseball fan, never have I seen a team dump its roster on the waiver wire and seen just one team pick it all back up.
Some of those in the media are up in arms, upset that the “pennant race changing talent” fell into the arms of a second-place, under-.500 team, but that’s how waivers have always worked. The teams with the worst record have first crack at the best talent available, and if they are not interested, it moves up the ladder. Cleveland, seeing an opportunity to not only get help for their rotation but also gather some intel on free agents for next year, made the smart move and only added $3m in salary to continue to give themselves a shot at this postseason. Let’s ask this question: say the Guardians had not claimed any of these and it was the Yankees, a team even further back in their division race and a game ahead of Cleveland for the wild card, would there be such vitriol?
Giolito, 7-11 with a 4.45 ERA and 165 strikeouts in 153.2 innings, brings in a pedigree of starting pitcher usually seen in Guardos red and white, and someone the organization is familiar with given his time with the White Sox. He instantly bolsters the starting rotation in a way only the return of Triston McKenzie or Shane Bieber could do, giving the coaching staff an “ace” who they know can go six or seven innings of 2-run ball. His mere presence in the rotation, knowledge and information to the young starters notwithstanding, is badly needed given the innings constraints Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, and Logan Allen are going to be dealing with.
Lopez, 2-7 with a 3.93 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 56 innings, is a fireballing starter-turned-reliever who should instantly just sign an extension with Cleveland. Lopez could be a closer on 15 teams, but in Cleveland, he can take some of the pressure off of Trevor Stephan and James Karinchak and be a more proper setup guy for closer Emmanuel Clase.
Finally, Moore actually has the best record and ERA of the grouping, coming in with a 4-1 record, 2.66 ERA, and 49 strikeouts in 41 innings. A journeyman converted reliever as well, Moore adds another lefty arm to the pen and can be another crafty vet added to the list ala Bryan Shaw over the year.
Is it likely Cleveland will keep any of these players over into next year? Not really. Lopez and Giolito were both in the last years of their arbitration calendar, and Moore is playing on a one-year deal. It’s also unlikely that Cleveland will catch Minnesota, despite the fact that after this weekend’s series with Tampa Bay, the Twins come to town for the final matchup between the two teams. However, we can all say that we have seen the Guardians be touched by some Angels.
Kole Calhoun, savior of the 2023 Guardians playoff run? Maybe. Kole Calhoun, a crafty veteran folk hero who’s trying to prove he deserves a bit more time in the majors? After Wednesday, definitely.
To crossover with basketball, the crafty vet is like the old guy in the gym who can’t jump off the ground and is slower than molasses, but has enough post moves and bounce passes to get a YMCA double-double whenever he wants. Think of the last ten years of Andre Miller’s NBA career, for example. Old and slow even when he was a young man with the Cavs, he set his career high in scoring at age 33 with 52 points for the Portland Trailblazers. The next highest-scoring game of his career was 37. That’s the key with these crafty vets: They can pull out all the stops at any time, but it can’t last forever. Father Time catches up, or the magic runs out, but it’s fun while it lasts.
The first baseball crafty veteran that comes to mind, for me, is Lee Stevens from the 2002 Indians. He wasn’t the oldest on that team (They had a lot of players born in the 60s that year, led by rubber-armed Terry Mulholland at age 39) and he didn’t start the season with the team (instead coming over with the future-star prospects in the Bartolo Colon deal), but he served a purpose as a veteran presence in a lineup that lost most of its star power from the 2001 division winner. He didn’t hit well in Cleveland, but he showed leadership by accepting playing time in the outfield corners because the team still had a little guy named Jim Thome manning his native first base and Ellis Burks was limited to only DH. That would be Stevens’ last showing in the majors, but it left an impression on a young fan from Youngstown about what being a veteran ballplayer really meant: doing whatever is best to help the team.
That’s where the big gun comes in: 2013 Jason Giambi. Coming in as an afterthought in the biggest free agent class Cleveland has had since 2001 featuring Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn It’s probably fair to remember him that year for just this hit. However, the crafty veteran move I remember him most for was this play. Up 12, he’s 42 years old, and Giambi hustles up the first base line to slide headfirst for an infield single. It’s an even better play because it wasn’t pretty. He was never fast and his helmet ended up at the tip of his nose, but Giambi showed his teammates with his effort that it was worth whatever it took from his body to get the job done. Rajai Davis’s home run in the 2016 World Series is the extreme version of this trait: Having a key moment of success is essential to earn the title of Crafty Vet.
Producing some kind of success outside of themselves is the last trait required of these vets to be truly crafty. It’s the Bryan Shaw in 2022 passing down the splitter he learned from J.J. Putz to Trevor Stephan and that led to more strikeouts for him. It’s Orlando Cabrera in 2011 telling Asdrubal Cabrera to swing away and harder when the time is right, leading to more power production from his bat. It’s Mike Napoli in 2016 having his last good season, but also bringing leadership out of Jason Kipnis and being the inspiration for my favorite Cleveland sports t-shirt. And most importantly for the current team, Juan Uribe showed José Ramirez how to walk with a swagger that led to superstardom. You can’t have a legacy as a veteran non-star without a proper protégé.
How Kole Calhoun is remembered years from now is yet to be decided. If the Guardians squeak into the playoffs this year, Calhoun will most likely (and unexpectedly) be near the center of that achievement. He’s already shown the young players how to come to the ballpark ready to play in his short time with Cleveland. Maybe someday we find out he gave a guy like Andres Gimenez or Steven Kwan the last piece of the puzzle to become a full-fledged star. If we want to dream even bigger, maybe Wednesday was just the start of more big moments to come from Kole this season. Somehow, he shows no signs of slowing down, to the point that some fans on social media are already talking about bringing him back for next year. At a low price, there are worse decisions to make. We’ve seen on social media that the team has adopted him as their #TeamFather.
The Cleveland baseball organization, with its financial constraints, often dives into the pool of one-last-job vets hoping to find diamonds. Hanley Ramirez and Carlos Gonzalez attempted this in 2019, but it was too late for their careers and Cleveland asked too much of them. 2014 Giambi was not nearly the magic man he was in 2013. Same with 2018 Rajai. Trot Nixon didn’t have enough left in the tank in 2007, and the return of Kenny Lofton was tarnished by a hold sign at 3rd that same year. Johnny Damon and Derek Lowe were both released before the end of August in 2012. Marlon Byrd got busted for PEDs in 2016 then vanished. and Juan Gonzalez couldn’t keep his hamstring together after one at-bat in 2005. The tricks don’t work every time or for long with the crafty veteran, but when they do, they are the best magic in sports. Kole Calhoun has proved his worth, and now we watch how far it goes.
With the season around the corner, the BrownsCast is back with Taylor Jedrzejek and this year with more people! Noah Schaefer, Matt Milner, and Joe Gerberry all hopped on to discuss Cutdown Day for the Cleveland Browns, what they liked most about the preseason, and more. The guys also broke down the schedule, how hot head coach Kevin Stefanski’s seat is, and did a quick look at the other teams in the AFC North division.
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The Dery Brothers Guardians Cast is here after taking a Monday break for Memorial Day. Matt and Todd Dery discussed: Who gets sent down when Aaron […]
A weekend of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad baseball has passed which means it’s time for the Dery Brothers Guardians Cast. Matt and Todd discuss:
- The bad baseball we had to watch
- The state of the bullpen and the mess that it is
- Zero hitting
- Why Josh Bell has become a $19 million singles hittter
- Tyler Freeman has a hot bat, why isn’t he playing more?
- And manager Terry Francona’s awful first few months.
The CornerCast returns with a solo pod with Gerbs! It’s been three weeks since we had a pod, so Gerbs wanted to make sure you got one this week. Discussed on the pod:
- Roster moves when Jose Ramirez returns
- Aaron Civale and Triston McKenzie are on rehab assignments, what happens when they get back too?
- The catchers are driving the struggle bus. Is Bo Naylor ready?
- Why is Amed?
- Next week’s series
Monday’s are rough, but the Dery Brothers Guardians Cast is here to jolt you up like it’s the 8th inning and Josh Naylor just arrived in the batters box. Matt and Todd discuss:
- Josh Naylor saving the weekend
- Are there concerns about closer Emmanuel Clase?
- A weekend of sloppy bad baseball returned
- Please bring up Bo Naylor now
- The right field black hole
- Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman and their roles on the club
The 2023-24 NFL schedule has been released! We are one step closer to the season and to the return of Cleveland Browns football. The Browns have had their opponents set since the end of last season, but now we know the dates and times for most of the 17-game schedule. Cleveland has nine home games this year after having to go with the eight-home-game format last season. The release of the schedule always begins the excitement for the approaching season.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek broke down the newly released 2023-24 Cleveland Browns schedule on the latest WFNY BrownsCast. The duo went game by game to break down the matchup and how it fits in the broader picture of the overall schedule. The two talked about their favorite game on the schedule, along with much more. So, take a listen to the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast!
Mondays are Dery Days, and Matt and Todd are back with this week’s episode. Discussed on the pod:
- The return to dominance for the starting pitching
- Oscar Gonzalez’s demotion and what it means for the roster
- Reevaluating the bullpen Circle of Trust
- The debacle in the Bronx
- When will we see Bo Naylor?
As the Taylor Swift “Eras” tour sweeps the nation, I awake this morning not as a Swiftie, though I am a fan of her and her music, but as someone trying to channel her 2014 banger, “Shake It Off”, into my favorite baseball team. The Guardians of Cleveland are in desperate need of some shaking of things, whether it be their heads in the sorrow of how they have lost the last few games or roster spots for players that are simply not producing. As a team that routinely underperforms in April commiserates to where they end up in the end-of-year standings, it’s unsurprising that they are three games below .500 on Star Wars Day. But the way with which this team is underperforming is the cause for concern.
There is less to be worried about with regard to the offense if you look deeper into the numbers, but that doesn’t mean nothing should be changed. If you look at wOBAcon, which is not the name of the Din Djarin’s newest target in The Mandalorian, but rather stands for weighted on-base average on contact, the Guardos are last in the league at .311. Broken down into layman’s non-analytic terms, the team is getting on base the least amount when they actually have BBEs or batted ball events. but their xwOBA, which gives us an idea of what would have on a BBE in a vacuum based on the launch angle, exit velocity, ballpark factors, and other mitigating circumstances, the Guardians are 21st at .312. The contact first team is last in barrels, which is lower than expected or what you want but not terribly surprising. There are individuals that are having good seasons hitting the ball hard, Josh Naylor amongst them, but they are being hit right at people.
The pitching side has more issues than you’d expect for a team known round these parts are the Cuyhoga Pitching Factory LLC. Shane Bieber has not had many vintage Shane Bieber starts, Zach Plesac is about to be Zach “Please be wind and rewind” at the last Blockbuster in existence, Triston McKenzie and Aaron Civale have been on the shelf most of the year and the team has already spun out Hunter Gaddis back to the minors and likely will do the same with one Peyton Battenfield. Logan T Allen1 and Tanner Bibee have come up and produced as expected, elitely, but with no Sticks or Civale as steadying presences in the rotation, the bullpen has been worked more than you’d like. Xzavion Curry is getting close to deserving a shot in the rotation, Eli Morgan was in one of those modes until his “blowup” in New York where he allowed his first run of the season. Emmanuel Clase has a cutter that isn’t cutting, James Karinchak is a walking blown save, while Trevor Stephan is vibing along being steady. Sam Hentges’s return this weekend will help, and there are others that could bolster the pen if that’s where Plesac lands or the team gets uber-aggressive with guys like Joey Cantillo or Gavin Williams.
So what can be done except wait for luck to turn and warmer weather to energize some bats? Plenty. So let’s look into the things that the front office can do to shake up the roster, make some moves, and get out of this early season slump.
1) Call up Brayan Rocchio and have him start at shortstopThere is little reason for Rocchio to not be on the major league roster right now playing every day. He’s in the middle of a 16-game hitting streak, so if General Manager Mike Chernoff or President of Baseball Operations Chris Antonetti are worried about him coming up cold, that’s ludicrous. Amed Rosario is one of the more polarizing players on #GuardiansTwitter, with many many many folks ready to get pitchforks and torches to raid manager Terry Francona’s office if he keeps the veteran in the two spot of the lineup. And they have a variety of good reasons too: Rosario has a 58 wRC+, a near career-high K%, and is triple-slashing .227/.263/.318, and has five GIDP on the season2 And while the argument of “he will get his and end up being a 100 wRC+ player by the end of the year” is more than likely true, this team can’t afford to waste any more plate appearances waiting for that to happen. With the balanced schedule, teams lost six games against intra-divisional foes, which was how the Guards were able to be so blah in April’s past and still come out on top. That’s 4-5 wins that you could pretty securely remove from the win column, and while they could still be wins, they are more hard-fought games than the ones aginst the Tigers of Detroit or Royals of KC. The future is now and the future is Rocchio.
That being said, you insulate the youngster. Andres Gimenez can slot into the spot behind Steven Kwan and in front of Jose Ramirez effortlessly and gives the front end of the lineup some serious help while you put Rocchio in Gime’s 7th or 8th spot. Too many teams are bypassing Kwan to get to Rosario and pitchers don’t fear Ramirez or his protection behind to make it work. Playing Rocchio over Rosario and moving Gimenez up the lineup makes too much sense for this roster. Should have already happened and Rocchio runs the risk of being “overcooked” as Willie Hood mentioned on Twitter this morning.
Rocchio is overcooked at this point.
I've made my stance on Amed Rosario very clear for some time. It is time to start pursuing trade opportunities. Package Rosario and Plesac and take the best offer. Take care of two birds with one stone.
It is time to move on. https://t.co/zzz4CNhurh
— Willie Hood (@WillHoo99) May 4, 2023
2) Remove Plesac from any equation
Had I been calling the shots and had my druthers, Plesac wouldn’t have broken the spring on the roster. He’d be punching pitching mounds on a different field and/or fighting buttons to a different jersey color. But being that we can’t change that past, we should have already seen the last start in a Guardians uniform for Zach Plesac. It was reported yesterday that Battenfield will start Friday’s game against the Minnesota Twins, taking over what was Plesac’s rotation spot. Whether he is moving to the bullpen to be a long man or getting sent down to the minors to work on “stuff” remains to be seen but between the product on the field and the seemingly surly attitude of the 28-year-old starter has doomed his role with Cleveland. Personally, again, I’d designate the player for assignment, ridding our roster of him and creating a hole for someone like Gavin Williams, but I know this organization likes to squeeze any and all juice left in the fruit before discarding the husk. However, just last year, Franmil Reyes was sent packing with contract options remaining, so there is precedence for such a move. Time will tell
3) Turn over the bottom of the roster with prospects
Sure, for a team that most expected to be in the playoffs it is incredibly early to be calling in the prospects, but this is, as always, a different type of organization. With last year’s debuts, the prospects that would be making their way to Cleveland have already had some seasoning. I’m talking about replacing Gabe Arias with Tyler Freeman, Cam Gallagher with Bo Naylor, and Oscar Gonzalez or Will Brennan with Micah Pries. It’s become clear that Arias needs regular at bats to reach his height, and with the roster as it is, it just isn’t happening in Cleveland. Rocchio is a better prospect and would get the starting shortstop job over him if the org was really into replacing Rosario, and Josh Bell, Josh Naylor, and probably even a David Fry are higher priorities right now than Arias at first. It would behoove Arias to spend some time in Columbus and get a right-field glove fit for him.
Tyler Freeman can do what Arias hasn’t to this point, which is plug and play on the roster with greater success. Gimenez, Rosario, and Ramirez all play every day or at best get DH duties on travel days. Freeman can cover the middle spots and Fry can handle the random third base start when JRam needs a blow and is the DH. I have never really seen it with Arias as a prospect, the contact profile is just too hit or miss, literally, but I know he has prodigious power when he does connect, so moving him to the outfield to contend with George Valera’s injured hand for the next move is a more creative and plausible path to playing time.
Speaking of playing time, it needs to be the Bo Show in Cleveland. I actually am loathe to get rid of Cam Gallagher, which is a weird feeling, but his handling of the pitching staff has been immaculate as a backup and thusly would want him to go back to Columbus and work with the Williams’s and Cantillo’s of the future there. Starting catcher Mike Zunino has produced enough at the plate to make up for his inability to collect the sliders and sweepers from this pitching staff, but bringing up Bo and allowing him to play 3-4 times a week would greatly affect the effectiveness of this rotation.
As stated above, this team is close but needs a shake-up. I very much think this is still a division-winning caliber team, and so while some of the changes I am calling for would be off beat for the organization to do so early, I do think they see the writing on the wall and are willing to make bolder moves this season compared to others. It’s time to get weird in Cleveland, so that come July we can…
Keep cruising
Can’t stop, won’t stop moving
It’s like I got this music in my mind
Saying it’s gonna be alright
- Or TOAO, The One and Only, as he is referenced in our Discord.
- Same as Josh Naylor, FWIW.
Matt and Todd are back after a depressing weekend in Boston. Topics for this week are:
- Logan T Allen and Tanner Bibee are the future and the future is now
- Emmanuel Clase’s issues
- Another Amed Rosario conversation
- Will there be upcoming roster changes?
- A brutal week of games ahead
There are eight billion people worldwide, many with different skin colors, ethnicities, and languages. These unique people inhabit every corner of the globe. The rarest are left-handed people, where the world has ostracized 10% of the population for using the wrong hand. Even most tools we commonly use are not lefty-friendly, like scissors, watches, markers, etc. The world is not designed with lefties in mind, both in sports and real life. Even in baseball, you are reduced to pitching, first base, or the outfield. However, if you are even remotely effective at throwing a baseball with your left hand, you have as good a chance as anyone to beat the Cleveland Guardians.
I wish I was kidding; if you are left-handed and are okay at throwing a baseball, the Guardians might as well be hitting with bats made of paper mache. A murderer’s row of lefties with names such as Chris Sale, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Austin Gomber has rendered the Guardians bats obsolete with a slash line of .238/.314/.343 and a record of 4-9 through 13 games. This problem didn’t come out of nowhere either; their slash-line against lefties in 2022 of .239/.303/.343, which is pretty much the Spiderman-meme pointing at each other. This all comes back to the same issue, the lack of flexibility in the Guardian’s lineup.
To paint the picture of what the Guardians are dealing with, two guys used in heavy platoon splits, Oscar Gonzalez and Gabriel Arias, have a wRC+ of 50 and 36. Those have been the two hitters that hit the most against lefties, with 76 total at-bats. They’ve collectively hit two home runs, 5 RBIs, and a collective average of .180 with a paltry slugging percentage of .290. So, they aren’t hitting and don’t have any power right now. The margin of error is made much thinner by the fact that two hitters pull Myles Straw weight down the lineup because the only logical way they get on base is either by a single or a potential walk, which makes life hard at the top of the order.
This doesn’t mean that stars on the team are off the hook, especially Jose Ramirez. When facing a righty, he’s crushing the ball with a 1.122 OPS against them, compared to when he flips over to the other side, where it completely collapses to .567. Another easy target of criticism has been Josh Naylor, who rocks a cataclysmic OPS of .297(!), which is just a cruel and unusual punishment in five states plus Canada anytime he goes up to face a lefty. Even Andres Gimenez, against left-handed starters this year, has only amassed a .584 OPS in April, so not even the star players are helping the cause against lefties in the first month of the season.
To sum things up, we have a mixture of miscasts in platoons, star players not performing, and a lack of power. It ends up where the Guardians are struggling with regularity. It’s not a coincidence that when the team faces a righty, it’s almost like a breath of fresh air; the team averages 4.1 runs a game compared to 2.2 runs against lefties. It’s a significant reason why the Guardos are sitting at 13-15, amongst other things. It’s not to say the lineup is utterly hopeless against them, but they need to find quick answers and fast.
Joe joins the show to discuss what went wrong that contributed to the early first round exit. Next, the fellas react to Koby Altman’s press conference and discuss how the Cavaliers can improve for next season.
The Cleveland Browns had a busy 2023 NFL Draft even though the team did not pick until the third round. In all the Browns made seven selections and one trade over the three-day event. In the third round, Cleveland selected wide receiver Cedric Tillman from Tennessee and interior defensive lineman Siaki Ika from Baylor. In the fourth round, the team chose offensive tackle Dawand Jones from Ohio State and edge rusher Isaiah McGuire from Missouri. In the fifth round, the Browns added quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson from UCLA and cornerback Cameron Mitchell from Northwestern. To finish the draft, the Browns selected center Luke Wypler from Ohio State in the sixth round.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek joined the WFNY BrownCast to recap what the Cleveland Browns did in the 2023 NFL Draft. The duo went pick by pick to give their thoughts on the Browns draftees. They also gave their favorite Browns pick of the draft and the position they were most surprised did not get addressed. Joe and Taylor talked about all of this and much more on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast.
The Buckeye train continues to come to Cleveland. With their pick in the sixth round, No. 126 overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected center Luke Wypler from Ohio State. The Browns have now taken two Ohio State Buckeyes in the draft with Dawand Jones being the first one selected earlier today. Wypler gives the Browns more depth at the center position behind Ethan Pocic and Nick Harris. Harris is a free agent after this season, so it makes sense they add insurance at the position.
The Atheltic’s Dane Brugler had the Ohio State center as the fourth-best center in the draft class. Here is what Brugler had to say about the newest Browns center:
STRENGTHS: Athletic mover with the first step and joint flexibility to get underneath defenders … executes well laterally to reach or pull … highly efficient on combos and climbs to pass off defensive tackles before reaching the second level … displays patient weight distribution and strong hands to redirect/mirror in his pass sets … his hands stay accessible for quick resets if he gets swiped … adjusts well with gap exchanges and his peripheral vision is an asset … made major strides with his snap/delay penalties between his sophomore and junior seasons … coachable, high-intangible player with the mental capacity for the NFL game (also adds plenty of dry humor) … durable player who started all 26 games the past two seasons.
WEAKNESSES: Short arms and can be flattened out if he doesn’t initiate first contact … struggles to regain leverage against power or long-arm moves … shaky anchor and it will be tougher for him to “lose slowly” versus NFL bull rush … can do a better job rolling his hips to add explosion at contact … doesn’t consistently drive defenders in the run … quick to climb, but inconsistent breakdown in space to lock down linebackers … questionable position flexibility with 100 percent of his snaps coming at center in college.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Ohio State, Wypler was entrenched at center in head coach Ryan Day’s zone/RPO-based offense. A high school offensive tackle, he made the move inside, where he was the starting center for all 25 of C.J. Stroud’s college starts. (Stroud: “Luke is probably one of the smartest people I have ever been around … the smartest O-lineman I’ve ever met in my life.”) Wypler is a quick, efficient mover with outstanding football IQ and communication skills. However, he labors to sustain if not perfectly square, especially with defenders on his edge, and can be stacked when he isn’t in position to break contact. Overall, Wypler is sawed-off and will be force-fed his vegetables as he adapts to NFL power, but his above-average athleticism and handwork help him stay in position. He is ideally suited for a zone team and projects as an NFL backup with potential to be more.
Check out some of the highlights from Wypler’s college career:
The Cleveland Browns continued their busy Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft with two selections in the fifth round. With the No. 140 overall pick, the Browns selected quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson from UCLA. And, with the No. 142 overall pick, the Browns selected cornerback Cameron Mitchell from Northwestern. Thompson-Robinson gives the Browns a developmental quarterback who they can develop to be Deshaun Watson’s backup. Mitchell is a corner who is best suited in the slot and that fits a big need for the Browns.
Thompson-Robinson was the 12th-ranked quarterback according to the Athletic’s Dane Brugler. Here is what Brugler had to say about the newest Browns quarterback:
STRENGTHS: Quick, twitchy release, regardless if he is stationary or on the move … above-average arm strength and spins lasers with proper weight transfer … naturally accurate in the short-to-intermediate game … displays playmaking instincts with his legs and arm … terrific skill as a runner and shows a timely understanding for when to keep passing plays alive or take off as a ball carrier … has elusive qualities once he reaches the open field and is a true dual-threat (one of only two FBS quarterbacks with 25-plus passing touchdowns and 11-plus rushing touchdowns in 2022) … boasts the toughness, both physical and mental, to power through adversity (head coach Chip Kelly: “He’s the toughest kid I’ve ever been around.”) … plays through minor injuries and set the UCLA record for quarterback starts (48), finishing with a winning record (25-23) as a starter.
WEAKNESSES: Slight frame, thin torso and lacks ideal body mass … gets tunnel vision as a passer and doesn’t see all 11 defenders on the field … plays frenetic in the pocket and will lose his bearings … more comfortable escaping the pocket instead of climbing/sliding … guilty of unnecessarily speeding up his process and dropping his eyes too quickly … confused footwork creates uneven platforms, making throws more difficult than they should be … puts too much air on his deep balls with inconsistent downfield placement … his ball security must improve (10 fumbles in 2022, 39 fumbles in his career) … despite staying on the field in college, his body type will lead to durability concerns with teams; missed one game as a sophomore because of a leg injury (September 2019); missed one game after injuring the thumb on his throwing hand (November 2021).
SUMMARY: A five-year starter at UCLA, Thompson-Robinson showed steady improvements each season in Chip Kelly’s balanced offensive attack and had his best season as a “super senior” with a school-record 69.6 percent completions. He departs Westwood as the school’s all-time leader in several categories, including total offense (12,537), completions (860), touchdown passes (88) and total touchdowns (116). With his live, accurate arm, the ball spins clean off his hand and his dualthreat skills allow him to create off-schedule plays. Thompson-Robinson handled quite a bit in Kelly’s offense (checks at the line, multiple play options based on presnap reads, etc.), but he is still prone to youthful mistakes, especially when things get hectic. Overall, Thompson-Robinson plays panicked at times and must take better care of the football, but he has an NFL-quality arm with the toughness and ability to create that will appeal to pro teams. His veteran presence will help him compete for a backup role very early in his NFL career.
According to Brugler, Mitchell was the 85th overall prospect and the 13th-best cornerback in the class. Here is what Brugler had to say about the Browns newest cornerback:
STRENGTHS: Plays with enough size, speed and length to stay in phase … footwork stays controlled and on top of routes to contest stop/comeback routes … solid technician with athletic transitional skill out of his breaks … anticipatory and feels route combinations around him (comfortable with two-to-one reads) … shows excellent timing once he locates the football to gracefully disrupt passing windows without going through receivers … physically competitive in press and downfield, and receivers know they are in for a dogfight … quick to support the run and stays loose in his breakdown to finish in space (11 tackles on 2022 Penn State tape) … called for only two coverage penalties in 2022 … productive on special teams (seven career tackles) and well-schooled to be a core teams guy … has the skill set to play inside or outside.
WEAKNESSES: Lacks recovery burst, giving skilled receivers a chance to create separation when caught on his heels … can be fooled by initial route movements, and excitement to attack passing lanes will draw him out of position … only two career interceptions and left a few others on the field … enthusiastic, physical hands to connect in press, but needs to break that contact post-release (see 81-yard catch allowed on 2022 Duke tape) … can be covered up by perimeter blocks and needs to improve his hand use to gain his freedom … improved tackling technique will help compensate for his average size and play strength against downhill runners.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Northwestern, Mitchell played boundary cornerback in former defensive coordinator Jim O’Neil’s base Cover 4 scheme. When his close friend, Greg Newsome, was banged up late in the 2020 season, he stepped into his role and quickly developed into one of the team’s best defensive players. A smooth, competitive corner, Mitchell has athletic footwork with the play strength and coverage timing to disrupt passing windows (he just needs to pull down more interceptions). Though he is fearless jumping plays, NFL quarterbacks will look to expose his greedy tendencies and catch him out of position. Overall, Mitchell needs to continue and develop his eye discipline to better match up with NFL receivers, but his athleticism, aggressiveness and smarts give him the scheme-versatility that NFL teams desire. He will be ready to compete for NFL starting reps as a rookie.
Check out some of the highlights from Thompson-Robinson’s college career:
Check out some of the highlights from Mitchell’s college career:
The Cleveland Browns had two picks in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. With their second pick in the fourth round, No. 126 overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Browns selected edge rusher Isaiah McGuire of Missouri. Cleveland came into the draft looking to add depth to the edge rusher position and getting McGuire does just that. He was my favorite prospect for the Browns heading into the draft, so getting him in the fourth round is exciting. Here is what I wrote about McGuire during my pre-draft preview article:
McGuire is my favorite edge rusher prospect for the Browns in the third round. He has great size and length, along with the athleticism to match. He is extremely strong, utilizing good leverage and long arms to unload heavy punches to blockers. He is quick off the line with the explosive closing speed to win around the edge. He uses his arms to wall off defenders to bend around the edge. He is a complete defender with the ability to affect the run and pass game. He also has numerous pass rush moves to win with on the edge.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler rated McGuire as his 94th overall prospect and the 15th-ranked edge rusher in the draft class. Here is what Brugler said about McGuire:
STRENGTHS: Physically impressive with a long-armed, moldable frame and comfortably carries his weight … stout at the point of attack with lateral range in the run game … uses his arm length to quickly play off blocks and find the ball … slams his physical hands into the chest of blockers as a pass rusher to force his way into the pocket (see: his matchup versus Broderick Jones on the 2022 Georgia tape) … unleashes a violent rip-chop move and shows the ability to grab and dispose of blocker’s wrists to access rush lanes … shows enough dip at the top of his rush to tighten his cornering angles and force holding calls … speed is average but displays enough juice to track down ball carriers from the backside or in pursuit … heavy tackler … voted a senior captain and young for his class … productive in the backfield (31.0 TFL in 35 games the last three seasons).
WEAKNESSES: Not a sudden rusher and won’t beat blockers with his get-off and speed alone … NFL blockers will catch on to his predictable rush plan … needs to be more consistent with his setup and move timing to maximize execution … pad level gets high, leaving him exposed to down blocks and washouts … late to anticipate side-angled blocks that seal him inside … stack and shed can get too methodical at times … saw more drop-and-cover reps in 2022, but this area isn’t yet a strength to his game … expected better sack/pressure production based on his talent … didn’t bench during the draft process because of his right shoulder.
SUMMARY: A three-year starter at Missouri, McGuire was a hand-on-the-ground defensive end in defensive coordinator Blake Baker’s 4-2-5 base scheme, although he also reduced inside at times. He led the Tigers in sacks as a junior and senior and planted his flag as one of the best all-around defensive ends in the SEC with his 2022 season. McGuire is stout at the point of attack with the long arms and lateral quickness to defend multiple gaps. Although he isn’t sudden as a pass rusher, he has strong strides and body flexibility to wrap the outside shoulder of offensive tackles or create forceful knockback with his bull rush. Overall, McGuire needs further polishing to truly maximize his skill set, but he is long, agile and powerful enough to effectively leverage blockers and disrupt both the run and the pass. He is a scheme-diverse prospect and projects as a future NFL starter.
Check out some of the highlights from McGuire’s college career:
The Cleveland Browns have a busy Day 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft with six selections. With their first pick in the fourth round, No. 111 overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Browns selected offensive tackle Dawand Jones from Ohio State. The Browns needed to improve the depth chart at offensive tackle with only three playable guys, Jedrick Wills, Jack Conklin, and James Hudson, in the room. Jones was projected to go on Day 2, so getting a good value at a position of need is a good get for the Browns.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had Jones as his 62nd overall prospect and the sixth-best offensive tackle in the class. Here is what Brugler had to say about the newest Browns offensive tackle:
STRENGTHS: Extraordinary frame and mass with the wingspan of a Boeing 747 … his initial movements at the snap are well timed and repeatable … smooth mover for his size … doesn’t have rangy feet, but he compensates with his wide body and mile-long arms to reposition/outposition rushers … uses full extension to escort rushers wide of the pocket … he loves to snatch and bury defenders who try to rush down his middle … his pass-blocking balance looks much improved from his 2021 tape … doesn’t allow his length to go to waste in the run game … engulfs in the run game and drives defenders where he wants with his mauling hands … was always a basketball player first, and it has taken time for him to fully dedicate himself to football, but the Ohio State coaches say his energy improved each year … Wisconsin pass rusher Nick Herbig called Jones the best blocker he faced (Herbig: “That guy is a monster.”) … has clear upside with his age (young for a fourth-year senior) and background as a basketball-first athlete who has now embraced football.
WEAKNESSES: High cut and sets tall, which leads to leverage breakdowns … ends up on the ground when he overextends and needs to shed the bad habits … gets in his own head and is late to anticipate/counter inside moves, allowing rushers to attack his inside half … tries to get a head start in pass pro, and his sheer size makes it easier for officials to spot when he leaves early (five false starts in 2022) … grabby hands … occasionally leans on blocks in the run game instead of controlling them … would like to see more “nasty” to his finish … his discipline is a work in progress (16 total penalties the last two seasons as a starter) … managing his weight and body composition will be imperative in the NFL (refused to weigh in at the Ohio State pro day) … NFL scouts grade him as a scheme-specific right tackle only.
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Ohio State, Jones lined up at right tackle in head coach Ryan Day’s zone/RPO-based offense. Although it took time for his mentality to change from “I’m a basketball player” to “I’m a football player,” he showed improvements each year in Columbus, including an All-American senior season in which he didn’t allow a single sack. As a run blocker, Jones flashes the heavy hands to steer and create movement and uses his natural size to cave in defenders on down blocks. As a pass blocker, he is effective when he can quick-set, eliminate space and get his hands on his target before they get into their rush, but covering up inside on wide-nine NFL speed is a different animal. Overall, Jones needs continued refinement with his decision-making and reaction skills, but he is a masher in the run game and his rare size/length and improved balance in pass pro have him on the trajectory to be an NFL starter. He will be valued higher by NFL teams that covet size and run blocking at right tackle.
Check out some of the highlights from Jones’ college career:
The Cleveland Browns ended their Day 2 by adding to the interior defensive line. With their second pick in the third round, No. 98 overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Browns selected IDL Siaki Ika from Baylor. Ika is a mountain of a man, standing at 6-foot-2, 335 pounds. The Browns came into the offseason needing to overhaul their defensive line, especially the interior. The biggest signing in free agency was at that position in Dalvin Tomlinson. The team also added Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill. So, with the addition of Ika, Cleveland now has added four new big men for the interior defensive line room.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had Ika No. 71 overall and the eighth-best defensive tackle in the draft class. Here is what Brugler has to say about the newest Browns defensive lineman:
STRENGTHS: Thick, wide-hipped frame and comfortably carries his 335 pounds … rare quickness, body control and lateral flow for his size … shoots his hands at the snap to get movement and reset the line of scrimmage … uses his length and hand strength to stack, lock out and play peek-a-boo to track backfield action … violent hands to shuck single blocks and bully his way through the shoulder … his go-to as a rusher is an arm-over power move … anchors versus double teams … voted a team captain in 2022 … gives consistent hustle and logged 36.8 defensive snaps per game over his two seasons in Waco.
WEAKNESSES: His backfield production plummeted in 2022 … inconsistent snap anticipation … bends well when he wants, but too willing to stand up and play upright at the snap … can be caved by angle blocks when he doesn’t sink and secure his outside leg … can get himself buried when he overextends his upper half and sacrifices his balance … his missed tackle rate increased in 2022 … barrels to the ball, but needs to use better control to finish tackles in confined spaces … suspended one game for an “off-field incident” (September 2021) … needs to stay conditioned and keep his weight under control (was 12 pounds heavier at his pro day compared to the scouting combine).
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Baylor, Ika lined up at nose tackle in head coach Dave Aranda’s hybrid 3-3-5 base scheme, playing multiple techniques (1, 2i, 3) on the interior. After winning a national championship at LSU as a freshman, he followed Aranda to Baylor and earned All-Big 12 honors each of the last two seasons. Ika plays with the power, awareness and joint flexibility to press blockers off his frame and find the football versus the run. For a player his size, he is light-footed with the short-area explosiveness and hand usage to defeat blocks. However, his best flashes can be found on the 2021 tape and he struggled to make backfield plays in 2022 (partly because of his role). Ika is a nimble, disruptive big man with stout, powerful traits, but all of his impressive parts don’t consistently add up to impact plays. He is a toolsy size prospect with a high floor as an early down NFL nose while also flashing the ability to be more.
Check out some of the college highlights from Ika:
The Cleveland Browns have finally entered the chat. With their first pick in the third round, No. 74 overall, of the 2023 NFL Draft, the Browns selected wide receiver Cedric Tillman. Tillman is a 6-foot-3 receiver from Tennessee who gives the Browns more size in the receiver room. Cleveland has really upgraded the receiver position this offseason with the additions of Elijah Moore, Marquise Goodwin, and now Tillman. With Tillman’s size, the Browns receiver room has a really good variety of skill sets.
The Athletic’s Dane Brugler had him No. 57 overall and the eighth-ranked receiver in the draft class. Here is what Brugler said about the newest Cleveland Browns receiver:
STRENGTHS: Big, sturdy athlete with above-average length … uses his frame to shield and secure catches … strong, well-timed hands (only five career drops) … has the body control to make adjustments downfield and the catch radius to attack throws away from his body … physical demeanor vs. press and won’t get bullied off his route path … runs with the build-up acceleration to get on top of cornerbacks vertically … tracks the deep ball well (16 receptions of 25-plus yards over the past two seasons) … can make the first man miss on screens … has the body and play strength to knock back and beat up corners as a blocker … caught a touchdown in nine of his final 13 games at Tennessee.
WEAKNESSES: Inefficient at the top of routes and must tighten up his footwork/body movements … has work-back instincts underneath, but his sink-and-react is predictable … ran a rudimentary route tree in the Tennessee offense and must develop a more detailed approach to it … tends to lose his speed downfield and lacks a top gear … not elusive and averaged only 2.9 YAC per reception in 2022 … his success rate in contested situations tends to be hit or miss … only lined up on the right side of the formation … missed four games as a senior because of a left ankle injury (September 2022), which required tightrope surgery; also missed an additional two games (to rest his ankle).
SUMMARY: A two-year starter at Tennessee, Tillman was an outside receiver in head coach Josh Heupel’s up-tempo, spread offense, lining up exclusively on the right side of the formation. After a breakout junior season, his senior year was marred by an ankle injury, but he still finished top-10 all-time in Tennessee history in touchdown catches (17) and holds the school record for consecutive games (seven) with a touchdown grab. Tillman has above-average hands with the catching range CONTENTS[55] and body type to be effective on slants/stops/comebacks or when tracking downfield. He can open his stride and maintain his acceleration through the stem but lacks the short-area quickness or detailed urgency to easily create separation. Overall, Tillman might be limited to a linear route tree, but he is a big target with the acceleration, play strength and ball skills to exploit perimeter matchups. He has NFL starting traits as an X and should develop into a solid No. 2/3.
Check out some of the highlights from Tillman’s college career:
Tanner Bibee entered MLB with style going 5.2 innings pitched with eight strikeouts, no walks, and one run given up though more due to a poor fielding attempt than his own efforts. The only more dominant start for the 2023 Cleveland Guardians was that of his fellow rookie, Logan Allen, and it really could be debated either way. Thus, the future is now for the rotation.
What are your thoughts about Tanner Bibee?Dave: I was told by a bunch of dudes that he was really good.
Taylor: Ethan was excited, so I was excited.
Ethan: What he said. Also, I’ll win you $56.
Still thinking about Tanner Bibee’s start yesterday. He was filthy. Just look at some of the breaking stuff… My god. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/socnYoI3TM
— Ethan Forness (@PopPunkdEthan) April 8, 2023
Matt: What a gem for a kid that has only been a pro pitcher for little more than a year. It was a debut I definitely looked forward but I didn’t expect it would be in late April, but man he made it all worth it. If him and Allen the the future core of the rotation than oh baby we’re cooking with gas.
Gerbs: Tanner Bibee has been my favorite pitching prospect for the last year and his debut on Wednesday showed exactly why. Not only is the velo high end, but the spotting of breaking pitches was first class. Getting those secondary offerings in the zone and still missing bats is the way to get attention and, as he develops, means that later in games he can start being more out of the zone with them and getting whiffs.
Mike: The slider was immaculate. What amazing movement that somehow ended up in or near the zone all game long. It forced the hitters to chase it and also get a little uncomfortable on more borderline fastball offerings just to attempt to put something in play. Bibee gave up more hard contact than Allen before him, but the two demonstrated why the next wave of starters (include Gavin Williams, Daniel Espino, and Joey Cantillo) are so highly regarded across baseball.
The 2023 NFL Draft is finally here. The Cleveland Browns will have to wait till Friday to make their first pick of the draft, but the team does have eight picks from Rounds 3 through 7. The Browns addressed a lot of their needs in free agency this offseason, but there are still spots on the roster that need more help. On the WFNY BrownsCast draft preview episode, I gave my list of the Browns’ top needs on the roster. I had interior defensive line, edge rusher, offensive tackle, linebacker, and running back as the five biggest needs heading into the draft. Today, we take a look at some of the targets the Browns could take with their picks who could help address the roster’s five biggest needs.
Interior Defensive LineMoro Ojomo, Texas– Ojomo is extremely explosive off the snap. He wins with quickness, explosion, and speed. He is a disruptor as an interior defensive lineman. He has long arms and is strong at the point of attack. The Texas interior defensive lineman does need to improve his hand technique because he can get stuck on blocks.
Zacch Pickens, South Carolina– Pickens has an excellent burst off the line. The South Carolina product shows quickness to penetrate the line, along with the speed and effort to chase the play down the line. He also has a solid build for an edge rusher. He can get out of whack and in bad body positioning sometimes, causing him to be pushed back or lose track of the ball.
Kobie Turner, Wake Forest– Turner has a good burst off the line. He is an energizer bunny because he never stops moving. His feet are quick and always moving. He shows short area burst and speed. The lineman gives the effort and has the speed to help chase plays from behind. His plan of attack is non-existent at times. The Wake Forest defensive lineman can be too out of control and get into bad positions, causing him to lose leverage. He also is on the ground far too much.
Colby Wooden, Auburn– Wooden uses his hands extremely well to stay free from blocks when blockers approach and try to get a hand on him. He uses his athleticism and hands to quickly avoid blocks and get around the blockers. He is able to play multiple positions on the line. The Auburn product is not overly strong and doesn’t have an elite burst.
Edge RusherIsaiah McGuire, Missouri– McGuire is my favorite edge rusher prospect for the Browns in the third round. He has great size and length, along with the athleticism to match. He is extremely strong, utilizing good leverage and long arms to unload heavy punches to blockers. He is quick off the line with the explosive closing speed to win around the edge. He uses his arms to wall off defenders to bend around the edge. He is a complete defender with the ability to affect the run and pass game. He also has numerous pass rush moves to win with on the edge.
Nick Hampton, Appalachian State– Hampton is a great athlete with explosive speed and change of direction that can cause havoc on the edge. He can win with numerous moves including speed to power. He has long arms and shows excellent bend on the edge to cut the corner tightly. He is undersized as an edge rusher. As a run defender, he can be a bit too aggressive, overrunning the play.
Nick Herbig, Wisconsin– Herbig is one of the most versatile edge rushers in the class with the ability to play in coverage, rush the passer and defend the run. He has great change of direction ability, along with the speed to win on the edge. Though undersized, the Wisconsin product is strong and can stand tall at the point of attack. He has shown nice bend on the edge. Size and length could hamper his future a tad.
YaYa Diaby, Louisville– Diaby is one of the freakier athletes in the class. He is built throughout his frame. His base allows him to keep his balance while unloading his power onto blockers. He is quick and can slip through cracks better than most his size. The Louisville edge rusher has the ability to bend around the corner with the hand usage to match. He can work on his pass-rush moves and counters to really unleash his talent.
Tuli Tuipulotu, USC– Tuipulotu is another versatile defender. He can play multiple positions on the line and he also has experience dropping into coverage. He is extremely quick and has a good change of direction to penetrate through the line or around the edge. The USC edge rusher can win with numerous pass-rush moves. He also plays with good leverage. He can get in poor positions, causing him to be pushed off his spot or left unbalanced.
Zach Harrison, Ohio State– Harrison, a former top-ten high school prospect, may have not had the college career many thought he would have, but he was still productive over multiple seasons at Ohio State. He is an explosive athlete with a really good first step. He has the ideal size and length on the edge with the frame to also move inside if needed. He is strong at the point of attack and he uses his arms well to keep defenders off his body. He shows good arm and hand usage. He is a bit stiff and struggles to change direction, which limits his ability to avoid blocks.
Derick Hall, Auburn– Hall has the frame teams dream of on the edge. He has long arms and is extremely strong at the point of attack. He does not often get knocked off his spot, providing a strong edge in the run defense. He wins in pass rush with his strength, speed, and arms. Hall also is versatile with the ability to drop into coverage. He is disciplined on the edge, but far often is too passive. The Auburn edge rusher does not have the explosion or quick twitch to be great as a pass rusher.
Offensive TackleBlake Freeland, BYU– Freeland has everything a team wants in a left tackle. He towers at 6-foot-8 with long arms. Even at his size, he is very athletic with the ability to move his feet fluidly. He can unload heavy punches, making him a road grader in the run game. But, he is extremely raw technique-wise. He can stand too tall and lean forward, causing him to lose balance. And, he can overset at times.
Wanya Morris, Oklahoma– Morris is an unbelievable athlete with the size, strength, and movement skills teams would love to have protecting the edges. He has good length with fluid feet to move along the arch on the edge and to move downfield in run blocking situations. He can be really nasty in the run game, road grading, and pancaking defenders. The Oklahoma product does have problems with his base, causing him to get off balance at times.
Nick Saldiveri, Old Dominion– Saldiveri is a very athletic offensive lineman. The Old Dominion lineman has light feet that he can shuffle back and forth no matter the speed he is facing. He plays with a good base and can handle power well. He is a powerful run blocker with a powerful punch in his hands. He has experience playing inside and out, which gives him versatility at the next level. He is a bit inconsistent on his hand placement and targeting, creating times when he can miss or fall off blocks.
LinebackerDorian Williams, Tulane– Williams is a physical linebacker who can lay a heavy punch as a tackler and when he engages blockers. He does well to stay clean and fight through blockers to track down the ball. He has excellent speed with the closing speed teams want in their linebacker. He moves well in coverage and has the click-and-close ability to be effective in zone coverage. He is a bit lighter for a linebacker and he can improve his processing.
Owen Pappoe, Auburn– Pappoe is another elite-level athlete at the linebacker position. He has explosive closing speed with the ability to run from sideline to sideline to chase down plays. He is a powerful, physical, and secure tackler. He moves extremely well in coverage with the ability to change directions quickly. The Auburn linebacker can get lost in traffic and get stuck on blocks due to his size.
Ivan Pace Jr., Cincinnati– Pace is a Tasmanian Devil on the football field. He hustles every play and has the speed and explosion to complement the hustle very well. He is so quick that it helps him to avoid blockers and to slip through the line to make plays. He is a true sideline to sideline defender. His athletic traits also translate to coverage as he can move in space well. His big weakness is his lack of size, which can cause him to get stuck in traffic and on blocks.
DeMarvion Overshown, Texas– Overshown is one of the most explosive and fast linebackers in the draft class. He is a true sideline to sideline linebacker with the closing speed a team wants in their linebacker. He is a good blitzer and pass rusher due to his speed to close the distance. He moves well in coverage with the ability to click and close on a route. The Texas linebacker is a bit slight, so he could have problems in the trenches at the next level.
Noah Sewell, Oregon– Sewell is a well-built, physical linebacker who has experience doing a myriad of different roles for the defense. He can survive in the trenches due to his strength and hands. He brings a unique ability to rush the passer as a linebacker with the burst to be a talented blitzer for a defense. The Oregon linebacker has really good speed and explosion to close on a play quickly. He can struggle to quickly change directions, which can limit his level of play in the NFL.
Running BackTyjae Spears, Tulane– Spears is a really good athlete with the speed and explosion to make big plays. His best trait is his ability to plant his foot and explode in a different direction in a quick fashion. He is able to change directions in an instant and leave defenders in his dust. He pairs this up with good vision, so when he sees a hole, he quickly hits it. He does have the ability to take lower-body hits and keep upright due to his good balance. He shows solid receiving skills, too. He is small and it limits his ability to power through tackles or fight for more yardage after contact.
Tank Bigsby, Auburn– Bigsby has good size, but he pairs it with an elite top-end speed that can make him a home run threat every time he gets the ball. His cutting ability is fun to watch as he can plant and burst into another direction in an instant. He can make numerous defenders miss utilizing his contact balance and speed. He is able to be a receiver out of the backfield. His vision could use some improvement.
Kendre Miller, TCU– Miller is a downhill runner with solid size and good athleticism. He can make defenders miss in a number of ways, both with elusiveness and power. His best trait is his balance. He can take on contact and remain upright better than most in the class. He has the home run speed to make big plays for an offense. He is not a great receiver or blocker and his vision can improve, too.
Roschon Johnson, Texas– Johnson is a bigger running back with the strength to fight through contact. He always tries to fight forward on his runs. He was stuck as a backup in college, but every chance he saw, he produced. He is very valuable due to his ability to be a receiver out of the backfield and out of wide, along with his ability to be a blocker, both as a lead blocker and as a pass protector. He doesn’t possess the wiggle to make defenders miss.
Zach Evans, Ole Miss– Evans has the build and athletic traits teams want in their running backs. He has a great burst that helps him explode through holes and when he gets contacted, he uses his burst and strength to keep moving forward. He also has a mean stiff arm to swat defenders away. He can hit the home run using his top-end speed. He has injury concerns and his ability as a blocker and receiver is not very developed.
Chase Brown, Illinois– Brown has excellent feet which drive his whole game. He is a patient runner with excellent vision. He uses his feet and vision to make quick cuts into newly developed holes. He can burst quickly into a hole and has the speed to break big runs. He has the willingness to be a blocker and showed good receiving skills. He is not a powerful back and he does not have the fluidity some other backs have in the class.
DeWayne McBride, UAB– McBride has unbelievable contact balance. He is able to brush off tackles and continue to move forward as a runner. Beyond his balance, he also has excellent cutting ability to make defenders miss. He does not lose a lot of speed when making these cuts. He pairs both of these traits with good vision and patience. He doesn’t have great speed, so it limits his home run ability.
The WFNY CornerCast is back after a week’s break to give you all the breakdowns of Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee’s debuts! Gerbs and Ethan came down off their high from the debut of Bibee to get on the mic and discuss all things Guardos. On this week’s pod:
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- How polished Allen and Bibee both looked
- Triston McKenzie and Sam Hentges and their possible return
- When will the 3 catcher experiment end?
- What can help the offense besides time?
- Will Brennan or Oscar Gonzalez?
- How small is Plesac Island now and can it be renamed Plesac Sandbar?
Joe joins the show to break down Sunday’s brutal loss as the Cavs go down 3-1. The fellas talk about wanting to see more Okoro, the Cavs getting into their offense earlier, and finding ways to get Mitchell Robinson out of the paint. Somber show, somber times.
The 2023 NFL Draft is just days away. The Cleveland Browns may not have a first or second round pick, but Cleveland does have eight picks in Rounds 3 through 7, so the Browns will be busy over the three-day event. The Browns have done a lot of work this offseason to improve the roster through free agency and trade. The team may not have the draft capital to get a blue-chip prospect at the top of the draft, but the team can help supplement the depth of the roster with the picks it has this year.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek previewed the 2023 NFL Draft and what the Cleveland Browns will do during the draft on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. Before discussing the draft, the duo broke down the news surrounding the Browns that transpired since the last episode. Joe and Taylor also ranked the team’s top five needs heading into the draft, along with some of the prospects that could be there at the Browns’ picks who could help address the needs. So, sit back and take a listen to the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast!
The Dery Brothers Guardians Cast is here for your Monday listening. Matt and Todd discuss:
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- The offensive struggles and what the team can do against lefties
- Logan Allen’s debut and a talk about the rotation
- Nick Sandlin and James Karinchak’s problems
- Gabriel Arias or Tyler Freeman? Plus why carry three catchers?
- Two doubleheader sweeps and Tito’s bad birthday week
The Nail guys are back to talk about the Cavs-Knicks series, taking in the atmosphere at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse for the NBA playoffs, and the state of sports on TV.
Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
The episode covers the Cavs’ bounce-back win on Tuesday night to even the series, the emergence of Darius Garland and Caris LeVert after both had a rough Game 1, and expectations for the weekend as the series shifts to New York. Plus: The Cavs and Guardians are still on Bally Sports, but for how much longer? The landscape of sports on TV is changing quickly, both locally and at the national level.
The Cleveland Guardians called up uber-prospect Brayan Rocchio after injuries to Tyler Freeman and Amed Rosario left the ballclub short of shortstops on the active roster. He did not get into a game before being optioned back to Triple-A, but it was a clear signal that the time is near for Rocchio’s MLB debut.
So, what are your thoughts on Rocchio?
Dave: I hope he becomes a real boy! Oh sorry that’s Pinocchio.
Mike: I am as excited for Brayan Rocchio as I have been for any Cleveland prospect since Francisco Lindor. Full stop.
That said, I don’t mind the stopover in The Show at all. Yeah, I wanted to see him, but if he had any underlying worries about the process of that debut, then those should be gone. Next time he’s called up, it will be all business. This process is the same method the team employed with Battenfield in 2022. It is similar to how they used Bo Naylor last September; though he got some time, it was sparingly. I don’t agree with this method all the time because if we get Pilkington next week while Logan Allen & Tanner Bibee are right there, well, I won’t go negative here. Regardless, the organization has a good track record here of caring for the development of top prospects.
Matt: Bryan Rocchio might be the piece that takes the Guardians to the next level. You already have two 100 million dollar players at 2B and 3B (still surreal that I’m even writing that sentence) but they are missing the piece at the most important position in the infield. Rocchio has probably the most potential of all of the SS prospects in system and he fits what the guardians are doing right now. With speed to steal 20+ bases, a slick glove, his bat to ball skills along with his budding power he’d fit right in. The unfortunate part is his promotion was short lived because of Rosario/Freeman’s injuries being more bumps and bruises but I don’t think that means we won’t see him in some capacity this season. Once he does make his debut though and gets an actual chance we might see the trio of Gimenez, Ramirez and Rocchio being the infield trio for a long time.
Mitchell: Rocchio has earned comparisons to another switch-hitting, defensively gifted, contact-hitting shortstop who came up through the Cleveland organization. Those comparisons are natural, if not entirely fair. From the time of his draft in 2011 to his arrival four years later, we heard tales of Francisco Lindor’s preternatural feel for the game, his professional attitude, and of course, his immense propensity to excel at the game of baseball. He was consistently a Top 10 prospect in all of MLB. That’s not Rocchio, but you’d be forgiven for making that mistake. The fledgling middle-infielder has more questions in his game than Lindor did, both regarding his approach at the plate and the consistency of his defense. In fact, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs suggested that his glovework notably regressed in 2022. Still, we’re talking about someone whose nickname has been “The Professor” since before he was a gleam in the eye of most Cleveland fans. I still have plenty of faith in his long-fabled defensive prowess. It’s possible he was bored down in Akron. It’s possible he didn’t adjust well to manning a different position daily, a difficult task when you’re entire professional life is still uncertain, but a necessary evil for a minor league system loaded with middle-infield talent. Now, he gets his first chance to prove he’s the best of the bunch. Sure, it’s likely to be short-lived this time around, and he probably won’t quite live up to the Lindor comparisons, but at worst, we’re talking about a near surefire Major Leaguer with the chance to be a whole lot more special than that.
Gerbs: However brief and non-existent it was, Rocchio’s stop in the majors is representative of the fact that the organization sees not only the talent in the player, but the urgency that comes with this season. The front office squeezes every drop of juice from the prospect orange before tossing them aside1 so the fact that they optioned Rocchio back up indicates that this is a move that will likely happen for longer, in-season, just later. We can argue the move should have been made for a long time, that Amed Rosario’s back should be shelved for a few weeks to help his bat get ready…but I’m happy to see that the move was made in an effort to ensure that there was coverage and that it can be made later in-season.
- Unless you’re Franmil Reyes, then you just had to go.
Joe joins to break down the first two games of the series (1-1), what has surprised us thus far, the Cavs’ whack-a-mole rotation, and expectations for game three in New York. The fellas close with their X-factors needed to come out with a win on Friday.
Matt and Todd are back for another Dery Brothers Podcast! This week, the guys discussed:
- The rotation issues and a Tanner Bibe timeline
- The bullpen Circle of Trust
- Josh Bell breaking out over the weekend
- Will Brennan taking over right field from Oscar Gonzalez
- Richie Palacios and Tyler Freeman getting hot in Columbus
- Plate blocking
April baseball is known for small sample sizes and over-reactions to said small sample sizes. The Pittsburgh Pirates are above .500 entering this week after all. But, there are sometimes glimmers of reality that set in early. It is impossible to tell the difference yet, but why should that stop us from trying?
So, what is real and what is a mirage?
Josh Bell was signed to add power and length to the lineup. Thus far, he is batting .079/.250/.079. Are there any worry signs to his slow start?Ethan: I’m not overly concerned about Josh Bell. The walk rate is still over 18% as I’m typing this. He’s had a combination of an 80% ground ball rate and a .115 BABIP. He’s still hit a few baseballs pretty hard, just hasn’t found many gaps. He’s a notoriously slow starter, just a rough go this time around. Once he starts lifting a few baseballs he’ll be fine.
Matt: I’m not that worried, In Josh Bell’s career he’s been notoriously streaky, but usually offsets it with getting on base. So far he’s tied for the team lead with 9, so that’s at least a good sign. I think the thing that’s killing him is a lot of his hard hit balls are grounders, 76% of his batted balls have been grounders in fact. I think once his timing is down and he’s gets his bearings, things will start to normalize and he’ll be hitting like the guy that won the silver slugger last year.
Mike: While you have been reading the above answers, Bell hit another soft grounder to the first baseman (probably). The issue that Bell can run into is that a poor defender and poor baserunner at a non-essential defensive position MUST hit well especially with so many Guardian prospects hitting the cover off the ball in Columbus. Thus far, Bell has been swinging at the ball out of the zone far more (~8%) than he has in his career and far less (~5%) in the zone. That has resulted in far more swing-n-miss and strikeouts (25%!) than his profile normally has. So, while I do think he rebounds and the walk rate (16%!) is promising, I am not as confident as my fellow WFNYers that he will rebound enough to justify his spot (the line there for me is finishing above 115 wRC+ on the year).
Myles Straw has added more than 100 wRC+ to his stat line from last season. How much of his break-out thus far can continue?Ethan: Myles Straw is experiencing divine retribution from the baseball gods for just how awful his BABIP luck was last season. He’ll experience some regression to the mean (.462 BABIP cannot possibly be sustainable), but the walk rate is healthy and he still has the speed to leg out the infield singles. Too early to tell if he’s truly benefitting from the shift ban since he’s using the whole field pretty well, but it might be helping with those infield dribblers.
Matt: Yes, even if I don’t think he’ll keep hitting at a .300 clip, I definitely believe in his OBP. That is the key with Myles Straw and that’s how he’s been a functional bat in the lineup, and his on base being at .449 is fantastic. Obviously, I don’t think he’s prime Barry bonds with that insane OBP but even if it dips to .350 especially with the walk rate being at his career norms, him and his legs make such a big difference when he’s on base than when he isn’t.
Mike: I was fully expecting Myles Straw to bounce back from his horrific batting performance in 2022. His current statistical line is not sustainable (BAbip of .414 for a non-power hitter… nor even his 18% walk rate), but he’s the anti-Bell here where if he can be an above average hitter, then he’s a near All-Star given his elite abilities on defense at a premium position as well as on the basepaths.
Zach Plesac starts have been the leading cause of whiplash in Northeast Ohio this season. Can he settle back in to be a reliable option in the rotation?Ethan: The short answer with Plesac is no. He went 7 innings against Seattle, but they weren’t necessarily strong innings. The Mariners were aggressive against Plesac and were absolutely ripping the cover off the ball (14 balls in play that registered an exit velocity of 95 MPH or harder), but they kept hitting it right at guys. Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good, but luck runs out eventually. I am intrigued by his increased Slider usage, however. 40% through two starts, and he did rack up 12 whiffs against Seattle. If there’s any chance for him to be the 5 all year, that’s the pitch.
Matt: I hate to say it but no, with Plesac that part that has always been a bugaboo is he gives up a lot of hard contact. It would be one thing if he generated ground balls at a healthy rate, but when he gets hit it’s hit hard. I hope for his sake he strings together more performances like he did against the mariners because if it looks more like the athletics start in Oakland, oh boy.
Mike: Plesac is likely a legitimate SP5 for a MLB ballclub. I do believe that is where his talent can play. However, the Guardians, with the pitching development they have, should expect more from their rotation. Once Civale and McKenzie are back, my expectation is that one or more of the current set of starting pitcher prospects (Battenfield, Bibee, more doubtful on Gaddis) have pushed Plesac out of the rotation, which only then leaves to question of the Guardians might grant him his release or use an option to send him to Columbus.
James Karinchak has self-imploded on the mound and dominated the heart of the Yankees lineup. Which version of the enigmatic hurler shows up most often the rest of 2023?Ethan: Yes. We’re going to continue to see both sides of Karinchak. He’s a head case, but he’s our head case. At home with the crowd behind him against the Yankees we’re going to see that pumped-up psycho, but he absolutely can and will get rattled on the road like he did opening series in Seattle. His dominant stretches are downright dominant, but there will be clunkers mixed in.
Matt: It’s probably the version we see against the Yankees more often than not. Outside of the 2021 second half, he’s been one of the more dominant relievers in his time here. Yeah he’ll have his moments where he’ll walk some guys and create trouble for himself, but he’ll also be the same guy to strike out the side in the same breath. Sometimes you just got to enjoy the ride that is Karinchak.
Mike: Watching Karinchak recover from Straw making a rare mental error in center field to mow down the heart of the Yankees lineup and strand a runner on third base was the most dominant inning any Guardians pitcher has had in 2023. The apparent concentration breakdown Karinchak had when he violated the pitch clock on Opening Day was amongst the worst. Those are the extremes and we will get some performances between them. What it all seems to come down to is if he is locating his curve ball in the bottom of the strike zone. The days he is, the fastball plays up, and he’s unhittable. The days he is not, hitters get way more patient and he gets into trouble.
What do you do when your team loses on a strikeout with the bases loaded? You pod! Gerbs and Ethan got on the mics and talked about the Yankees series, the lineup issues and fan consternation, plus more.
Discussed on today’s episode:
- Amed Rosario and Andres Gimenez and their lineup spots
- Are Oscar Gonzalez and Gabriel Arias in the doghouse?
- Farmer Ethan’s Almanac on Tanner Bibee, Bo Naylor, and Brayan Rocchio
- The upcoming roadtrip for the Guardos
Don’t forget to check out BreakingT.com/WFNY
Discord Drink counter: 1 on the show, 10 on the season
The CavsCast returns with Gerbs and Joe Gilbert giving you a playoff preview of the Cleveland Cavaliers versus the New York Knicks. Cleveland hosts Games 1 and 2, with the series starting this Saturday, and we are here to give you the skinny on the series.
The guys discussed
- Was this season a success?
- The head-to-head matchups in the regular season
- What can Cleveland do to keep the Knicks off the boards
- 3 key player versus player matchups
- Series predictions
Matt and Todd deliver this week’s episode of The Dery Brothers Guardians Cast by discussing:
- Will Brennan and Oscar Gonzalez’s fight for ABs
- Amed Rosario’s defense
- Moving Andres Gimenez up the lineup
- More catching discussion
- Myles Straw’s hot start
- How long is Zach Plesac’s leash?
General over-reaction season is upon us in baseball based on the first initial set of games. So, let’s feed into it and make our BOLD PROCLAMATIONS about the 2023 Cleveland Guardians season.
Remember a bold proclamation is not for the meek. It’s something that probably has only a 25% chance of happening, but you’re willing to put your name onto it as something can/will happen. Say, it’s the difference between a 30-30 Jose Ramirez season and a 40-40 Jose Ramirez season.
What are your bold proclamations about the offense for 2023 season?Gerbs: More homers than you think. The front office has added power in Josh Bell and Mike Zunino, plus we stand to get full-ish seasons from Oscar Gonzalez and Gabriel Arias as pseudo-starters. Couple that with Andres Gimenez and Steven Kwan having a year under their belts and the development that comes with it plus a healthy season from Jose Ramirez and you’ve got (only just slightly) less Bloop Troop ball.
Matt: That Myles Straw will hit a home run this year! (In the regular season that is.) With what we’re seeing so far, Straw has a new lease on life pulling the ball which has resulted in a WRC+ of 137 in the early showing. Him hitting a ball with a purpose has changed the complexion of the bottom of the order, So I feel like the baseball gods will do him a solid and he’ll hit his first big league home run in almost two seasons. It might not be the likeliest thing since Straw has hit more triples than home runs in his career (6 triple to 5 HRs) but hey a guy can dream.
Michael:
- Guardians finish in the Top 6 in runs scored.
- Guardians finish with at least 175 stolen bases.
- Myles Straw finishes over 100 wRC+ and with more than 50 stolen bases (93 and 30 are his career single-season highs).
- Jose Ramirez finishes with a 40-40 (HR-SB) season.
What are your bold proclamations about the starting rotation for the 2023 season?Gerbs: There will be more starters, but not how you think. 2022 saw 12 different starting pitchers, 11 if you do not include Bryan Shaw’s masterful two starts as the opener, which was the most since 2008/2009. I do not think this will be the 2018 season where only seven different pitchers started games, nor will it be a huge number either, but I do think the organization is motivated to try some of these younger pitchers at the highest level early and often. If that means cutting ties with Zach Plesac, by all means.
Matt: Tanner Bibee will not only jump into the rotation but start a playoff game. Look, this isn’t based on much reasoning outside of the reality that Zach Plesac will be punted to Saskatoon as soon as the opportunity arises. Either way, I am confident that Bibee who has the stuff and control that will give Tito some consideration for a playoff start and won’t have the same level of hesitation that he would with Plesac.
Michael:
- Bibee and Allen both start their clocks in 2023.
- Plesac is not in the rotation after April (OK, not so bold after his first start, but I was planning on this already).
- 11 different pitchers start a game.
- McKenzie finishes second in strikeouts despite two month head-start for everyone else.
What are your bold proclamations about the bullpen for the 2023 season?Gerbs: The Cleveland bullpen will lead the league in ERA. Last year, they finished with eh 5th lowest, this year they take the crown. More development from Stephan, Enyel De Los Santos, Nick Sandlin, Eli Morgan and others will keep the number low, plus when you add in the Triple-A starters that will come up and start out in long relief roles, ala Xzavion Curry, it will start to look real good.
Matt: Recency Bias is a hell of a drug, but I think Tim Herrin will be the next breakout star of the pen. Obviously, it’s the smallest of small sample sizes but when a player makes history striking out the first 4 batters of his career it’s hard to ignore it. The slider and fastball combination, along with the funky three-quarter delivery gives me Andrew Miller vibes and I don’t think it’s a coincidence, even Francona said it himself. he’ll give the team another weapon and an extra lefty to go to. In a bullpen that already has an abundance of weapons, Tim Herrin will make it just a bit more lethal.
Michael:
- Stephan leads the bullpen in strikeouts.
- Morgan leads the bullpen in innings.
- Hentges finishes with more innings than Herrin.
Any other bold proclamations for the 2023 season you would like registered on the record?Gerbs: I feel like I’ve been pretty bold on the CornerCasts: Myles Straw gets replaced, seven different players will hit 20 HRs for the team, three of them will have 20/20 seasons…I’ve been out there. Basically, I think this is a banger year for the offense in GuardsTown.
Matt: That the Guardians will send 4 all-stars to Seattle, and their names are Steven Kwan, Emmanuel Clase, Jose Ramirez, and Andres Gimenez.
Michael:
- Guardians finish with at least 95 wins.
- Five different Guardians players get at least one AL MVP vote.
- No Guardian pitcher finishes in Top 10 of AL Cy Young vote.
- Guardians finish in Top 6 in runs allowed.
The first week of baseball has come and gone and the Guardians are 5-2, winning both of their series so far on the season. Gerbs and Mitch got on the mic and discussed the games that have happened and talked about what we all knew would happen in season, what we thought would happen in the season, and what we had no idea would happen. Included in the pod was a discussion including and not limited to:
- Jose Ramirez’s great start without much power
- Myles Straw and his return to amazingness
- Mike Zunino’s excellence at the plate and struggles behind it
- Josh Bell and Amed Rosario and their respective slow starts to the season
Don’t forget about BreakingT.com/WFNY for all your Cleveland gear
Matt and Todd jump on the mics ro discuss the opening weekend of Guardians baseball! This week’s topics include:
- The bullpen’s dominiation
- 99’s problems
- First takes on the pitch clock
- The catching situation
- How last year’s Guards ball has carried over
- Aaron Civale’s surprise start
The long winter wait is over! Spring is here (kinda, temps still suck in Northeast Ohio) and baseball is back! The CornerCast guys are here to discuss the Triston McKenzie injury and what it does to the rotation, the Andres Gimenez extension and the impact of it on the organization and fans, and then give out self-made over/unders for the season.
As always, don’t forget to check out BreakingT.com/WFNY for all your Cleveland gear!
Over/Unders!
Gerbs’s creations:
- Amed Rosario O/U 49.5 games hitting second in the lineup
- Everyone over
- Kwan O/U 12 HR on the season
- Mitch and Gerbs over, Ethan under
- Players with 20/20 seasons in 2023, O/U 2.5
- Everyone under
Ethan’s creations:
- Major league debuts O/U 9
- Mitch and Gerbs under, Ethan over
- O/U 139.5 total stolen bases from the team
- Mitch and Gerbs under, Ethan over
- Players receiving MVP votes at the end of the year, O/U 2.5
- Ethan and Gerbs over, Mitch under
Mitchell’s creations:
- Bo Naylor plate appearances O/U 250
- Everyone over
- Jose Ramirez O/U for a 30/30 season
- Gerbs and Ethan over both, Mitch over HR/under SBs
- Zach Plesac starts O/U 20 (even if not in Cleveland)
- Gerbs and Mitch both “over, begrudgingly”, Ethan under
Discord “Drink counter: 3 more this episode, 8 on the season
The 2023 MLB season is upon us with the Cleveland Guardians looking to push forward their youthful approach to roster management. Sporting the league’s youngest 40-man roster and among the bottom-5 payrolls in all of baseball, the 2022 team was surprisingly competitive as they won the AL Central division, while 17 prospects made their major league debut. The 2023 team will have higher expectations and a target affixed to them; can they continue the success?
The WFNY staff is here to set the table for the upcoming season.
What is the strength of the Guardians roster?Forness: The strength of the team has to be depth, and it’ll be tested early with Triston McKenzie slated to miss up to eight weeks. They won 92 games last season with 17 rookies and injuries to Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac. There’s precedent: they have the pieces to step up and fill in, but the potential pieces this year come with seemingly more pedigree. George Valera, Bo Naylor, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen, Joey Cantillo. These are all top 15-20 prospects depending on the outlet you’re reading that could step up this season. And that’s ignoring that Will Brennan and Gabriel Arias, who may be legitimate players themselves, are riding the bench.
Milner: To me, the strength of the team is the bullpen. When you have the league’s best closer in Emmanuel Claśe, that’s a great place to start. Not to mention, the battery of Trevor Stephan, James Karinchak, and Sam Hentges at Tito’s disposal in the 7th and 8th inning really shortens the game for the Guardians. Even the complementary pieces of Enyel De Lo Santos, Eli Morgan, and Nick Sandlin, the depth of the team is what sets this pen apart. Obviously, bullpens can be erratic in nature but I think as of right now the bullpen is the safest bet on this team.
Gerbs: With the injury to Triston McKenzie, the strength of the roster has to be the offense. Last year, the offense showed what it could do when they have the capability of stringing together hits, forcing opposing starters out early by wreaking havoc on the base paths, and now they have two things going for them in 2023: rule changes that help their brand of baseball, and two free agent signees in Josh Bell and Mike Zunino that should add the extra punch needed at the plate.
Krall: There’s weirdly a lot to choose from here–the up-the-middle defense is impressive, last year’s bullpen was gas from top to bottom–but I’m going to choose the obvious, which is contact hitting. What makes this trait so strong for Cleveland isn’t the ability to put bat on ball in a vacuum, but rather, it’s the ability of so many Guardians to avoid strikeouts while contributing other means of offensive production as well. Four of the top 50 qualified hitters on the contact percentage leaderboards (i.e. contact/swing, not contact/pitch) suited up for Cleveland last season: Steven Kwan (2nd), Myles Straw (4th), Jose Ramirez (12th), and Amed Rosario (41st). Kwan and Straw are clinicians when it comes to working the count and drawing walks, while Ramirez…well, we all know what Ramirez can do. Even Rosario, who’s perhaps the only prototypical contact hitter, has massive raw power to punish mistakes. That’s not all though: if you lower the PA threshold, platoon star Josh Naylor and young’uns like Tyler Freeman and Will Brennan were also well above average in this category. In fact, only middle infield prospect Gabriel Arias and thumping catcher Mike Zunino grade out as significantly below average. The best part is that Cleveland added to this strength by signing Josh Bell, who ranked 51st on the list of qualified hitters, and like Ramirez, combines his lack of whiff with walks and potentially homers galore. Opposing defenses, who won’t be able to drastically shift anymore, better be ready to move.
Bode: Balance and intangibles is the strength of this Guardian team. The rotation, bullpen, and offense should all be above average though none are expected to be dominant. The defense and baserunning should add to the team without taking anything away. The depth coming from the minor leagues might not yet have the major prospects making their push (hello, 2024), but there is enough talent to keep the team from falling off due to injury. Much like Kwan’s hitting profile, there is not a significant hole to exploit.
What is the weakness of the Guardians roster?Forness: For the first time in what feels like, well, forever, I’m going with the rotation. Shane Bieber is clearly at the top. I just mentioned McKenzie could miss the first two months. There are legitimate concerns around all three of Cal Quantrill, Civale, and Plesac. Yes, I’m high on the depth and there are really good pitching prospects at the top of the farm, but those guys won’t be up until later in the season, and will still be rookies. Now, it’s not so bad that the team will struggle to win more than once every fifth day. The offense will help with the burden and if the starters can keep the damage limited enough and get the game to the bullpen then Cleveland can win games 7-5.
Milner: I hate to say it, but it’s probably the rotation right now. It’s probably the Triston McKenzie injury talking, but we also had questions when the starting five was fully healthy. Outside of Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale, and Zach Plesac are major question marks going into 2023. Cal Quantrill while a steady presence since becoming a starter in 2021, is still sometimes very streaky himself. Obviously, things can change from April to September but the starting 5 we see now will probably be different when the team is hopefully pushing for the postseason.
Gerbs: Fortunately/unfortunately, it’s the rotation. I say fortunately because this organization has shown time and time again that they are capable of developing starters of the highest caliber with the quickest of turnarounds and it will be needed to keep this team afloat. I say unfortunately because we saw last year some of the upper-tier starters in the system (Hunter Gaddis, Xzavion Curry, and Konnor Pilkington) were just not ready for prime time and at least Gaddis and Curry will be called upon early.
Krall: Here’s how you know we’re in for a wild season. The starting rotation, which in years past would have been the consensus strength of the club (except maybe from Michael Bode, wanting to be special. Hi Bode.) is this squad’s biggest weakness. The vaunted pitching factory hasn’t shuttered its doors, mind you; there’s just a kink in the supply chain at the moment. The problem isn’t depth. There are ample pitching prospects in Akron and Columbus just dying to make a name for themselves. The problem is a lack of upside. Shane Bieber, though still wildly effective in 2022, saw his strikeouts plummet alongside his fastball velocity. Should that trend continue, Bieber’s name likely won’t be included amongst the best of the best. Of the remaining hurlers, only Triston McKenzie has real top-of-the-rotation potential, but his teres major had other plans, and so he’ll start the season on the IL. After that, things get dicey. Don’t let Cal Quantrill’s impressive ERAs fool you; at some point, allowing a wealth of baserunners will tax the Ontario native with runs. Zach Plesac has consistently shown his 2020 was a small-sample and potentially sticky-stuff-induced mirage. He’d be lucky to have a spot in the rotation by season’s end. And while Aaron Civale’s 2022 was teeming with bad luck, it still remains to be seen whether he can stay healthy for a full season. Even then, it’ll be difficult for Civale to amount to much more than a league-average starter. Add it all up, and I expect the Cleveland rotation to be downright below average in 2022, a shocking departure from years past and perhaps the biggest thing holding them back from being the prohibitive AL Central favorite.
Bode: The rotation is the popular answer here, and there are reasons to worry: McKenzie injury, Plesac mid-ness, the four-headed prospect monster of Espino-Williams-Bibee-Allen not likely quite ready. However, to win the division and be a true contender, some aspect of the team will have to step up into dominance. So, the main weakness I foresee is that the only dominant trait the Guardians have is the aforementioned defense and baserunning. While those are great aspects to have and tend to be fairly consistent year-over-year, they are more intangible attributes rather than main ones. The 2022 ballclub wound up running away from the AL Central division because the bullpen went through an absolutely bonkers dominant stretch the last eight weeks of the season. With McKenzie out, the bullpen will be stretched far more thin early in the year, so it’s tough to expect that… can Bell and Zunino’s addition and another year of seasoning on the kids propel into a Top 5 offense? It is a lot to ask.1
Who is your breakout player candidate for 2023?Forness: We were spoiled last season. Steven Kwan, Andres Gimenez, Triston McKenzie. The Guardians lucked into several foundational building blocks of a new core last season, and it makes you hungry for who’s next. To be honest, I have no idea. There is any number of guys who could fit the mold, but thinking about how and where they eventually get a chance is what’s difficult to predict. I’m going to go with Joey Cantillo. As one of the pitchers currently on the 40-man that could spare the club from starting Tanner Bibee’s or Gavin Williams’ clock too soon I think he eventually gets a chance this year if another injury occurs in the rotation or Plesac/Civale loses their jobs. He’s a LHP, something not seen often in Cleveland’s rotation, and a hidden gem. He channels a lot of Clayton Kershaw, but following a full season in the organization has raised his fastball velocity from the upper 80s to the mid-90s. The rest of his stuff is good too. I see a path for him.
Milner: With the situation of catcher I’ll say Bo Naylor. At some point, the Mike Zunino and Cam Gallagher pairing will be broken up eventually will Bo Naylor stepping in and play a role on this team. I think the bat and approach are ready for the jump to the big leagues (if you watched the world baseball classic he handled the jump in talent fairly well) if the walk rate of 12.8% can carry over to the big leagues, Bo Naylor has the potential to have a good rookie campaign in 2023.
Gerbs: Can a player that made their first All-Star team, won their first Gold Glove, and finished 6th in MVP votes really break out again? If so, Andres Gimenez is about to become the next household name outside of Cleveland, with (my prediction) a 20/20 season while playing upper-echelon level second base defense and rising to the top of power rankings in the sport. If that was his breakout, and I can’t claim him again, get ready for more Sponge Bob as Oscar Gonzalez is going to tank 30 dingers and continue to win the hearts of America.
Krall: This is a weird category because there were so many breakouts last season. The lineup and bullpen are riddled with post-breakout players: Andres Gimenez, Steven Kwan, Oscar Gonzalez, Sam Hentges, Trevor Stephan, and Eli Morgan each became a household name across Cuyahoga County and beyond. A Kwan power surge or a Gonzalez-chasing moratorium could happen, but that would elevate each of them to budding superstar status, and I’m not enough of a homer to do that. One player who does seem primed for an uptick this season though is Josh Naylor. Naylor’s steep climb from post-hype sleeper to severely injured tragedy to righty masher is well-documented; I don’t have much to add. All I know is Naylor seems to be in an unfamiliar position this season, which is to say, for the first time in his career, there’s little mystery where on the diamond or in the country he’s going to play, or how his previously shattered ankle will hold up. So that’s the “why,” but the “how” remains a question to me. His approach at the dish is the polar opposite of Steven Kwan’s pinpoint focus, and until his plan becomes more refined than “do awesome shit,” I don’t see how he can be more than a good hitter. That said, I believe in the person, I believe in the organization, and I believe in job and health security being important. He’s a Hello Fresh kit (not a sponsor, though I’d take a free trial if you’re out there): all the ingredients for a balanced, incredible meal, er, hitter are there. They just need to be assembled into the obvious final product.
Bode: It feels odd given how many truly young players are on the Guardians roster, but my pick is Myles Straw. He won a Gold Glove in 2022, but he was described by some in the media as “swinging a wet newspaper,” which is not a compliment to his hitting acumen. He also has Will Brennan breathing down his neck alongside a cavalcade of prospects should Brennan falter. While becoming a defensive and baserunning specialist would not be the worst thing for the Guardians, I am setting his over/under on fWAR at 2.8 and am slamming my chip down on the over side.2
What player not on the Opening Day roster do you expect to make the biggest impact on the 2023 season?Forness: These questions feel like I should recycle Cantillo, but I’m going with Micah Pries. Pries is an older prospect, but he has a rare combination of contact, power, and speed. He turned a lot of heads in Spring Training, and if not for his age (25) he might be considered a strong prospect in this farm system. Plus he’s flexible in a lineup, capable of playing first base or either corner outfield spot. He’s primed to be this year’s Oscar Gonzalez.
Milner: I think it might be Tanner Bibee for me. The reason is what I stated with the rotation, along with his meteoric rise. Bibee over the course of a calendar year has entered the conversation of the future of the rotation in 2 short years since being drafted in 2021. In those 2 years he went from averaging 90 mph to 98 mph, on top of having great control dating back to college there isn’t a question he’ll make his debut. This will ultimately depend on who of Civale and Plesac opens the door3 but I think he’ll make a huge difference the day he makes his debut.
Gerbs: I’m stealing him before Ethan can because I answered this first, but I really think Joey Cantillo will be up, up soon, and will take over the SP4 or SP5 spot from Aaron Civale or Zach Plesac. Get ready to see a bunch of the “They can’t keep getting away with this!” GIFs from White Sox and Twins fans on Twitter when JoeyCans starts hurling 95 from the left side and looking like shades of Clayton Kershaw. We all talk about TOAO4 Logan Allen and Daniel Espino and Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams, but Cantillo is the secret weapon that is coming.
Krall: There is one right answer to this one. Bo Naylor is hopefully the catcher of the future, but we can’t know that for sure if he’s in Columbus.
Bode: Leaving Bo Naylor for me to select feels like cheating. Here we have a top-rated prospect with a solid-to-good profiled bat playing a premium defensive position for which the ballclub needs to find a large amount of quality innings. Naylor also already was on the Guardians last September and his older brother is in the clubhouse to help him on any needed transition. Playing for his national team at the World Baseball Classic5 might have taken away his opportunity to convince the organization to just put him on the Opening Day roster, but I am confident he will have plenty of chances to contribute this season.
What other players in the minors are you going to be closely tracking?Forness: Farmer Ethan’s time to shine. Obviously, I’m watching the big names at the top of the farm and the prospect rankings, but outside of the big names I’m keeping an eye on: Micah Pries – 1B/OF Joe Lampe – OF Justin Campbell – RHP Parker Messick – LHP Ryan Webb – LHP Jack Leftwich – RHP Gabriel Rodriguez – 3B Will Dion – LHP Ethan Hankins – RHP Wuilfredo Antunez – OF Nate Furman – 2B
Milner: I’ll probably keep an eye on pitchers in the system. To me, the rotation was set at the beginning of the year, but my feeling is guys will be given plenty of opportunities to establish themselves for the future and now. With the uncertainty of Plesac and Civale guys like Bibee, Cantillo, Allen, etc. at some point will get opportunities to step up if needed. Right now we are seeing an audition for Hunter Gaddis with McKenzie’s injury, he can also factor into the conversation as the season goes on. That is what my main focus will be for the season.
Gerbs: Admittedly, I don’t and can’t keep track of the minors as much as I should or could, but the progression of Daniel Espino will be what has my attention. Yes, it’s a chalk answer, but Espino is already tracked to be back in mid-May and could be a factor for the big club, whether on the major league roster or on a different team with a stud on our roster. He’s as good as any pitcher in the organization when healthy, but that’s a big “but” so seeing what he has will be important.
Krall: See FanGraphs dot com, subheading The Board, filter organization to “CLE.” There’s your answer. Cheekiness aside, I’m really curious what will happen to Tyler Freeman in 2023. Fresh off losing the battle for the utility infielder gig, the walls seem to be closing in on Freeman’s future in Cleveland. Andres Gimenez and Jose Ramirez will man two of the three eligible infield positions for the long haul, and the Guardians have a fully stocked quiver to take aim at the third spot. Moreover, Freeman’s weak arm and relative lack of athleticism limit his defensive upside and flexibility. And so, if the long time top prospect is ever to earn a job with Cleveland, he has to rake. Here’s hoping he makes any decision to move him a difficult one.
Bode: The Guardians overall farm system is ranked anywhere from No. 2 to No. 4 depending on the publication, so I will be watching quite a bit as the future is fun to consider across both pitchers and position players. But, let’s confine this to a subset of players who might contribute to the 2023 ballclub down the stretch: Allen, Cantillo, Misiaszek, Brito… and, we can dream on Rocchio, Martinez, and/or Valera making such an impact in Columbus this season that they demand to be introduced in Cleveland.
How do you measure a successful 2023 season for the Guardians?Forness: Success has a lot of measures. As I’m writing this the club has locked up Andres Gimenez to a 7-year $106.5 million contract extension and has more in the works. That’s success to me. Building off of last season; 92 wins, AL Central champions, Game 5 exit in the ALDS. If we’re going purely off on-field play then this team should at least play for a pennant this year. That would be successful for me, but it’s more important they continue (at least for now) to do what they can to keep the window open. More extensions, some roster decluttering/trades, those can also register on the success meter to me.
Milner: The postseason is a bare minimum and a deep run of some kind is expected. I think we’re in a place right now to expect such things and aim for those heights. When the club has the ammo to make major trades and adequate Star power from pitching to hitting, I think the team realized that the window is opening and they should act like it. So to me, we’re getting to that point when talking about a world series shouldn’t be out of the question.
Gerbs: On the WFNY CornerCast last week, I predicted a 90-win season and a loss in the World Series. Success for this team in 2023 will be close to that for me. If they are able to make the ALCS, win or lose, that’s a win for the organization. It’s a sign that the moves they’ve made worked, that the development of the roster is on track, and it’s a sign to fans that they are serious contenders.
Krall: I’d love to pound the table and say they need to be a real World Series threat for me to be happy. I understand those who feel that way; 1948 is a goddamn eternity ago. But, there were so many breakouts and so much good will built up from last season, a successful 2023 merely needs to legitimize the Guardians as true blue contenders for the remainder of the decade. If that means simply repeating the success of last season, I’m completely fine with it.
Bode: End-goals are tough to predict “because baseball,” but the Guardians have set themselves up so that anything less than an AL Central division title would be wholly disappointing. To be considered truly successful, the team will have to prove most of the youth playing well in 2022 can consistently do so, while supplementing (or even supplanting) them with more of the incoming talent. In other words, 2023 has the potential to set the stage for at least a half decade of dominance. No pressure.
- The new rules do help the Guardians a bit too.
- Projections have Straw between 1.6 & 2.3 fWAR, so I wanted to raise the bar here.
- My money is on Plesac, FWIW.
- The One And Only, for those unfamiliar with the nickname we labeled Logan T Allen when there were two in the organization.
- Oh yeah, he’s also good enough to be on a national team and he was Cal Quantrill’s personal catcher for them, which, you know, might come in handy this year.
Matt and Todd are here with a quick season preview plus they discuss the Gimenez extension, the potential Amed extension, and the McKenzie injury.
Matt and Todd are here to talk all things World Baseball Classic, how the roster rolled over from a year ago, and they give you a mini AL Central preview plus much more.
This week’s WFNY CornerCast arrives in time to give you some updates on spring training battles and Gerbs, Mitch, and Ethan all give you their season predictions. If you wanna keep track and hold us accountable, below are the predictions of our own made-up categories. Don’t forget to check out BreakingT.com/WFNY to fill your closets with Cleveland gear!
Team MVP (Non-JRam Edition)
- Ethan – Josh Bell
- Mitchell – Steven Kwan
- Gerbs – Andres Gimenez
Team Cy Young
- Ethan – Emmanuel Clase
- Mitchell – Triston McKenzie
- Gerbs – Triston McKenzie
Most Likely To Lose Their Job
- Ethan – Aaron Civale
- Mitchell – Zach Plesac
- Gerbs – Myles Straw
Biggest Surprise
- Ethan – Cal Quantrill solidifies himself as a true No. 3 starter
- Mitchell – Myles Straw will return to form and be an above-average position player
- Gerbs – Bo Naylor comes up early and wins the Rookie of the Year
Bold Prediction, Old Prediction
- Ethan – Bold: Myles Straw will win the Platinum Glove and be the most valuable No.9 hitter in MLB; Old: Jose Ramirez will have a career year
- Mitchell – Bold: Logan Allen will make a big impact on the starting rotation; Old: Jose Ramirez will win the AL MVP
- Gerbs – Bold: Seven players will hit 20 or more HRs in 2023; Old: Five players will steal 20 or more bases
Final Record
- Ethan – 94-68, win the AL Central, lose in the ALCS
- Mitchell – 87-75, win the AL Central, lose in the ALCS
- Gerbs – 90-72, win the AL Central, lose in the World Series
“Discord Drink” counter: 2 on the night, 5 for the season
The Cleveland Browns have continued to have a busy offseason in Week 2 of the NFL free agency period. The biggest move came when Cleveland traded their second-round pick, No. 42 overall, to the New York Jets for wide receiver Elijah Moore and the Jets’ third round pick, No. 74 overall. Beyond this acquisition, the Browns signed tight end Jordan Akins and quarterback Joshua Dobbs. On defense, the team brought back linebacker Anthony Walker. These moves have been the highlight of the busy week so far.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns acquiring WR Elijah Moore and the other moves the team has made in Week 2 of free agency on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The duo also gave their thoughts on where the roster stands now and what the team should still do going forward. So, take a listen to the WFNY BrownsCast!
As we are nearing the end of the 2022-2023 Cleveland Cavaliers season, we thought it was pertinent to do a end-of-year Roundtable
Q: What was your favorite regular season moment?Seth: Donovan Mitchell’s 71-point performance was a sports moment I’ll never forget. From his ridiculous 3-point shot making to him relentlessly barreling through defenders in the paint, it was truly an inspiring performance.
Joe: Donovan Mitchell’s 71 is my favorite moment. It was an unbelievable night made even better because the Cavs needed almost every single point of Mitchell’s 71.
Matt: Undoubtedly, mine is Donovan Mitchell scoring 71 points. In the history of the NBA there has only been 13 players to score 70+ points and Donovan Mitchell is one of them. It wasn’t just Mitchell at the peak of his powers, but it helped spur a comeback with the Cavs down 20+ points to the Chicago Bulls, along with forcing OT on a last second Outback by Mitchell on a missed free throw. It wasn’t just a defining moment of the Cavs season it was one of my best individual performances by a player in history.
Q: On a scale of 1-10, how would you grade the performance of J.B. Bickerstaff ?Seth: I’m at a 8 for J.B.. He’s done an exceptional job at getting the young guys to buy in and play hard, not an easy task over such a long season. While some of the credit should be given to Koby Altman and the rest of the front office, there is no denying the Cavaliers have a culture built on defense and embrace the “junkyard dog”. My sole complaint at the moment is at times, it still feels a little “your turn, my turn” between Darius and Donovan. I would love to see more slithering off-ball for each of them, but, assume that will come the more reps they get. I do think this question gets more interesting after the playoffs and we’re able to see what adjustments him and his staff make over a series or two.
Joe: I would give him a 7.5. I think he does his best job in creating a family and close nit group. His scheme on offense and defense is also a commendable part of his job. His grade is lowered due to his rotation fluidity and in-game decision-making. We are in the home stretch of the season and he still is tinkering with the rotations. And, as an in-game decision-maker, he can make some puzzling time-out, substitution, and challenge decisions. But, overall I am glad he is the Cavs coach.
Matt: I would say it’s a solid 8 in my eyes. Even with the Cavs being somewhat hot and cold, JB has navigated a flawed roster to be pace for 50 wins, which hasn’t happened since 2017-18. He might have his detractors within the fandom, but the players connect with him and buy in with the program and it has led to results in the first year of the Core 4 era. So safe to say he’s done pretty well in my book.
Q: Which player exceeded your expectations and who fell short?
Seth: Donovan Mitchell has far exceeded my expectations. I’ve seen him live a few times before, but, never truly appreciated how physically gifted he is. His ability to finish with contact from much taller defenders is pretty unique. Combine that with the best shooting season of his career, and the Cavaliers acquired a top-12 talent in the league. For who fell short, I think it’s Dean Wade at the moment. He has shown flashes, but hasn’t consistently been able to contribute enough to stick around in the rotation, despite given every opportunity. The Cavaliers still have a need for a shooting wing and it likely won’t be addressed until the off-season.
Joe: Donovan Mitchell has exceeded my expectations. I did not know the Cavs are getting a fringe MVP candidate. Mitchell’s shot-making, especially from the perimeter, has been way better than I could have dreamed of getting. His value on the team exceeds what I expected it to be going into the season. Dean Wade has been disappointing ever since he got injured. He started out so well this season and showed what he could be for this team, but he has fallen off a cliff and is now mostly out of the rotation.
Matt: Donovan Mitchell somehow exceeded my expectations. I know it might be a cop out answer but I think we had misconceptions of him when he was with Utah, we all knew he was a star but I didn’t think he possibly could get even better. In his age 26 season he’s having career highs in points (27.5) and true shooting percentage (60.9%) posting the most efficient season of his career. He hasn’t just been a superstar but a top 15 player in the league this year. While on the other hand, that can’t be said for Dean Wade. After being seen as the successor to Kevin Love after being bought out, he isn’t sniffing the rotation. Since coming back from his shoulder injury he has produced a measly 3.3 points on 35% from the field and 28% from three. So it’s fair to say that JB putting him the dog house has been warranted.
Q: Pick one bench player that will win a game for the Cavs in the playoffs and how?Seth: There are a few good candidates here, but I’ll choose Ricky Rubio. He has been playing better as it took some time to shake off the rust from his second torn ACL. He’s got an ability to flip a game quickly whether it’s playing the passing lanes for steals, or, finding Cedi for some big threes down the stretch.
Joe: Caris LeVert has those games where he can be a dynamic scoring option. We saw that in the early season tilt versus the Boston Celtics. I think he can have a playoff game where he gives the Cavs a huge scoring burst off the bench.
Matt: It’s Caris LeVert. The reason is pretty cut and dry, cause he can get hot as a scorer. A productive game can be pivotal for the Cavs and for a bench that’s ranked 27th on the league in bench scoring, they are going to need Caris to be productive as the 6th man on the playoffs.
Q: What does a successful postseason look like for the Cavaliers?Seth: Finishing the season with home court advantage in the first round and winning that match-up. Bonus for me would be winning 2 games in round 2 against a seemingly superior opponent (Philadelphia, Boston, or Milwaukee).
Joe: I think getting home court advantage and then winning the first round of the playoffs. Beyond that would be awesome.
Matt: I say that winning a playoff series makes this a success postseason, and everything else is gravy. We forget that this group is extremely young and outside of a couple players these guys haven’t experienced a playoff series. Not to mention JB Bickerstaff has not coached in the postseason either so we don’t know what to expect from coach to players. They are definitely capable of beating anyone, but they probably aren’t ready quite yet to compete for a championship, at least not yet.
Q: Who do the Cavs match up well with in the playoffs?Seth: I think an obvious answer here for the first round is the Brooklyn Nets. I like the pieces they have, but the Cavs possess such a size advantage, it would be hard for them to stop Mobley and Allen attacking the paint.
Joe: I think the Cavs match up well with anyone below them in the standings. There are no mismatches or bad pairings in that group. For the teams in the top three, I think the Cavs are best suited to play the Boston Celtics. By no means do I think the Cavs are a better team than Boston, but in terms of matchup, the Celtics do not have the biggest mismatches the Cavs would see this postseason.
Matt: They always say styles make fights, and I feel like it might be the Celtics. Look they just went to finals last year and can go back again, but a part of me feels like that the Celtics potential Achilles heel is Garland and Mitchell. In the games that Garland and Mitchell played against the Celtics, they averaged 61.3 points between them. That might be the chink in the armor, as the Celtics guards might be solid defenders, Marcus Smart being the best, but they don’t have the length that can bother both of them. I’m not saying that an upset will happen but they will give the Celtics a hard fought series that some people wouldn’t expect coming in.
Q: Who do the Cavs match up poorly with in the playoffs?
Seth: I’m with Joe in saying Philadelphia. Embiid brings a physicality that no team can really match. More than that, Harden is a tough match-up for anyone on the Cavs, and Tyrese Maxey always seems to play his best against the Cavaliers.
Joe: I want to stay as far away from the Philadelphia 76ers as possible. Joel Embiid is a cheat code. Cleveland has an advantage down low versus most teams. They do not have one versus the 76ers. Mobley and Allen have really struggled versus Embiid.
Matt: It probably is the Milwaukee Bucks. They are the team that has caused the most issues for the Cavs. The size and length of Brook Lopez and Giannis has bothered Mobley and Allen in the paint. Jrue Holiday can make Garland or Mitchell’s life a living hell, defensively he can grind them both into dust. They are just a very well disciplined group on defensive and not to mention with Giannis’a size and aggression he can put the Cavs bigs in foul trouble early. I just know that it might end ugly if the Cavs meet the Bucks in the second round.
Which of the starting pitcher prospects do you think will be the Opening Day starter for the Guardians in 2027?Forness: I’m going to have to go with Tanner Bibee. The buzz is very steadily growing around him, but with the health concerns surrounding Daniel Espino and a less-than-perfect track record for Gavin Williams, Bibee’s elite command and newfound velocity might actually make him the most likely next great Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC success.
Milner: I feel like it’ll be Gavin Williams. The reason I’m high on Gavin Williams is he has that type of traits that the Guardians have excelled in developing. Not to mention that he can reach triple digits and is developing some nasty breaking balls to compliment the heater. With his ceiling being an ace, I’m fairly confident that on 2027 he’ll be taking the ball on opening day.
Bode: There are times the pure fan in me must thrive. Anyone who has seen the grainy Spring Training videos1 from last season that led to Daniel Espino jumping up the prospect rankings across every major publication knows his stuff goes to positive infinity.2 There are questions of health and questions of use (will Espino be a devastating bullpen weapon rather than starter?), but I’m not dreaming four years out on anything less than Daniel Espino leading the rotation and PitchingNinja recap videos of nasty strikeouts.
Krall: This is a tricky question. Of the quartet of high-end starting pitching prospects (Williams, Bibee, Daniel Espino, Logan Allen), Espino has the lowest chance of maintaining his starting role. He’s never thrown over 100 innings in a season and the Guardians player development team, who know a thing or two about pitching development, might decide he never will. However, to use a highly technical term, his stuff is bonkers. If Espino does stay in the rotation, he has the highest chance of being the perennial Cy Young candidate we’ve become accustomed to seeing spearhead Cleveland’s rotation. He’s my choice.
Which position player has the best capability of becoming an annual Guardians AL-MVP candidate in 2027 and beyond?Forness: Brayan Rocchio. It’s no secret I’m a diehard fan of “The Professor”. He’s a complete package as a player and should be a fixture up the middle in Cleveland for years to come. His ceiling could be a perennial MVP contender.
Milner: I’m leaning towards George Valera. I think the traits he has from the 30+ HR power, the patience at the plate, can definitely lead to a potential MVP candidate. Obviously he’ll have to clean some things up but I think the potential is very much there for George Valera in the future.
Bode: Let’s consider what the “likeliest” candidates of achieving this unlikely result would have to achieve. Rocchio would need to truly be the next Francisco Lindor, including the power output. Valera, the next Manny Ramirez. Espino would need to have workhorse innings coupled with his superpower abilities on individual pitches. Bo Naylor gets a big advantage if he can stick to catcher, become a yearly All-Star, and hit well enough to also be racking up Silver Slugger Awards at the position. Also, quite the tough ask. So, I’m going to go with Andres Gimenez, who has already earned MVP votes for the Guardians3 and hope the organization finds a way to extend him out a few years past 2027.4
Krall: It’s really hard to contend for an MVP. You have to be transcendent. For a prospect, everything has to go right. So while the Guardians are not bereft of position-player talent in the minors, I think each guy whose name you probably know–Valera, Rocchio, Bo Naylor, Gabriel Arias, Jhonkensy Noel–has a flaw in his game that could limit his ceiling. Slick defenders Rocchio and Arias both have questionable approaches at the dish. Also, Arias’s high whiff rate seems likely to limit his ability to access his raw power, while Rocchio doesn’t have all that much raw power to begin with. Noel, on the other hand, has light-tower power, but will need to make the absolute most of it to be an above-average major leaguer at first base, let alone an MVP candidate. Valera has an amazing eye, but an amazing eye doesn’t put the bat on the ball. Bo Naylor is a catcher; only five catchers accrued over 500 PAs last season. Nothing against Bo, it’s just really difficult to play enough to merit MVP consideration perennially. So I’m going with a hipster choice, outfielder and legal minor Jaison Chourio. Yes, he’s young, but that’s exactly the point. As of now, he has no real flaws, just uncertainty. The projectably built 6’2″ outfielder terrorized summer league pitchers last season, and if his performance carries over into 2023, let’s just say you’re going to hear his name often.
Who is the most under-rated prospect? Why?Forness: I’m just going to give a list of names, but the further I get the more underrated I think they are: Joey Cantillo, Jack Leftwich, Joe Lampe, Will Dion, Alexfri Planez, Alaska Abney.
Milner: Are we sleeping on Joey Cantillo? I only ask because in a rotation filled with the talented prospects last year, he had one of the better seasons. Look I get it you also might be skeptical because lefties for whatever reason haven’t found success since Scott Kazmir back in 2013, but I think there is something to this guy who acquired some added velo and complements it with a Vulcan change up that falls off the table. I feel like he might be a sneaky candidate to make his debut sometime in 2023.
Bode: Ethan Hankins is ranked No. 29 on the cumulative chart above. Justin Campbell is ranked No. 11. Both of these players are 6-foot-6 or better and inside the Guardians Pitching Factor LLC. One of these players was in the mix for the top of the 2018 MLB Amateur draft before a shoulder tinge at the worst time allowed Cleveland to draft him later in the first round. One of these players has a mid-90s fastball with fantastic movement despite a great-shaped curveball being his current best pitch. One of these players has shown an ability use his athleticism to vary delivery with shimmies and alterations to truly mess with hitter’s timing. I like Justin Campbell. I think Justin Campbell is going to make it to The Show, which is a crazy accomplishment for any baseball player. But, Justin Campbell is no Ethan Hankins.5
Krall: I’m choosing Logan Allen as most underrated because his skills don’t jump out like his upscale pitching prospect peers. He’s less of a flamethrower and more of a crafty lefty. You won’t say wow after watching him pitch. All he has is three, maybe four average or better major league pitches, with good command and a deceptive delivery. Compared to Daniel Espino, who throws approximately 212 MPH, or Gavin Williams, who looks like a prototypical workhorse, or Tanner Bibee, whose story seems eerily similar to one Shane Bieber’s, I see why people might underrate Allen. Of that quartet, though, Allen seems most poised to make an impact on the big league squad soonest.
Who is the most over-rated prospect? Why?Forness: I guess this is the hot take portion of the roundtable? I know the name that’s leaning that way for some (Valera), but there aren’t too many guys trending this direction in the farm. It’s probably between Jhonkensy Noel and Xzavion Curry. Noel has mammoth power, but he’s a man without a position and doesn’t hit well enough overall (he’s still just 21, it can change) to be a true DH. For Curry he’s an almost-elite command arm, but the stuff lags behind other pitchers in the system. There’s no reason he couldn’t stick at the back of the rotation depending on how things shake out, but there are better arms in the system.
Milner: I’m not much of a hater because who am I to hate on a prospect who could end up being really great. With that being said I’m not sure if I’m a big fan of Jhonkensy Noel, not to say he can’t be good but I wonder with his skillset if he fits with what they are doing now. His contact ability isn’t the best, his power potential is awesome in theory but he might have the same pitfalls as Franmil Reyes. With the Guardians going away from this type of profile (Nolan Jones, Will Benson to name a few) I’m just not sure if he’s thought of as highly in the organization as he is with the fans.
Bode: Using this slot to simply bring up that Angel Genao is not known amongst most of the Guardian fanbase, but he sure seems known by prospect analysts. Given they have seen him play more, they probably know better than most of us, but I am ignorant to his abilities. So, he’s over-rated compared to where “I have him.” Hopefully, he makes that look silly by this time next year.
Krall: Bo Naylor is my choice for most overrated. His name is already a household one thanks to his brother and first-round draft pick status. That already raises his expectations to unfair levels. I think people expect him to excel at the dish and behind it, and that’s really really difficult. Just for fun, I looked up FanGraphs’ preseason top prospects of 2019 and filtered the list to only view catchers. There are 12 of them in the Top 100, but only two of them have put up one or more truly above-average season as a full-time catcher (i.e. >3 WAR). Most of them are in the 1.5-2 WAR range. Some already seem like busts. I hope I’m wrong! It just seems unlikely that Bo Naylor becomes the impact player we’re all hoping for.
Who is your favorite (not necessarily top) prospect? Why?Forness: Circling back to Brayan Rocchio. There’s a lot of players I love in the system for various reasons (do yourselves a favor and look up video of Alaska Abney pitching. Seriously.) but Rocchio has so much promise. It’s hard not to watch him and think a little bit of Francisco Lindor, and the thought of a Rocchio/Andres Gimenez double play tandem up the middle is the most exciting prospect possibility for me currently in-house.
Milner: Daniel Espino, what can I say I’m sucker for power pitchers. Even with the injury concerns as of late I don’t think it should deter anyones excitement for him, with his 80 grade fastball and slider combo he’s got the highest ceiling of all the pitching prospects. I feel like if he were to put it all together and be healthy he can be one of the most talented pitchers ever to grace the mound at the corner of Carnegie & Ontario and I don’t think I’m exaggerating either.
Bode: I love the idea that after years of talking about Rocchio and Tyler Freeman and even Jose Tena that Angel Martinez might rocket through the minors, knock over the apple cart and just grab onto the shortstop job and never let go.
Krall: Just like Aaron Bracho before him (sad), I like the idea of Juan Brito a lot. Can’t play a position? Doesn’t matter. Can’t hit for power? Doesn’t matter. No physical projection? Doesn’t matter. Dude hits. Let’s hope his career path doesn’t go the route of Bracho.
Where can you find articles on individual prospects? The List:
- ***Daniel Espino
- Brayan Rocchio
- Gavin Williams
- Bo Naylor
- George Valera
- Tanner Bibee
- Logan Allen
- Chase DeLauter
- Angel Martinez
- Cody Morris
- Justin Campbell
- Jose Tena
- Xzavion Curry
- Gabriel Arias
- Jaison Chourio
- Will Brennan
- Joey Cantillo
- Juan Brito
- Nate Furman
- Petey Halpin
- Parker Messick
- Doug Nikhazy
- Tanner Burns
- Joe Lampe
- Isaiah Greene
- Jake Fox
- Jhonkensy Noel
- Jack Leftwich
- Trenton Denholm
- Peyton Battenfield***
- OK, they were 4K but I’m rolling here
- The limit does not exist.
- Gimenez finished No. 6 in AL-MVP voting in 2022.
- Jose Ramirez is signed through 2028 and despite the fact he’ll be in his mid-30s, he is probably the real answer here.
- Yes, this assumes Hankins can resume where he left off in 2019, which is quite a long time ago, but early reports are quite positive…
The Cleveland Browns have been very busy in the first five days when teams could start negotiating with NFL free agents. The Browns have signed three big-time free agents to add to their starting lineup, interior defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson, edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and safety Jaun Thornhill. The team has also reportedly signed two other interior defensive linemen, Maurice Hurst and Trysten Hill, who will likely compete for a role on the team this coming training camp.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek are back to recap their thoughts on what the Cleveland Browns have done so far in NFL free agency on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The two gave their thoughts on the five signings the team has already done. They looked through the AFC North to what the other teams in the division have done and they gave their thoughts on the biggest remaining holes left on the Browns roster. So, have a listen to this and much more on the latest WFNY BrownsCast!
Well folks, we’ve finally reached the end. It’s been a long 10 weeks leading up to this point, but I’ve had a ton of fun doing this. I’ve learned more about many of Cleveland’s prospects than I ever expected to when I set out, and I hope you all have as well. So before we jump into my number one prospect I wanted to say thank you for reading along.
Getting into the meat of it, of course, we’re going to end with a pitcher. We at Waiting For Next Year haven’t dubbed the organization the Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC just for fun. By now we’ve discussed 13 pitchers with a generally similar blueprint — say it with me kids — of above-average to advanced command, and possibly an offering or a tool that sets them apart. That being said, my top prospect is different. The raw talent is step above anyone else in the organization, and he’s a monster lurking just below the surface.
Process of elimination could have pointed you to Daniel Espino being my top-ranked Guardians prospect, but the 22-year-old right-handed pitcher is something special. Espino was born and raised in Panama before coming to the United States in 2016 via the Albany Paulies Baseball Program, a travel baseball organization based in Albany, Georgia that helps athletes from all over the world find educational opportunities through sports. It was through the Albany Paulies that Espino wound up at Georgia Premier Academy as a 16-year-old sophomore.
After going 9-0 with a 0.32 ERA as a senior at Georgia Premier Espino was committed to playing college baseball for Louisiana State University before the Guardians drafted him 24th overall in the 2019 MLB draft and signed him away from his commitment with a $2.5 million signing bonus. There were concerns in the industry surrounding his command and whether or not his repertoire would ever develop beyond his fastball. Enter the Cleveland Guardians.
Daniel Espino was lights-out!
The @CleGuardians' top pitching prospect fanned 7 over 4 2/3 hitless frames for @AkronRubberDuck. pic.twitter.com/WPnmu6RtqS
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 16, 2022
Espino made a brief 23.2 inning professional debut in 2019 between the Complex League and the Mahoning Valley Scrappers, but his first full season came in 2021 after working out at the team’s alternate site during the COVID year. In 2021 he split 20 starts evenly between Low-A Lynchburg and High-A Lake County, compiling a 3-8 record in 91.2 innings pitched with a 3.73 ERA, four walks (10.4%), and an otherworldly 152 strikeouts, a gaudy 40.5% clip. Command issues and self-inflicted wounds limited Espino to less than five innings per start, but the then 20-year-old hardly missed a beat after taking a year off.
Espino’s 2022 lasted just four starts after a shoulder injury put him on the shelf, but the numbers were still telling. All four of his starts came at Double-A Akron where he managed to go 1-0 in 18.1 innings pitched with a 2.45 ERA, just four walks surrendered (5.9%) and 35 strikeouts, a freakish 51.5% rate. I know, small sample sizes, but Espino was maintaining career bests in K/9 (17.18), BB/9 (1.96), and strand rate (100%) before the injury occurred, suggesting a measurable improvement in his command.
Daniel Espino's fastball was simply overpowering today, save for 2 at bats that turned into 2 homers.
He also had the good slider going here in his 9th strikeout of the afternoon. pic.twitter.com/HItESRzwAe
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) April 10, 2022
Calling Espino special earlier doesn’t begin to do his talent justice, after all this is a man who has drawn comparisons to Jacob deGrom. He’s a damn unicorn, and that’s a fact. Espino uses a four-pitch mix headlined by an 80-grade fastball that sits 96-98 and can reach up to 102 with wicked movement. He pairs the heater with a slider with great spin and two-plane movement that would be plus pitch in anyone’s arsenal, but very few can throw it in the 86-90 range like Espino can. He also features a 12-6 curveball that’s a valuable change of speed sitting in the mid-to-upper 70s that he has a good feel for, and generates plenty of whiffs with. He also mixes in a low 90s changeup that he can locate but isn’t used enough to make a definitive judgment on just yet.
Espino’s velocity and stuff are one thing, but what puts him in an entirely different class is how easily repeatable and effortless his delivery is. Pair that with how flexible and dedicated he is to hone his body and it’s a special combination that not all high school flamethrowers achieve. Like Gavin Williams before him on this list he will need to attain at least average command for the stuff to keep pushing his ceiling, but the brief glimpse we saw of Espino in 2022 suggests he’s moving in the right direction.
14 strikeouts. 0 walks.
It was an outing to remember for No. 2 @CleGuardians prospect Daniel Espino with the @AkronRubberDuck. https://t.co/zApC8UwRGn pic.twitter.com/PQDkwJC5u8
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 24, 2022
Espino will miss the first month or so of the Minor League season rehabbing the shoulder injury that cost him the rest of 2022. The timeline is optimistic, and barring any setbacks we could see him take the mound sometime in May. There are many who are concerned about the injury, but I personally don’t believe we’re anywhere near the panic stage with Espino yet. Yes, he only has 133.2 innings pitched as a professional, but he doesn’t have a history of injuries and Cleveland is very cautious with their young arms. Look no further than how the organization handled Triston McKenzie.
Espino will get every opportunity to be a starter, the Guardians know how rare a talent he is. They won’t needlessly rush him back to playing and will monitor him closely when he does start throwing again, but I expect Espino to face Triple-A hitters in 2023. He may ramp up his workload with Double-A Akron, but it would quickly become clear he has little left to prove at that level. He doesn’t need added to the 40-man roster until this coming December, so don’t expect the club to go out of their way to force him to the show this season. Be patient and let him work his way back at the proper pace. I promise you, it will be worth the wait.
The List:2. Brayan Rocchio3. Gavin Williams4. Bo Naylor5. George Valera6. Tanner Bibee7. Logan Allen8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
I’ve talked ad nauseam over the course of this series about Cleveland’s preference for command-over-stuff arms and prioritizing position players with above-average contact skills. It’s a broad generalization that’s largely true, but it can be specified even further. The Guardians prefer to draft the majority of their pitching from college, especially those that have multiple years of experience under their belts on top of advanced command.
The international free agent market is where Cleveland signs predominantly position players with the contact skills the organization covets while they are young and projectable. Already in my top 30 we’ve discussed Jhonkensy Noel, Jaison Chourio, Jose Tena, Angel Martinez, and George Valera who largely fit that description, and there are many more throughout the entire Guardians system. Just as the 2021 draft class appears to be a special group — producing six members of my 2023 top 30 — so too is the 2017 international free agent class, producing another four members of this list, the last of which has developed into a pleasant surprise compared to the original expectations for that class.
Top 8: Make it two for Brayan Rocchio! @rocchio05 is 4-5 with 5 RBI
Akron 9 | Erie 13 pic.twitter.com/mtvfyRz3iC
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 1, 2022
Brayan Rocchio, a 22-year-old shortstop prospect and native of Venezuela, is my second-ranked Guardians prospect. Originally somewhat of an afterthought when he signed for $125,000 as a member of Cleveland’s vaunted 2017 international free agent class, he has worked his way into the conversation as one of the best middle infield prospects in the system. At the time Aaron Bracho and George Valera were seen as the headliners, but the 2017 class also included Jhonkensy Noel and Jose Tena.
After signing with Cleveland Rocchio made his professional debut in 2018 during the Dominican Summer League and quickly made an impression on coaches and teammates alike. Rocchio, affectionately nicknamed “The Professor” for his defensive prowess and game intellect by Cleveland international scout Jhonathan Leyba, models his game after former Cleveland All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor. It’s lofty company to aspire to be apart of, so how has Rocchio made his ascent?
18 year-old Brayan Rocchio makes a diving stop in the 5th inning. pic.twitter.com/rPEi9rNfmn
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) March 23, 2019
Rocchio got a full taste of the upper minors in 2022, splitting 132 games between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. Between both levels, he hit .257/.336/.420 with 27 doubles, 18 home runs, 14 stolen bases, and 54 walks (9.2%) to 102 strikeouts (17.5%). Rocchio’s average suffered a little when he hit just .234 in 33 games with Columbus, but he struck out at a 13.8% clip (18.8% in Akron) and posted a suboptimal .241 BABIP that both suggests bad luck and implies positive regression.
Overall Rocchio has played in 369 professional games. He owns a career .275/.343/.427 batting line with 77 doubles, 40 home runs, 71 stolen bases, and 122 walks (7.4%) to 279 strikeouts (17%). Before his poor batted ball luck when he reached Columbus Rocchio posted a .265/.349/.432 triple slash, much more in line with his career averages suggesting his .234 batting average with the Clippers was more of an outlier. The 33-game sample in Columbus is also the first time Rocchio posted a wRC+ below 107 at any level (81).
Rocchio is a budding multi-tool talent who should be a very well-rounded player at his peak. He possesses excellent speed, having stolen 20+ bases in 2018 and 2021, and there’s optimism about his power potential having set career highs in doubles and home runs in consecutive seasons. Rocchio’s calling card on offense is his elite contact ability and advanced approach at the plate. As a switch hitter, Rocchio posts better numbers from the left-handed batter’s box, but it’s a well-rounded profile that posts healthy line drive and fly ball rates, and one that can use the entire field. Rocchio does have a tendency to be over-aggressive at times, but it doesn’t translate to inflated strikeouts, rather he puts up some weak contact instead of working the count more.
Brayan Rocchio, beyond the bleachers
The fourth-ranked @CleGuardians prospect now has four homers in his past seven games for the @CLBClippers. pic.twitter.com/w2jOVryeh8
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 4, 2022
The Professor is still known for his defense, though the bat has been an exciting development. Rocchio played most of his minor league career at shortstop before playing noticeably more games at second base in 2022. The arm, range, and reaction are above-average which should translate to being an impact defender at either shortstop or second base at the next level.
Rocchio is my personal favorite prospect in the system, and in my perfect world, he’s half of one of the league’s most exciting double-play tandems alongside Andres Gimenez in 2024. He’s still just 22, and as long as the Guardians have Amed Rosario at shortstop it’s unlikely Rocchio will see much more than a September cup of coffee in 2023. Cleveland will let Rocchio get as much seasoning in Columbus as they think is necessary to prepare him to compete for a job next Spring.
Rocchio is on 20-20 watch in what I expect to be a full season with the Clippers, and his .241 BABIP from 2022 should rebound nicely. The expectation for Rocchio shouldn’t be more contact, but better quality of contact in 2023. He possesses all the right traits to work counts and identify pitches, but the aggression will need to be tamed to help Rocchio tap into his full potential. It’s a profile not all that dissimilar from Gimenez’s, and we’ve seen how that’s worked out for Cleveland. The first crack at breaking the middle infield logjam will belong to Rocchio next season, and I can’t wait to watch it.
The List so Far:3. Gavin Williams4. Bo Naylor5. George Valera6. Tanner Bibee7. Logan Allen8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
The legal tampering period of NFL free agency has begun. The league year officially begins on Wednesday. The Cleveland Browns have had a fairly busy start to free agency. The team started it off by restructuring quarterback Deshaun Watson’s contract to open up $36 million. The Browns have reportedly signed two big free agents to add to the weakest part of the roster, the defensive line. Cleveland signed edge rusher Ogbonnia Okoronkwo formerly of the Houston Texans and interior defensive lineman Dalvin Tomlinson formerly of the Minnesota Vikings. Besides these two external additions, the team also has reportedly re-signed center Ethan Pocic and linebacker Sione Takitaki. The team is likely far from done. Here are some of my thoughts on what the Browns have done so far and what lies ahead from here.
- The Browns understood the assignment. With their first two additions in free agency, the team addressed the defensive line twice. The defensive line is the weakest area on the entire roster and so it needed some heavy overhauls. The signing of Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Dalvin Tomlinson are two big additions who can produce for this defensive line.
- Okoronkwo is a fun addition by the Browns. He is a player who has been a rotational defender for most of his career so far but has been highly productive in the limited snap counts. According to Next Gen Stats, he had the third-highest pressure rate amongst rushers with at least 200 pass rushes. His career-high 39 pressures last season were 20 more than any other Browns defender last year not named Myles Garrett. The team signed him to a three-year contract at a reasonable price. This signing screams value. With the growing playing time last season, he produced at the highest level of his career so far. So, the Browns are banking on him to continue his upward trajectory while they increase his snap count. I could see him competing for a starting job next season. The team needed to get away from Jadeveon Clowney and finally get a younger edge rusher to pair with Garrett, Okoronkwo has the potential to do that.
- Tomlinson comes and immediately becomes by far the best interior defensive lineman on the roster. He is a big human being with some of the best run-stopping abilities in the league. For a team that could not stop the run to save their lives, the addition of Tomlinson will be a huge aid for the run defense. His presence will help the players around him, especially the linebackers who can be freer due to the attention Tomlinson garners. He is also a player who has improved as a pass rusher throughout his career. He has become a three-down defensive lineman who a team can trust to stay on the field. The Browns need that trustworthy and consistent player in the interior of the defensive line.
- I like that the Browns brought back Ethan Pocic to a long-term contract. He played so well under Bill Callahan. With the stress to win now, the Browns couldn’t risk going with the untested Nick Harris. With Pocic, Cleveland knows what he can do in their system and how well he can play. The Browns didn’t overspend to re-sign him and they get back a player who played at a very high-level last season.
- Sione Takitaki is another solid signing for Cleveland. He fills the strongside linebacker spot well and defends the run well. It is always astute to sign players who can fill roles and not take up a lot of money.
- The Browns still have a major hole at safety. This is the biggest need right now. With John Johnson gone, Cleveland does not have a starting free safety on the roster. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson is the best safety left on the board and he would be a home run addition for the Browns. His versatility fits well with Delpit. Jordan Poyer is a veteran option who could fit the need well. Juan Thornhill would be another good pickup at a slightly lesser price than Gardner-Johnson. The Browns almost certainly have to come out of free agency with a starting-level safety.
- The moves on the defensive line should not stop. The Browns signed Tomlinson, but Cleveland needs two starting quality interior defensive linemen. I would not be surprised if the Browns add another interior defensive lineman during the free agency period. The team also could still add another edge rusher to add depth to the rotation. The defensive line is still under construction.
- The linebacker market has been pretty busy already. The Browns did bring Takitaki back, but the team needs to add a starting-level middle linebacker. The team will likely not spend a lot to get this player, but it is needed.
- The wide receiver market has really been slow so far. The Browns likely won’t be huge buyers here, but the team does need to add some speed to the lineup. Cleveland could go through the trade market or draft to fill this need, but there are some nice values in free agency. DJ Chark and Mecole Hardman are two free agents who can add the speed the team needs in the receiver room.
Cleveland’s 2021 draft class is shaping up to be something special, producing six total members of my top 30 and several other players to keep an eye on. More on that later. The 2021 class is especially strong for pitchers, including the likes of Tanner Bibee, Doug Nikhazy, Ryan Webb, Jack Leftwich, Tommy Mace, do you really want me to keep going? Overall Cleveland drafted 19 pitchers with their 21 selections, and based on early returns there are several success stories in the class.
The Guardians snagged Tanner Bibee, my 6th ranked prospect entering 2023, in the 5th round of the 2021 draft, and in that write-up, I mentioned he was one of the fastest movers in the system, but the fastest rise belongs to another pitcher in the same class. Both started in Lake County, both finished with Akron, both have big fastballs, and as Zack Meisel of The Athletic has reported, the two have a friendly rivalry that has become must-see tv for Cleveland’s staff and front office members when they take the mound on the back fields in Goodyear.
Gavin Williams is my 3rd ranked Guardians prospect, a right-handed pitcher from Eastern Carolina that Cleveland selected in the first round of the 2021 MLB draft. Williams, 23, had and interesting career path at ECU, but ultimately became the second-highest draft pick in Pirates program history when the Guardians grabbed him at 23. When Williams was recruited by the Pirates he was throwing in the low-90s for Cape Fear High School, but was sitting 95-98 with his fastball when he arrived for his freshman season in 2018.
Gavin Williams has his first double-digit strikeout game at the Double-A level!
The No. 3 @CleGuardians prospect fans 10 for the @AkronRubberDuck. pic.twitter.com/kyOoQjKgIU
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) September 3, 2022
Despite the spike in velocity and a 1.15 ERA in 15 appearances as a freshman Williams didn’t crack the Eastern Carolina rotation until 2021. He made the most of the opportunity and rode a dominant season to a first-round selection. Though he was primarily used as a reliever by the Pirates during his career (started 17 of 53 games) Williams was able to maintain his velocity deep into starts and even logged a complete game shutout in 2021. The talent was never in question, but even still it’s safe to say his professional debut exceeded expectations.
Williams made 25 starts split between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron during his debut 2022 season. Overall he accumulated a 5-4 record with a 1.96 ERA in 115 innings pitched, with 40 walks (8.9%) to 149 strikeouts (33.1%). Calling Williams a fast mover earlier may have been somewhat of an understatement, as he was promoted to Akron after just nine starts for the Captains. In those nine games, Williams pitched 45 innings, posted a 1.40 ERA, a 1.64 FIP, struck out an astonishing 40% of opposing batters, and he didn’t surrender a home run. The organization felt like he didn’t have anything left to prove in Lake County, and it’s hard to argue.
Want to see #Guardians prospect Gavin Williams strike out three hitters in 10 pitches? Here you go. pic.twitter.com/iulytBIXoI
— Josh Norris (@jnorris427) March 29, 2022
He experienced some normal road bumps in Akron, but he was still a force to be reckoned with in his 16 starts for the Rubberducks. He posted a 2.31 ERA in 70 innings pitched to go along with a 4.03 FIP, and though his strikeout rate fell to 29.1% the walk rate stayed virtually the same between both levels, a positive sign for his development overall. Williams pitched a grand total of 149.1 innings in his time at ECU, so it was even more encouraging that he continued to maintain his velocity deep into starts over 115 innings while handling his first taste of a full starter’s workload in 2022.
At 6 foot 6 and 255 pounds, Williams is a menacing sight on the mound, and his competitiveness and intensity are every bit as unnerving for opposing hitters as his frame. His fastball is easily top-three in Cleveland’s farm system, and should be in the conversation as one of the best in all of Minor League Baseball. Sitting 94-98, eclipsing 100 at times, with ridiculous movement that misses a ton of bats. He rounds out the rest of his repertoire with a high-70s curveball, a mid-to-high-80s power slider, and an 85-90 changeup.
The curveball is regarded as his best secondary offering, with high spin rates and 12-6 downward movement he has a great feel for it and can consistently get strikes with it. The slider is Major League-ready with late bite and quickly became one of my favorites in the system. While the changeup may be Williams’ weakest offering it’s by no means a down pitch, and he worked on incorporating it more in his first professional season, building up the confidence to throw it to both righties and lefties late in 2022.
Gavin Williams dropped in these two curveballs today after unleashing a 98 MPH fastball. I dont even know what you do with that.
And people wonder why hitting is down right now. pic.twitter.com/Q3Dh9hlTX6— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) April 24, 2022
The concern for Williams lies almost solely in his command. He was inconsistent at times, but as the season progressed he started to get a better feel for things, helped by his surprising ability to consistently repeat his delivery for his size. Williams’ pure stuff is so good these issues can be masked at times in the low minors, but as he climbs the system and eventually makes it to the show he’ll need to have average command at least to capitalize on his raw talent and stuff. It’s also worth mentioning that Williams has a checkered past of injuries, including back issues dating back to high school that may be partially why he slid to Cleveland late in the first round. He was healthy in 2022, but it’s something to be conscious of moving forward.
It’s hard to envision a scenario where Williams doesn’t begin 2023 with Triple-A Columbus alongside some of Cleveland’s other top flight pitching prospects. Given what we witnessed in 2022 he’s likely to figure into Cleveland’s plans at some point this coming season, the question is how soon will that be? Williams will have a longer path to the Majors if he experiences any significant regression with his command, but there aren’t many better organizations to be in to build on the gains he made last season.
As long as his injury issues don’t resurface Williams should make quick work of the upper minors. With three Major League-ready pitches he has the raw talent and stuff to acclimate himself to Triple-A with ease, but even then he’ll have to usurp one of Xzavion Curry, Hunter Gaddis or Konnor Pilkington for a spot on the 40-man. With the crowds Williams has been drawing in Spring Training the organization is very aware of what he is and what he can be, so there’s very little doubt in my mind they won’t call him up when the time is right.
The List so Far:4. Bo Naylor5. George Valera6. Tanner Bibee7. Logan Allen8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
The start of NFL free agency is just around the corner as Monday marks the date that teams can begin negotiating with free agents during the legal tampering period. On Wednesday at 4 pm, the NFL league year officially begins and agreements can be officially signed and announced. The Cleveland Browns are excepted to be very aggressive during free agency and so Browns fans should expect a lot of news regarding the team.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek previewed the start of the free agency period for the Cleveland Browns in the latest WFNY BrownsCast. Joe and Taylor discussed the latest happenings surrounding the team and went over the team’s biggest needs entering free agency. The duo also talked about their top five free agency wishlists. So, take a listen so you can get ready for NFL free agency!
This is going to start out as an appreciation post for some of Cleveland’s recent catchers. The position has long been an offensive void in lineups, but the Guardians organization has done an excellent job at identifying catchers that impact the team in ways that don’t show up in the box score. Of Cleveland’s last three primary catchers (dating back to 2013) Yan Gomes was the most productive catcher from an offensive standpoint, posting a wRC+ greater than 100 in three of six seasons. Roberto Perez eclipsed the mark twice in eight seasons and Austin Hedges didn’t break 45 in his 2.5 seasons with Cleveland.
What they lacked (largely) in offensive output they more than made up for in how they handled pitching staffs, pitch framing, and pure defense behind the dish. Perez and Hedges especially developed a great rapport with the pitching staff, something that can be more valuable than counting stats. Catchers that can both impact and improve their pitchers and make a difference with the bat are unicorns in modern baseball, and often have long roads to development with plenty of time for things to go wrong. I think you know where I’m going by now.
Bo Naylor is my 4th ranked Guardians prospect, a catcher from Ontario, Canada. Naylor, 22, was Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2018, and he was the second Naylor to be drafted in the first round of the MLB draft after brother Josh was selected 12th overall by the Marlins in the 2015. Both brothers, now reunited in Cleveland, were drafted out of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Secondary School in Mississauga. Bo made a name for himself as an impactful member of the Canadian Junior National Team, and was viewed as the best high school bat in his draft class by some outlets.
Bo Naylor to the roof of Huntington Park.
He's a homer away from a 20/20 season as a catcher.
Pudge Rodriguez was the last C in MLB to have a 20/20 season. pic.twitter.com/nHsXbVVFfR
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) September 17, 2022
Despite the lengthy development times associated with catchers, and a lost season in 2021, Naylor has progressed quickly through the Guardians’ farm system, creating a prospect pedigree worthy of a first-round selection. His profile was that of an above-average offensive catcher with plenty of natural ability to develop into a starting catcher, so has Naylor lived up to those expectations?
Naylor’s professional career has been somewhat of a roller coaster through his first four seasons. After two promising seasons as a teenager in rookie ball and Lake County Naylor fell off a cliff, losing several top 100 honors along the way. Naylor played in 87 games for Double-A Akron in 2021, slashing .189/.280/.332 with 13 doubles, 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases and 37 walks (10.4%) to 112 strikeouts (31.6%). For a catcher touted as offensively gifted Naylor massively underperformed, posting a wRC+ of just 69. Losing the 2020 season almost certainly had a negative effect on Naylor, but there were other factors at play that were evident in his bounce-back 2022 season.
You thought you could go on Bo?
…still workshopping Bo Naylor caught stealing catch phrases pic.twitter.com/YCkZvTR0Y4
— Casey Drottar (@CDrottar19) October 2, 2022
Naylor split 2022 between Double and Triple-A appearing in 118 games slashing .263/.392/.496 with 26 doubles, 21 home runs, 20 stolen bases, 82 walks (16.1%) to 121 strikeouts (23.7%), and a cumulative 140 wRC+. The 2022 season was much more indicative of Naylor’s talents and highlights his unique speed and stolen base ability for catcher. Naylor was the only catcher in the minors at any level to hit 20 home runs and swipe 20 bags. For some added context a catcher posting a 20-20 season has only been accomplished twice in Major League history; first by Ivan Rodriguez in 1999 and again by JT Realmuto in 2022.
Naylor credits his 2022 turnaround to some swing mechanic adjustments focused on allowing him to get the barrel of the bat on more pitches. At 6 foot 205 pounds, Naylor is built like your typical catcher carrying most of that muscle in his lower half. On top of his surprising wheels, Naylor has above-average power and elite plate vision, and discipline skills. Even with the pitch recognition skills, Naylor can be passive at times, allowing himself to fall behind in counts and artificially inflating his strikeout numbers.
New career high in homers for Bo Naylor with 12 this year. Of course it was a 7 pitch at bat. He's been working the count all year. Was down 1-2 in the count and battled back.
He's averaging over 4 pitchers per PA this season. pic.twitter.com/kLMpQILU4u
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) August 4, 2022
Naylor produces equally healthy line drive rates (22.1% in 2022) and exit velocities, numbers that bode well for a power swing designed to lift and drive the ball, playing into his power hitter profile. As a receiver, Naylor is a raw product with plenty of work to do learning the intricacies of the position. He’s extremely athletic for his frame and position, and his strong arm help compensate for the rest of his defensive profile creating average pop times.
At some point in 2023, hopefully on opening day, Naylor will be backing up Mike Zunino in Cleveland and getting a couple of starts per week. Between shadowing Hedges down the stretch in 2022 and the club signing Zunino it’s clear the organization in continuing to pair Naylor with experienced veterans that can help mentor him behind the dish. The bat should play at the Major League level, but if he does start in Columbus — which is entirely possible just to guarantee him consistent at-bats — Naylor will need to prove the changes he made to his swing are real and can continue to be improved on.
Naylor will always be an offense-first catcher, but if he can learn enough and develop into a league-average defender behind the plate it will take some of the pressure off how good he needs to be in the batter’s box. Naylor will factor into Cleveland’s plans very soon, and as it stands right now the catcher of the future mantle is his to lose. All of the ingredients are there, and even now Naylor could provide a spark of power to the lineup while contributing to Cleveland’s aggressiveness on the base paths.
The List so Far:5. George Valera6. Tanner Bibee7. Logan Allen8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Seth goes solo to deep dive on the leap that Evan Mobley has taken in his sophomore season. After an in-depth analytics view, we examine how he stacks up against his 2021 NBA draftmates.
For those of you that are new to WFNY or new to my Wraparound pieces, I use this first little paragraph at the beginning to be a little more personal. Blame my Bill Simmons idolatry growing up, but I love being open about my life, my shortcomings, my feelings, and my insights with all of you. I know I’m far from the ideal for many, but I very much hold to the thought of “be who younger you needed”, and I very much love being the dad/older brother for those of you willing to accept me. So to finish up my point I’ll give you this: this past weekend, I ran into a girl I went to high school with. I’ve long been out of school, and next summer will be 20 years1 so I shouldn’t have been surprised when she said “I didn’t recognize you with the grays!” but it hurt a little more than I wanted it to. I’ve put on the requisite “happy weight” from marriage and “dad weight” from not letting untouched nuggets go to waste, and my beard has thicker patches of white than I was planning on, but the more I thought about it, the less hurt I felt. My girls know their dad loves them. Daddy Monster still can get around and play, and while the “magic carpet rides” aren’t as long as they might like, I can still handle them. And more than that, I have a wife who loves me, who thinks I’m handsome, and who wants me to lose weight not for looks but to be healthier and be around longer. So to the other dads and older brothers out there, accept the fact that sometimes you just aren’t gonna be your high school weight anymore. You didn’t win state and you can’t throw the ball over the mountain and embrace what you have in front of you. Be who the younger you needed. Okay, let’s get to the sports, it’s getting dusty in here.
When Keeping It Real Goes WrongCavaliers
I’m all for trash talk if you are sure of it, and so the Grant Williams/Donovan Mitchell exchange Monday night was amazing television. Let me get you caught up if you weren’t watching: the Cavs/Celts game became inexplicably close after Boston led by as much as 15 points. The game was tied at 109 a piece after a Cavs foul put Williams on the line with no time left. As in, make one and go home with a road win. Williams looks at Mitchell and the sideline cams pick up Grant saying something along the lines of “I’m gonna make both”. You can see here:
to make it worse, Grant Williams told Donovan Mitchell he’d make both.pic.twitter.com/1hvoYllDJu
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) March 7, 2023
As you can see from the tweets…Williams made neither. The game was a squeaker, something the Cavalier organization shouldn’t necessarily celebrate as a win. The team had two days’ worth of rest while Boston was coming off a two OT loss to the New York Knicks, but it was Cleveland that looked gassed. Shining spots for the wine and gold were Spida’s ability to take over the game when it mattered, something the team will likely need to see in the playoffs, and Lamar Stevens producing for a bench that is woefully lacking. The ability to come back after being down bad is admirable, but you have to ask yourself the question: why were you down in the first place?
What’s Next?: A big-time matchup with the Miami Heat in their house on Wednesday and then again in Miami on Friday. Getting at least a split would be preferable.
W2W4 in WBCGuardians
Personally, I’ve fallen out of love with the WBC, or World Baseball Classic, for those unfamiliar with the acronym. I am white bread, with no real ties to any nationality, so that inevitably hurts my affiliation with the pseudo-Olympics for baseball. But there are Guardians playing in the WBC and near-professional baseball will be viewable this weekend if you are a true believer in the tournament. Andres Gimenez will be representing his home country of Venezuela, Cal Quantrill and Bo Naylor are battery mates for Team Canada, and Richie Palacios is joining with his brother-and-Pittsburgh-Pirate Josh to play for the Netherlands.
Most if not all of the Guardians team could have probably been drafted for their respective national roster, but the vast majority stayed in camp for myriad reasons. Jose Ramirez wanted to stay home and rehab his thumb, while others wanted to stick around to vie for increased playing time or show the organization the new tricks they picked up or the weight they lost and or gained. If I was in the front office, I would have loved to have Bo Naylor stay in camp and prepare with the full staff of pitchers, but knowing that he is there with Cal and that they spent most of the offseason together helps quell my worries of him getting up to speed. Mike Zunino is the starter at catcher for most if not all of the season, and Naylor just needs to add one more pitcher to his repertoire to be ready to take over backup duties.
What’s Next?: Major League Opening Day is right around the corner, Thursday, March 30th
Sure, you could do it, but why would you want to? Browns
The Browns’ biggest news of the week was that the Deshaun Watson trade and subsequent extension might have cost their bitter rival dearly. The guaranteed money given to Watson perked up the industry’s ears as no deal had ever been made that promised that much money, let alone to whom the money was given. Players and agents had dollar signs in their eyes like a cartoon, while the owners were pissed that the Haslams broke ranks and did something that had never been done before. And like the picture of the dominos getting progressively larger, we now have Lamar Jackson entertaining offers from other teams while likely holding out from the franchise tag. But that’s not what I want to yell about today.
No, the discourse surrounding Nick Chubb is where I’d like to aim my vitriol today. Chubb is a top 2? running back based on pure talent in the NFL.2 I’ve commented on the “run Chubb more” tweets and yes, there is at times, a run-game disparity, and with word that the offense is going to go more pass-heavy, some fans and analysts debate the merits of trading Chubb to get a draft pick haul that will cover up the Watson giveaway. However, this roster is set up to be in championship mode right now, so anything that removes high-level talent from the roster is a step backward. Sure, general manager Andrew Berry knows how to plan ahead, and everything the organization has done under him has had the next 2-3 years in mind, but at some point, you have to push the chips in the middle. Watson’s deal was an example of that, and therefore you can’t play in both pools. Chubb is likely one of the 10 best Browns players ever, and No. 2 I’ve ever seen play the game. To move him for future aspirations, while Watson is on the roster, would be a huge misstep. A trade makes paper sense, but it doesn’t make it the right move for the team, it’s fans, or the organization.
What’s Next?: The new league year starts next Wednesday, the 15th. Teams will be able to negotiate deals with players on March 13th, but deals will not be signed on paper until 4:00pm EST Wednesday. Buckle up.
- Oh #%^ I’m old.
- Someone could surely make the argument there are other better ones, but I don’t care.
What started as concern surrounding what the Guardians would do with their glut of middle infield prospects has spread to the rest of the roster and the farm system. Not many teams debut 17 rookies in a single season, and even fewer find multiple contributors and depth pieces for the near future. Cleveland did little to alleviate the stress — especially the pressure on the 40-man roster — having traded just Nolan Jones, Will Benson, and Jose Fermin while hanging on to most of the farm.
The concern now spreads to the outfield. Steven Kwan finished top three in AL Rookie of the Year voting, Oscar Gonzalez defied all expectations, and the club is clearly very fond of my 16th-ranked prospect Will Brennan who slashed .314/.371/.479 and lead the farm system with 40 doubles in 2022 before being called up to the show. Similar to answering the question of what the organization plans to do up the middle after 2023 there is also the question of what do they do with George Valera?
Valera lands as my 5th ranked Guardians prospect, a left-handed hitting outfielder signed by the club in 2017 as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic. Valera, 22, was born and raised in The Bronx, New York before his family relocated to his parent’s home country when he was 13, which lead to an interesting path to professional baseball that included bribing a Cleveland academy staff member. The 2017 international free agent class has long been seen as a great crop of prospects for Cleveland, and Valera was seen as the crown jewel.
Valera joined Cleveland for a signing bonus of $1.3 million in the same free agent class that saw the Tampa Bay Rays land Wander Franco and the Los Angeles Angels sign Shohei Ohtani. It was also the same signing class that brought Jose Tena, Aaron Bracho, and Brayan Rocchio to the organization.
Valera has now played in parts of four professional seasons and lost the 2020 Minor League season to the pandemic. 2022 was his healthiest season to date, playing in a grand total of 132 games between Double and Triple-A while posting a .250/.353/.463 triple slash, 25 doubles, 24 home runs, and 74 walks (13.1%) to 145 strikeouts (25.6%). Valera’s batting average dipped from .264 in 90 games with Akron to .221 in 42 games with Columbus, but it was encouraging that he posted similar walk numbers at both levels in his first full taste of the upper minors.
Oh my god, every time I watch it, George Valera’s swing gets prettier and prettier.
And that bat flip… chef’s kiss pic.twitter.com/sPjNP0WcLb
— Gage (@GageEHC) August 22, 2021
So far in his professional career Valera has played 276 games and amassed a .248/.367/.467 batting line with 38 doubles, 52 home runs, and 174 walks (14.9%) to 297 strikeouts (25.5%). He has only posted a wRC+ worse than 103 once in his Minor League career during a six-game stint with Lake County in his age-18 season. So far it’s the walk and strikeout numbers that jump off the screen, but let’s look at Valera’s game as a whole before passing judgment.
Valera has always been viewed as a talented multi-tool player who should be an everyday player for Cleveland in the future, and as a result, he has been the club’s top outfield prospect for the past few seasons. He possesses excellent raw power, the instincts and route running of a Major League outfielder, and a strong arm. He also has plus speed which hasn’t translated to the base paths as of yet but helps solidify him as an above-average corner outfielder at the next level.
Heads Up Baseball 101:
Guardians No. 1 prospect, right-fielder George Valera, just threw a runner out after they rounded first base
pic.twitter.com/gp6HT3UiEr
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) June 24, 2022
Valera’s larger concerns are twofold. The first problem with Valera is he has been consistently eluded by baseball’s fabled sixth tool; health. He has played 218 of his 276 professional games in the past two seasons alone, which can be viewed as a positive on the surface, but he is recovering from hamate bone surgery in the offseason. The second flaw can be found in Valera’s walk and strikeout numbers. He possesses excellent plate vision and discipline, evidenced by his career 14.9% walk rate, but has still managed to strike out 25.5% of the time.
While Valera possesses an advanced ability to identify pitches and impeccable zone awareness his bat-to-ball skills are suspect at best. His inability to consistently put the barrel of the bat on the ball has led to inconsistent quality of contact, an unhealthy amount of ground balls that detract from his tantalizing raw power, and made him susceptible to higher octane fastballs, especially those up in the zone. This flaw certainly isn’t the nail in his coffin as a prospect, but it is certainly alarming. Valera is still just 22, and until recently had extremely limited playing time due to his own health and a canceled season, so there’s still hope he can make adjustments and capitalize on his sky-high ceiling.
Valera is already a member of Cleveland’s 40-man roster and entered 2023 Spring Training trying to send a message to the Major League staff that he is almost ready. Instead, he’s playing from behind the 8-ball after an awkward swing in an early Spring Training contest lead to some right wrist discomfort and some precautionary time off. Tests all came back negative so there’s a possibility we see Valera in-game action again sooner rather than later, but it’s a less-than-ideal start to what is likely a “prove it” year for him.
He’s definitely cut down his leg kick and tighten up his stance https://t.co/zUN9Uu5Eu6 pic.twitter.com/C5xpVeiamX
— Matt Milner (@33Milner) February 20, 2023
Valera will likely play all or most of 2023 with Triple-A Columbus where he will try to put concerns about his bat to bed. In the extremely limited screen time of Valera this spring it’s already obvious he’s made a few tweaks to his batting stance, standing more upright in the box with an abbreviated leg kick and slightly more closed off than he was in 2022. Whether these changes are the key to unlocking his All-Star caliber profile is to be determined, but if Valera really can make more consistent contact he will be a staple in Guardians lineups for years to come.
The List so Far:6. Tanner Bibee7. Logan Allen8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Well, the inevitable has happened, after years of back and forth between the MLB and MLBPA, the pitch clock, 18-inch bags, plus shift and pick-off restrictions have invaded baseball. The reactions have been a mixture of either defeated acceptance or downright refusal of the new reality. As I sift through the clips of pitch clock violations and the moaning and groaning of MLB fans, I’ve come to find something out that most fans might not realize: the Cleveland Guardians might have a leg up on most of the league. Actually, there might be a case that the team was one year ahead of the curve, and diving into the numbers it might be safe to project that the Guardians can continue to thrive with their style of play.
One of the points of emphasis that the league has wanted to improve was that teams have slowly drifted away from stolen bases. In 2000, the league average on stolen bases by a team was 97, in 2022 the average dropped to 83 stolen bases. One of the reasons the Guardos had success last year was their aggressiveness on the basepaths. They ranked 3rd in MLB in stolen bases with 119, with the Guardians having 5 players that stole more than 20+ bases in 2022. With the new rules in place for this season and beyond, accompanied by the 18-inch bases and limits on pick-offs, the early spring training results showed a 74% jump in stolen base attempts which if you are a guardians fan should make you giddy. The thought of the team that stole 0.73 bases a game, having the opportunity to run even more wild on the bases should be salivating. With the speed and savvy that most of the roster possess, on top of Sandy Alomar’s keen eye for detecting and creating advantages for Guardians baserunners to get great jumps everyone involved should be in line for career years in the stolen base department.
While stolen bases will probably be welcomed with open arms, the pitch clock has had a more contentious unveiling. With the pace of play being a topic for many years the pitch clock is supposed to increase the tempo while cutting out the dead time, which for some players has been a tough adjustment so far in spring training, the Guardians on the other hand are pretty well equipped when it comes to tempo. Last year the league average time between pitches according to Statcast before the pitch clock was 18.1 seconds, the Guardians as a whole were the fastest in the league on average with 16.6 seconds in between pitches. To put that into perspective, with the pitch clock set at 15 seconds for the pitcher to deliver a pitch, the Guardians won’t have to feel rushed since they are already used to pitching at a quicker tempo. Most of the pitchers on the staff have been used to these conditions with the pitch clock being instituted in Double-A & Triple-A back in 2015, so the number of times a pitch clock violation might happen this year should be pretty slim. The same can be said for the hitters; outside of Josh Bell, Jose Ramirez, and Mike Zunino, all of the Guards’ key core pieces have played with the pitch clock in some form or fashion in their pro careers before reaching the big leagues so the majority of the roster isn’t even worried about it.
Not to mention that the Guardians won’t have to worry about the shift restrictions, they were one of the teams that shifted the least in the league, and with 4 glove winners in 2022 it’s hard to argue against them. This was a group that was a top 10 in most defensive metrics, including a “Def” score (which measures defensive value relative to the league) of 18.8 according to Fangraphs, which made them the 5th best fielding team in the big leagues. The most important member of the group being the defensive savant in Myles Straw, who by himself posted a defensive fWAR of 16.3 last year! He’ll have a lot more responsibility as the new shift allowed under the new rules now moves a corner outfielder in the rover spot in the outfield.
Red Sox discover loophole in MLB shift rule when facing Joey Gallo https://t.co/lZ0fZnukLy pic.twitter.com/kZ6o4ShkPA
— New York Post (@nypost) March 5, 2023
While some teams might not be able to mask the inefficiencies that were previously available, Myles Straw’s value just got significantly higher with how much ground he’ll need to cover, and with his elite speed and instincts, he should have no problem adjusting.
Obviously, success from year to year isn’t always linear, maybe my confidence is misguided and I’m just hanging on to the fact that Cleveland was a year ahead of the trend. Maybe the league will catch up and we might not be just the trend hipsters of the baseball world while our style of play becomes mainstream. The great thing about spring training is I can be as optimistic as I want but as I laid out if anything there’s a reason to believe that last year’s formula might be able to be replicated and might be even better.
The boys were joined by Zack Meisel of The Athletic and talked for over 50 minutes about every and anything Guardians baseball.
So far in this list I’ve discussed a pair of Cleveland’s pitching prospect successes, taking pitchers with advanced pitchability and adding some velocity or tweaking delivery and mechanics to elevate an arsenal. In this case, those pitchers are my 17th-ranked prospect Joey Cantillo who now cements his arsenal of plus breaking pitches with a fastball in the mid-90s and 7th-ranked prospect Logan Allen who now sits 93 with his fastball which allows it to play up with his extension and delivery.
Not every pitcher finds this level of growth, but even then there are still outliers in the system. Now, my 6th-ranked Guardians prospect is a bit of an extreme outlier. If Cleveland were capable of improving pitchers to this degree at will they would be under investigation. Fortunately for the Guardians system this is legitimate development, and until proven otherwise we should just sit back and enjoy the show.
Tanner Bibee is the pitcher in question, a right-handed pitcher selected in the 5th round of the 2021 MLB Draft from Cal State Fullerton. Bibee, 24, was a fourth-year junior for the Titans seen as an advanced pitchability prospect out of high school, but never took the next step in college. He’s not a decorated player by any means, and his numbers were pedestrian compared to other arms in his class.
Still, that didn’t stop Cleveland from grabbing him 156th overall. As we know by now when the Guardians see something they like in a pitcher they go all in. After just one offseason Bibee joined the Guardians organization as a completely different pitcher in almost every way, and the numbers back it up.
Before Bibee’s metamorphosis, he appeared in 54 games (40 starts) for the Titans over parts of four seasons. In those games he compiled a career 16-21 record in 271 innings pitched with a 3.82 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 73 walks (6.3%) to to 236 strikeouts (20.3%). Bibee’s fastball sat 86-91, and his 6 foot 2 frame was 190 pounds in college. He got by with plus secondary stuff as his fastball velocity could fade deeper in games, but that all changed in 2022.
What I liked from another dominant Tanner Bibee start tonight:
5K's, but also induced 4 popouts because the angle on his FB makes ht hard to get on top of (also induced some on CH's)
Threw a CH for a strike in a 2-0 count
Continues to throw CBs for Ks in disadvantaged counts pic.twitter.com/zpK3HZdiJk
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) September 1, 2022
Bibee split his first professional season between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. Between both levels he started 25 games spanning 132.2 innings pitched with an 8-2 record, 2.17 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 27 walks (5.2%) to 167 strikeouts (32.4%). Among all of Cleveland’s minor league pitchers Bibee ranked second in innings pitched (132.2), second in strikeouts (167), fourth in ERA (2.17), and allowed the fifth fewest walks (27). Even more impressively Bibee was better after being promoted to Akron, posting a 1.83 ERA and 2.61 FIP in 13 starts for the Rubberducks.
Bibee’s arsenal features three Major League ready offerings. His fastball has completely transformed from college, with the velocity spiking from 86-91 to 93-97, turning it into a true power fastball. Paired with the fastball he features a changeup that sits 80-85 and a mid-80s slider, both of which Bibee is exceptionally comfortable with and commands with repeated precision. He also features a low-80s curveball that isn’t utilized as much, lacking a consistent shape, but can be thrown for strikes and to catch hitters off guard.
https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1562962177606029313?s=20
Bibee’s elite command and control paired with the now power fastball are what makes him so lethal. He has such good feel for his arsenal and is comfortable enough to throw any pitch in any count, sometimes doubling and tripling up on a single pitch. There are concerns the fastball can be prone to going over the fence if he misses in the zone, but in 2022 his HR/FB ratio dipped from 14% in Lake County to 4.8% in Akron, posting a season-long 0.82 HR/9.
Bibee’s abrupt emergence should absolutely be seen as an outlier rather than the gold standard for the Guardians system. His combination of delivery tweaks with the Guardians staff and time with Driveline Baseball in the offseason are extreme stories of success, but in Bibee’s case it’s very legitimate. He spent all offseason rebuilding himself from the ground up, coming out the other side with a serious velocity spike and 15 pounds of added muscle, weighing in at 205 pounds for the 2022 season.
Guardians 23yr old RHP prospect Tanner Bibee strikes out nine tonight over 6.0 innings of work for Akron. Bibee now leads the farm system with 167 punchouts on the year.
Line – 6.0(IP) 4H 3R 3ER 2BB 9SO
2022 – 132.2(IP) 101H 39R 32ER 27BB 167SO 2.17 ERA@IssaBibe #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/lpcBfoNiZE
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 18, 2022
Bibee is one of the fastest movers in a system notorious for progressing pitchers quickly, and there’s a legitimately terrifying rotation forming in Triple-A Columbus. I would expect Bibee to either start 2023 with the Clippers, or back in Akron with a very quick promotion in order. Not many pitchers — especially those in their first professional season — improve significantly going from High-A to Double-A, and the organization may think he doesn’t have anything left to prove with the Rubberducks. He doesn’t have to be added to the 40-man roster until December of 2024, but it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Bibee isn’t under consideration for an emergency start as soon as this season if he can repeat his success from 2022.
The List so Far:7. Logan Allen8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
The Cleveland Guardians received some attention on the national scale during the rollout of various top 100 prospects lists. Featuring some familiar names from the past few seasons and a couple of newcomers the Guardians landed between five and eight prospects from each outlet. It may surprise some of you to hear that the four most common newcomers from Cleveland’s system among top 100 lists were all pitchers.
The Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC has been on an absolute heater drafting college arms, adding velocity, and bringing out the best of their talents, but not everyone climbing the farm is a flamethrower even with an additional tick or two from college. Cleveland values command and experience above all else, and adding velocity is just an added perk to the arms in their system, but for some, it makes a world of difference.
Logan Allen (no, not that one) is my 7th-ranked Guardians prospect, and while a bump in velocity has been a good thing for the southpaw there’s much more to his game than an improved fastball. Allen, 24, was a second-round pick by Cleveland in the 2020 MLB draft from Florida International where the Panthers experimented with him as a two-way player. Allen earned several Conference USA Pitcher of the Week awards, appeared on a few awards watchlists, and owns the seventh-most strikeouts in a single season in Panthers program history (120), and the highest single-season K/9 in school history (12.9).
It only makes sense that Allen would be on the Guardians’ radar, and he made an immediate impact when he debuted for the organization in 2021. Allen appeared in 21 games (19 starts) between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron covering 111.1 innings with a 9-0 record, a 2.26 ERA, 0.925 WHIP, 26 walks (6%) to 143 strikeouts (33.2%) and not much drop off in his 12 games for Akron. It was an electrifying debut for Allen, and the momentum he built in 2021 lead to him reaching Triple-A Columbus in his second professional season.
Logan Allen picks up his first Triple-A @CLBClippers win!
The @CleGuardians' No. 7 prospect spins his first scoreless outing since June 16. pic.twitter.com/VyQa8Y59Rd
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 4, 2022
On paper 2022 was a tough year for Allen, but we’ll get into the specifics in a moment. Allen split this past year between Akron and Columbus, making 27 starts with a 9-7 record over 132.2 innings, a 4.75 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and 51 walks (9.1%) to 177 strikeouts (31.5%). Despite the spike in ERA, WHIP and his walk rates there were still encouraging signs for Allen who still posted an elite 31.5% strikeout rate (12.0 K/9) that was still 27% in his 14 starts with the Clippers. And while it can’t take the blame for everything that happened to Allen in 2022 he suffered some incredibly awful BABIP luck with opposing hitters posting a .316 BABIP in 13 games for Akron and .354 in Columbus. So what have the Guardians done with Allen and why, after a statistically subpar season, has he wound up on top 100 lists?
Allen utilizes a four-pitch mix featuring a fastball that sits 90-93 (up from 89-91 in college), a filthy split-changeup in the low-80s range, a slider that sits 77-82, and a new addition in 2022; a cutter to give Allen an additional weapon against right-handed hitters. Not only is Allen enjoying an uptick in velocity and a new pitch since joining the Guardians, he’s also changed how he attacks hitters.
A career performance for Logan Allen.
The No. 8 @CleGuardians prospect fanned a pro-best 11 across six innings for @AkronRubberDuck. pic.twitter.com/cFoWgpFsjd
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) June 17, 2022
As a softer-throwing college arm, Allen relied on the split-change as his out pitch to get whiffs and weak contact when he needed it, but Allen now uses his newfound velocity and surprising extension from his 6 foot 190-pound frame to generate whiffs up in the zone with the fastball. His follow-through carries him lower down the mound where his lower release point purely due to his height creates rising action with good backspin, helping it play up with his excellent command.
Allen will likely begin 2023 back in Columbus where his luck hopefully rebounds, but he also continues to show steady growth. He possesses two plus-pitches in the split-change and slider, and with the fastball playing above its weight class he should make a push to be an emergency option for the Guardians big league rotation should the need arise. A little extra seasoning with the Clippers to help correct the walk numbers is more than welcome since he’s progressed quickly through the system, and the strikeout numbers are real.
Allen has middle of the rotation written all over him with a good track record of health and some incredibly fun stuff. Barring injuries to the Guardians rotation I’d be shocked if he debuted before rosters expand in September, but he’ll be one of the first pitchers added to the 40-man when the time comes since they’ll have to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft next winter. In the meantime, I’ll be retweeting every video of his split-change I can find in the 2023 season, and there should be plenty of that content.
The List so Far:8. Chase DeLauter9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
I’m sure you’re sick of hearing it by now, but the Cleveland Guardians have a type. For pitchers, it’s college arms with excellent command and as much experience as possible. On the position player side, they prioritize bat-to-ball skills and contact over power. I’ll wait for the jeers.
Every now and again, a team will strike gold and find a player with the foundation they want to build around — in this instance contact skills and plate vision — who is gifted with other tools that can make a prospect star caliber. In the first round of the 2022 MLB draft, the Guardians may have found a nugget while panning for said gold. Unfortunately for Cleveland, and the fans, we’ll have to wait a while to be entertained by his talents. For the player in question it was recently announced that he re-injured a broken foot that ended his collegiate career prematurely and will miss most of the 2023 season, so I figured it would be best to cut to the chase. Phrasing.
Chase DeLauter is my 8th-ranked Guardians prospect, an outfielder from James Madison University drafted 16th overall by Cleveland in the 2022 MLB draft. DeLauter, 21, is the highest drafted player in Dukes program history, and a decorated collegiate player. Individually DeLauter’s name is all over James Madison’s single-season leaderboards, owning the highest single-season on-base percentage in program history (.576), the second-highest slugging percentage (.828) and the third-highest batting average (.437). In his three seasons with the Dukes DeLauter also earned First-Team All-CAA honors in 2021 and Second-Team All-CAA honors in 2022 before a broken foot cost him the rest of his season.
Opposite field grand slam for Chase DeLauter!
He’s 3-3 with 5 RBI and 2 SB. It’s the 2nd inning with JMU up 15-0.
pic.twitter.com/Tp9uac3cSn
— Nick Stevens (@NickStevensR) March 1, 2022
That same broken foot is what DeLauter re-aggravated that will cost him most of 2023, but the track record speaks for itself. Before the injury, there was buzz he was an option for the number one overall pick in the draft, but ultimately slid to the Guardians at 16, which may end up being a massive steal. We can debate if the level of competition in the CAA is worthy of judging a star-caliber MLB talent, but let the numbers speak for themselves.
DeLauter played 24 games in 2022 for the Dukes before the broken foot, slashing .437/.576/.828 with eight doubles, eight home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 28 walks (23.7%) to 21 strikeouts (17.8%). Seriously, what’s not to love? More walks than strikeouts, a 1.404 OPS, average, all of the pieces are there and it wasn’t just his 2022 season.
DeLauter played a total of 66 games over three seasons with James Madison, posting a .402/.520/.715 triple slash with 27 doubles, 15 home runs, 62 walks (19.2%) to 45 strikeouts (13.9%), and 24 stolen bases. Prior to struggling against Florida State in the 2022 opener DeLauter helped himself quiet some of those level of competition questions by tearing up the Cape Cod League in the summer of 2021. He appeared in 34 games for the Orleans Fire Birds slashing .298/.397/.589 with seven doubles, nine home runs, 21 walks (14.4%) to 18 strikeouts (12.3%), and five stolen bases against some premier collegiate talent.
So what makes DeLauter tick? He has legitimate five-tool upside, and at 6 foot 4 inches and 235 pounds he doesn’t have to grow into his frame. DeLauter has plus raw power that already projects 30 home runs per season. With above-average speed, good instincts and a strong arm DeLauter manned center field with ease at James Madison, but will likely translate to being an above-average defensive corner outfielder in pro ball.
With the #8 pick in our 2022 Mock Draft …
𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒕’𝒔 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆: He can hit. He has power … Chase DeLauter performed well on the Cape. He's playing center field right now at JMU but I see him moving to a corner in the big leagues.https://t.co/UK1cOtXiFP pic.twitter.com/E9MCVwSlMm
— Baseball America (@BaseballAmerica) February 11, 2022
There are some concerns DeLauter’s swing mechanics make him susceptible to higher velocity up in the zone, but little concern they can’t be fixed. Cleveland, especially in recent seasons, has done an excellent job in the minors with implementing mechanical changes to help players maximize their talents, and DeLauter shouldn’t be any different once he’s healthy.
It’s incredibly unfortunate that DeLauter will miss most of 2023, but he’s still young and the talent is evident. Barring any setbacks in his recovery and rehab I expect him to get his first taste of professional ball likely with Low-A Lynchburg late in the season. He’ll have to shake off some rust, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he tore up the competition in the Carolina League before showing up at Spring Training for 2024.
I didn’t move DeLauter from 8th on my list despite the injury update, I truly believe he’s an elite talent, but it’s hard to levy expectations on a player that I’m just hoping doesn’t suffer any setbacks. I look forward to seeing video of DeLauter swinging off a tee in the not-so-distant future and will patiently await his Guardians organization debut.
The List so Far:9. Angel Martinez10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
I am extremely excited to finally be breaking into the single digits of my top 30 Guardians prospects. With every major outlet already publishing their top 100 lists many of the names remaining on my list have already been talked about to a certain degree on the national scale. Of my remaining nine players, six have a legitimate chance to contribute for the Major League team in 2023, either based purely on talent or being the logical replacement should any injuries occur. Every player left also made at least one outlet’s or writer’s top 100 list, or whatever arbitrary number some writers use.
Cleveland’s farm is considered one of the best in baseball and it’s viewed that way by many a writer, so I’m glad to have my opportunity to talk about these players myself. Sure, I’m a relentless optimist and view things through midnight blue and red-tinted lenses, but when there’s excitement for one of Cleveland’s players on the national stage I tend to double down. So without further ado let’s continue the countdown.
My 9th-ranked Cleveland Guardians prospect is Angel Martinez, a middle infielder Cleveland signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. Martinez, 21, signed for a bonus of $500,000 and is the son of former Major League catcher Sandy Martinez who happened to play one game for the Indians in 2004. Martinez is the fourth member of the top 30 to have joined the Guardians as an international free agent so far, a healthy sign for the organization.
SS Angel Martinez: 2-4, HR, RBI
Martinez's single in the first was really impressive because he was having a tough AB, then his HR, he didn't look like he got all of it. The 20 year old switch hitter has an .856 OPS at High-A. pic.twitter.com/rSJVSqivWv
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) July 5, 2022
Martinez is entering his fifth season with Cleveland, and his fourth playing live games having been a victim of the canceled 2020 Minor League season. He struggled some as a 19-year-old in Low-A returning to baseball in 2021 but has been as consistent as they come for prospects, showing steady growth each season.
2022 was no different for Martinez when it came to showing progress. During his age-20 season, Martinez appeared in 101 games between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron, slashing .278/.378/.471 with 23 doubles, 13 home runs, 12 stolen bases, and 52 walks (12%) to 76 strikeouts (17.5%). He mustered a 139 wRC+ in 77 games for the Captains and a 120 wRC+ in 24 games with the Rubberducks.
Truly special at bat from Angel Martinez.
11 pitch at bat turns and wins by hitting his 7th homer of the year.
.871 OPS for the 20 year old switch hitting SS/2B at High-A this year. pic.twitter.com/Uwyqgk6Fs4
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) July 8, 2022
Martinez has played 254 games so far in his professional career posting a .270/.361/.451 triple slash with 53 doubles, 17 triples, 21 home runs, and 124 walks (11.1%) to 193 strikeouts (17.3%). On top of that he has managed to swipe 36 bases — though he’s been caught stealing 18 times — and has only posted a wRC+ below 120 once while never posting a walk rate below 10%.
There’s a lot to be excited about with Martinez, and he’s a match made in heaven for Cleveland’s current position player philosophy. He has an advanced approach for his age that results in not only a lot of balls in play, but paired with strong bat-to-ball skills he fouls off plenty of pitches to extend at-bats and frustrate opposing pitchers. He’s a switch hitter with some budding pull-side power from the left-handed batter’s box, and some fairly easy gap double power due to his high contact makeup. Not to mention at 6 foot 165 pounds there’s still some projectable power to be found.
Keep an eye on Angel Martínez, @CleGuardians fans! #CLESpring pic.twitter.com/C2PsTnOrDV
— Bally Sports Cleveland (@BallySportsCLE) February 26, 2023
Defensively Martinez boasts a high baseball IQ, excellent twitch, and a strong arm which allow him to play second base, shortstop, and third base with relative ease. He has above-average speed grades from several outlets, but it has yet to translate consistently to the base paths. There isn’t any Death Star thermal exhaust port style fatal flaw in Martinez’s profile, representing a safe, high-floor player, but how much power he develops without sacrificing too much of his contact rates and healthy walk numbers will decide how high his ceiling is.
I expect Martinez to pick up in 2023 where he left off playing up the middle in Akron, but could be in line for a quick promotion to Triple-A if he continues to show the same steady growth he has each season prior. Any struggles from Jose Tena or a Brayan Rocchio promotion may help to speed up that process. I also expect Martinez to start making some noise as a candidate for updated top 100 lists as players graduate over the course of 2023. His lone appearance in the preseason rankings was landing 57th on FanGraphs’ ZiPS top 100.
Martinez’s already safe, high floor make him an option as a bench or utility player already, but some added power to his already strong profile would cement him as a contender for an everyday role. He has, in my opinion, as good a chance as any of the middle infield prospects to break through to the other side of the logjam at the top of the farm system. I’ll be watching to see if the power he showed in 2022 was more than a fluke, but will be the least shocked person when he hits .275 and walks over 11% of the time in 2023. That’s just the kind of prospect Martinez is.
The List so Far:10. Cody Morris11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
It’s a busy time of year for baseball with Spring Training games starting this week and battles for roster spots about to begin. Beyond that, it’s also prime projection season, with outlets like FanGraphs and Baseball America releasing their WAR projections and more for the 2023 season. Projection systems provide a very valuable source of talking points for people like myself, they spark endless debates that can rile up fanbases and writers alike, but the computers aren’t without their flaws.
Cleveland outperformed every possible projection in 2022 with 17 rookies en route to the AL Central Division title, so the question becomes “can they do it again?” The Guardians signed first baseman Josh Bell as their big free agent play to improve on their 92 wins a season ago. The pitching is back and healthy to start 2023, but beyond that, there isn’t enough data to really support that 2022 was much more than a fluke for Cleveland. So can they improve from within?
As we enter the top 10 prospects of Cleveland’s farm system there are multiple players that can make an impact in the club in 2023 and beyond, including my 10th-ranked prospect right-handed pitcher Cody Morris. Morris, 26, was a 7th-round pick by the Guardians out of South Carolina in the 2018 MLB draft. He honored his commitment to the Gamecocks after being drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in 2015 but elected not to sign. Morris was a two-year starter for South Carolina, making 26 starts in total, the majority of which came in a much healthier sophomore season. While not a very decorated college pitcher Morris proved extremely effective while on the mound posting a career 3.52 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 122.2 innings pitched in college.
Morris brought that effectiveness to Cleveland and has refined it even further with limited live reps. Morris entered Spring Training in 2022 as the favorite to be the club’s swingman and emergency starter out of camp. He suffered a shoulder strain in Spring that forced him to spend most of 2022 rehabbing, but he was a force to be reckoned with when he returned. Morris appeared in nine games (six starts) between the Complex League and Triple-A while rehabbing last season. Over 21.1 innings pitched in those games Morris registered a 1.69 ERA and just six walks (7.5%) to 39 strikeouts (48.8%). Meaning that, feasibly, you could flip a coin in the dugout before going to face Cody Morris and get a decent idea of whether or not you were going to strike out, if heads meant K and tails meant anything else.
Cody Morris had his full arsenal on display in his three inning outing for Columbus tonight. Even picked up the save.
3IP, BB, 7K (46P-31K)
FB was 90-95 t97, saw the slider/cutter hybrid, a few CBs (sparingly, shockingly, but good) and the CH. Hard to say which one was best. pic.twitter.com/58Zdg8tpsZ— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) August 10, 2022
He didn’t miss a step when he was eventually called up to make his Major League debut once his rehab assignment was completed. Morris appeared in seven games (five starts) for the Guardians spanning 23.2 innings pitched with an ERA of 2.28, 12 walks (12%) to 23 strikeouts (23%), and a 4.34 FIP. While sample sizes were small there were some encouraging numbers. In his seven games, Morris generated a SwStr% of 13.9%, a number that would have ranked seventh among qualified pitchers, one spot ahead of Shane Bieber’s 13.8%.
Morris utilizes a fastball that sits 93-96, an upper 70s curveball, a low 80s changeup and the slider/cutter hybrid the Guardians have been teaching to multiple pitchers in their system. Stuff isn’t a problem for Morris, but the fastball and changeup are far and away his best weapons, posing consistent problems to opposing hitters. The cutter/slider offering appears to be a new-ish offering from Morris but could be an additional weapon against righties, though the changeup brings the whole arsenal together.
Cody Morris fans 3 over 2 scoreless frames for the @CleGuardians! pic.twitter.com/AzWDESFF6y
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 17, 2022
Morris possesses well above-average stuff and he’s flashed it since his college days. While the arsenal has served him well and he has shown exceptional command, Morris has been seriously lacking in the fabled sixth tool of any baseball player; health. The best ability is availability after all, but Morris has yet to throw more than 90 innings in a single season as a professional. Despite that, he’s worked his way to his professional debut and will be competing for the final bullpen spot out of Spring Training.
It’s already been reported that Morris is playing from behind with a lat injury, but he’s not expected to be shut down or miss significant time as of yet. Ideally, Morris can work his way into some live game action in the back half of the exhibition slate and can earn the swingman/sixth starter role while working up to a starter’s workload a la 2021 Cal Quantrill. Morris absolutely has the talent to be a short-term improvement over Zach Plesac in the Guardians rotation, but hasn’t proven he can stay on the mound yet. In a perfect world, Morris somehow manages to approach 100 innings in 2023 where he can make his impact felt.
At worst he’s a better option as an emergency starter than the likes of Konnor Pilkington or Hunter Gaddis when healthy, but the injury issues may ultimately have him replaced by other pitching prospects pushing their way towards the majors. Raw talent alone is enough for me to rank him top 10, and if he can stay upright for an extended period of time the rest of the league will be on notice.
The List so Far:11. Justin Campbell12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
It’s officially that time of year again when the footballs are all put away1 and the baseball mitts start coming out. The Guardians start Spring Training baseball against Will Benson’s new team and the intrastate rival Cincinnati Reds this Saturday the 25th with the regular season commencing almost a month later in Seattle. In preparation for the start of the new year, I wanted to do something a little different than the tired worn out “W2W4” posts, and thusly “Things We Know, Things We Don’t” was born. Some of the things we know will change, and some of the things we don’t will move up the listing to “known” status, but allow the passing of time to age us all evenly, even my takes as they are listed below.
Thing we knowThe starting nine is pretty much ready to go
There are seemingly no position battles for starting gigs in this year’s Spring Training. Josh Bell was signed to take over first base and absolve all of us from having to watch Owen Miller attempt to do baseball things. Andres Gimenez and Amed Rosario are back again as the double-play combo. However, the steady footsteps coming from behind being heard by Rosario should get louder as Brayan Rocchio is in line to play his first full season in Triple-A Columbus. Obviously, Jose Ramirez, JRam, The Goat, my good time boy will be back at third after having surgery in the offseason to fix his broken thumb, a thumb that was likely broken in June and prevented Jose from going full Nuclear Man in the second half. As such, there is not much playing time for utility guys like Tyler Freeman and Gabriel Arias.
The outfield seems similarly locked in as well: Gold Glover and the reigning third-place champion of the Rookie of the Year Steven Kwan in left, Myles Straw and his rehabilitating bat in center field, and Oscar “Sponge Bob” Gonzalez in right field. While it’s a far cry from the big bomber squads of the past, the bats in the Guardians’ grass stand to be decent. Time will tell is OG is gonna pumpkin or not2 or if last year was the beginning of the end of Straw’s downfall offensively, but for Opening Day, you can probably write in the position guys already.
That includes the catcher position too, believe it or not. As much noise as we heard about Bo Naylor at the end of the year, and it was all warranted, all signs point to him starting out in Columbus. Ma Naylor’s second son not being on the Opening Day roster is a letdown, but not the end of the world, as he will undoubtedly be up by midseason to caddy for free agent signee Mike Zunino.
Thing we don’tThe bench seems to be in flux
Conversely to the starting lineup, the makeup of the backups seems to be ready for a little shakeup.3 We can reasonably assume that Josh Naylor will get the majority of the starts at designated hitter, but how much will he be in right field this year? What does that do to OG, do they flip-flop, or will someone like Jose Ramirez get DH and Gabe Arias fills in at third? It’s been reported that Freeman as well as Arias have been tossed into the outfield rotation, at least to start out Spring Training, but how much will they actually play out there? With the infield as it stands, JRam, Rosario, and Gimenez don’t take many days off, so getting those two youngsters that have little more to prove in the minors some work seems to be the idea, but are they then supplanting Gonzalez? Straw? Kwan?!4
The outfield, even without Freeman and Arias, is still in flux for the backups as well. It got a little less murky when the front office dealt away Nolan Jones and Will Benson, but Will Brennan seems to be the natural 4th outfielder, and possibly supplanter to Straw if the bat fails. Brennan can’t match up with Straw’s elite-elite defense, but as Keith Law has written, he can be a “plus defender who isn’t swinging a wet newspaper”. Brennan is as much of a lock to make the roster as anyone, but how much he will play remains to be seen, and that’s without tabulating George Valera who very much has a chance to make the Opening Day roster and could/should/will be in the bigs sometime this year.
An aside on Straw: I said and wrote last year, I think Straw’s struggles last season were injured-related, as seemingly every batted ball was going the opposite way like he wasn’t able to square up and pull. The stats prove it out a bit: his Soft% was up from last season, and his Pull% was the lowest since 2019. Straw is not a power hitter, that much is obvious, but he is at his best when he’s able to shoot the gaps and use his speed to create extra bases, whether it be legging out doubles that slower players wouldn’t dream of or creating havoc on the basepaths. A return to form and supposed health would be a boon to the bottom portion of the lineup.
Thing we knowThe bigger bases will be getting a workout
Only two teams stole more bases than Cleveland last year, and surely this year they will look to take the title, as the increased bases look like extra large pizza boxes out there, comparatively. With the contact that Cleveland makes and the frequency with which they get on base, they use those margins to squeak out the extra base by going first to third as often as possible and on the basepaths sliding into second. Everyone will be motoring this year, but few teams have had as much practice as Cleveland has had in stealing. The team had five players steal 18 or more bases last year, and the struggling Straw led the team with 21(!); imagine how many he might snag if his bat is as strong as the pasta that broke Terry Francona’s tooth.
- Unless you are watching the XFL and Josh Gordon, which if that’s the case, please find some help.
- A verb I created and am gonna get trademarked.
- That sounded like a rap lyric.
- Read that as though I was Captain Kirk and Spock just died, but replace “Khan” of “Kwan!!!”
Baseball is officially back! Meaningful news is starting to hit feeds everywhere, videos of players taking live reps abound on Twitter and live games begin on Friday. There’s plenty of intrigue up and down the list of 58 players attending Spring Training for the Guardians, so naturally, it’s time to talk about a player who isn’t at Spring Training. It’s been a long offseason, I still have my patented knack for timing.
It is fitting, however, that the college baseball season started within the week. Some heavyweight matchups and projected high picks in this year’s draft are already making an impact. Not to mention the first no-hitter of the season has been thrown already. It was a combined effort by the Oklahoma State pitching staff, but it’s relevant to us because the last Cowboy to throw a no-no is now a Cleveland Guardian.
Right-handed pitcher Justin Campbell is my 11th-ranked Guardians prospect selected by Cleveland in the first round of the 2022 MLB draft. Campbell, 22, was a three-year starter at Oklahoma State, cracking the rotation as a freshman before COVID ultimately ended his first collegiate season early. While not being a very decorated college arm Campbell made up for it with some fairly gaudy counting stats, and a no-hitter against Kansas as a sophomore, the last by the Cowboys before Tuesday night.
Justin Campbell with a NO-HITTER! pic.twitter.com/QQMSqVf7BK
— College Baseball Hub (@CollegeBSBHub) May 8, 2021
Campbell ended his time at Oklahoma State by appearing in 17 games for the Cowboys (16 starts) in 2022. He compiled a 9-2 record over 101.1 innings pitched to go with a 3.82 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 25 walks (6.2%) to 141 strikeouts (34.7%). He had some issues with the long ball in 2022, surrendering 15 home runs in those 17 games, but allowed just 20 total homers in his three seasons.
Over the course of his collegiate career, Campbell tallied a 17-6 record in 35 games (33 starts) that spanned 205.2 innings with an ERA of 3.37, a 1.10 WHIP, and 58 walks (6.9%) to 265 strikeouts (31.6%). In 2021 Campbell became just the 15th pitcher in Cowboys’ program history to eclipse 100 strikeouts in a season when he logged 102 as a sophomore, then did it again with 142 as a junior. The command and impressive strikeout numbers set Campbell apart on paper, but there’s much more to him than just his college numbers.
Campbell is an imposing 6 foot 7 and weighs 219 pounds. The height is especially daunting when he’s on the mound, and then you have to worry about his stuff. Despite his size, Campbell has good control of his body and manages to consistently repeat his delivery. He has a four-pitch arsenal that includes a fastball that sits 91-95 and can reach 97, a curveball that sits in the upper-70s, a low-to-mid 80s slider and a low 80s changeup. With Campbell’s height and extension, the fastball plays exceptionally well up in the zone with plenty of ride but is still susceptible to being hammered if he misses over the plate.
Entering first weekend of conference, SO RHP Justin Campbell @juhjuh162710 leads the Big 12 w/ 49 K's to just 9 BB's
2-1 2.15 ERA
Fastball .156 AVG | 36% WHIFF | 2415 AVG RPM
Curveball 30% WHIFF
Slider .125 | 44% WHIFF
Changeup .083 | 50% WHIFFElite Stuff #OurStandard pic.twitter.com/0rzxG6TQ8O
— Colton Lovelace (@colton_lovelac) March 21, 2022
The curveball and changeup are equally good weapons with high spin that can have the bottom fall out easily on hitters. The curve has flashed as a plus offering with deep 12-6 shape and drop, and the changeup already plays well off the fastball. The slider needs some work, but in an organization like Cleveland’s that has been teaching everyone and their sister a cutter/slider hybrid pitch there shouldn’t be much concern that Campbell could develop it further.
Campbell already had a high floor coming out of college before the Guardians got their hands on him. Cleveland has a reputation for making good pitchers great, and great ones elite. It’s too soon to say Campbell is in the “great” tier entering pro ball, but he already has a lot of positives going for him before his first full season with the player development staff. Refining his mechanics, maybe adding a tick of velocity, and establishing the slider as a consistent offering may be a simpler process due to the foundation already in place.
Much like the 2021 draft class of pitchers, I expect Campbell to progress through the system quickly from his likely starting point in Low-A Lynchburg. The area of concern will be hoping the long ball issues from 2022 don’t come with him to affiliate ball and the BB/K ratio carrying over from college. No, I don’t expect him to strike out nearly 35% of batters he faces, but he has the tools to still rack them up and not walk too many. Campbell’s name may very well end up in the discussion of Cleveland’s top pitching prospects by the end of the season, but for now, I’ll be excited to see him get started.
The List so Far:12. Jose Tena13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
If you’ve been following along in this series — or read anything else I’ve ever written — it’s no secret I’m an eternal optimist when it comes to the Cleveland Guardians. Regarding prospects, it’s always great to talk about ceilings and what players could be at their best, so I try not to gloss over flaws or inefficiencies too much. Now, that doesn’t mean I’m not pragmatic. I can still recognize those flaws and even issues within the organization.
For instance, the Guardians did very little this offseason to address the glut of middle infield prospects on the 40-man roster and pushing their way to the upper minors. Cleveland traded Jose Fermin to the St Louis Cardinals for cash but added Juan Brito to the 40-man after dealing Nolan Jones to Colorado. This logjam very well could catch up to the team and could engulf several prospects towards the top third of my list, including my 12th-ranked Guardians prospect Jose Tena.
Tena, 21, signed with the Guardians in 2017 out of the Dominican Republic. A left-handed hitting shortstop standing in at 5 foot 11 and 190 pounds, Tena signed with the club in the same international free agent class as Aaron Bracho, George Valera and Brayan Rocchio, a class well-regarded as one of Cleveland’s best crops in recent years. Although Bracho and Valera were seen as the big acquisitions of that class Tena and the others have made a name for themselves by working their way up the farm system.
Tena began his professional career in 2018 playing rookie ball for Cleveland, and despite losing the 2020 Minor League season he progressed quickly in 2021 and 2022. In 2021 he played 107 games at High-A Lake County with a .281/.331/.467 triple slash, 25 doubles, 16 home runs, 10 stolen bases, and 27 walks (6%) to 117 strikeouts (26.2%). Coming out of a lost season his efforts didn’t go unnoticed, starting in 2022 with Double-A Akron and working his way to Triple-A for a five-game cup of coffee.
Brayan Rocchio and Jose Tena with some late inning defense to keep Akron and Bowie tied 1-1 in extra innings. pic.twitter.com/emH4ouWEMT
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) August 13, 2022
Tena played a total of 132 games in 2022 slashing .267/.306/.419 with 27 doubles, 14 home runs, eight stolen bases and 29 walks (5.1%) to 142 strikeouts (24.8%). The walk and strikeout rates aren’t ideal, especially when you consider Cleveland’s blueprint includes players who excel at getting on base, but Tena has been young for his level the last two seasons and there may be time to work out the kinks. For now, let’s talk about what makes Tena tick and if those issues can be ironed out or not.
Tena has a surprising amount of pop for a smaller guy, resulting in 90 extra base hits in the past two seasons combined, and reportedly hits the ball hard in the minors. There are conflicting opinions on how to grade his bat. On one hand you have a shortstop capable hitting for average or above average power and a swing designed to lift the ball. On the other you have a player who despite the swing design somehow hits the ball on the ground nearly 50% of the time and is over-aggressive at the plate, chasing almost anything thrown away from him.
Jose Tena with his first @TripleABaseball home run! pic.twitter.com/BxdEVcnnDa
— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) September 26, 2022
The bat-to-ball skills and quality of contact aren’t too concerning when Tena gets his pitch, the issue is his patience in forcing the pitcher to throw him something he can do some damage to. It’s likely the walk rate won’t ever be elite, but it’s possible the team can help him to stop swinging at junk. Defensively he’s an athletic middle infielder with the arm to handle shortstop or second base, though less flashy than Gabriel Arias preceding him in my top 30.
Tena will likely start 2023 playing up the middle for Columbus, but unless he makes some progress with his over-aggressiveness he will start to lag behind other middle infielders still in the system. If you’re in to conspiracy theories there may be something to the club trading Fermin and keeping Tena, and even though a year older Fermin was closer in profile to what the Guardians have become known for. It’s clear the club sees something they like and believe they can draw out the best of Tena, and given how the club needs some power his bat could be a real boost to the Major League lineup if they can figure it out. He’ll turn 22 early in the season so there’s no rush on getting there, but he has to show some growth to stay in contention as an option in 2023 and beyond.
The List so Far:13. Xzavion Curry14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Not only do the Cleveland Guardians excel at identifying and developing pitching, but they also do it exceptionally quickly. Home-grown starters Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and Aaron Civale all made it to the majors during their third professional season, Triston McKenzie made it during his fourth, and recent debutee Hunter Gaddis managed during his third season as well. It’s certainly a major boon of a system that focuses on experienced collegiate arms who command well so that maximizing potential is limited to specific development.
It’s been especially prevalent the past two seasons following the Covid-cancelled 2020 Minor League season, with 2019-2021 draftees climbing the ranks quickly, often multiple levels in a season. For those drafted in 2019 and 202,0 it’s especially impressive, with limited college baseball played in 2020 and no Minor League season some players were thrown to the wolves after a year off, and my 13th-ranked Guardians prospect came out swinging.
Xzavion Curry enters the fray as my 13th-ranked Guardians prospect, a right-handed pitcher selected in the 7th round of the 2019 draft by Cleveland out of Georgia Tech. Curry dabbled as a shortstop for the Yellow Jackets, and though he wasn’t the most decorated player he collected a handful of ACC Pitcher of the Week honor and was the first true Freshman to start on opening day for Georgia Tech since 1995. Since Cleveland prefers not to have prospects make their professional debuts the season they’re drafted Curry’s debut had to wait until 2021, but he did not disappoint.
Curry started 19 games during his debut season ranging from Low-A Lynchburg to Double-A Akron. Over 97.2 innings pitched he amassed an 8-1 record with a 2.30 ERA, 0.891 WHIP, and just 16 walks (4.2%) to 123 strikeouts (32%). He dominated both levels of A-ball as a 22-year-old before getting a cup of coffee in Akron, but would start 2022 right back with the Rubberducks. Curry ultimately made his Major League debut for Cleveland in 2022, logging two starts later in the season, but appeared in 25 games (21 starts) for Double-A and Triple-A before getting the call.
Curry pitched 122 innings across both levels going 9-4 with a 4.06 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 42 walks (8.2%) to 134 strikeouts (26.2%). He regressed a little in 2022, seeing his walk rate double and the strikeout rate dip slightly. Specifically, Curry’s control dipped in 2022, exacerbating his penchant for the long ball and not having overpowering stuff to help him out of jams. He struggled in his two Major League starts, allowing six walks to just three strikeouts and allowing seven runs in 9.1 innings pitched.
RHP Xzavion Curry (SP, Akron): 5IP, 2H, ER, BB, 8K
Nice bounce back outing for Curry after a tough one last week. He fanned eight, mostly with his fastball, in the zone and above it and was up to 95. Very good life and competitive fastballs in the zone. pic.twitter.com/IMPPZH9BgK
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) May 5, 2022
Curry, 24, uses a four-pitch mix, featuring a fastball that sits 90-93, a low-70s curveball, low-to-mid-80s slider and a fringy changeup. Standing at 6 feet tall Curry uses an extremely overtop release point which helps create some rise and deception on his low-90s fastball playing above its velocity up in the zone, and pairs well with the curveball that has a true 12-6 shape with his release point. They are undoubtedly his best two offerings and play well off each other, but the slider and changeup aren’t exceptional which can make Curry’s life hard if he isn’t on any given start.
Curry is a true command-over-stuff pitcher, relying more on locating than getting chases. This is the primary contributor to Curry’s long ball problem. He doesn’t have the stuff to consistently miss bats, and if he doesn’t have his best command any given day then mistakes over the plate are often fatal. It doesn’t help that he’s never had a ground ball rate over 40% at any level, but it’s not impossible for him to still be successful in the Majors. See; Aaron Civale and Josh Tomlin.
Xzavion Curry took a no-hitter into the 6th inning tonight for Columbus. 4BB, got away with a few middle-middle FBs and a hanging slider that could have been homers, but hooked foul.
Definitely surprised by the 4 BB by Curry. But had plenty of ride on the FB (90-94 t95) to get Ks pic.twitter.com/51Uj5qSISk— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) August 10, 2022
Entering his age-25 season I don’t expect Curry to add any velocity, but I do expect some positive regression for his command. It was imperative that Curry progress quickly through the system since he was playing from behind from the start, but it doesn’t make it any less impressive that he made it to Cleveland in 2022. He will likely begin the season with Triple-A Columbus, but as a member of the 40-man roster he will be available for double headers and emergency starts as needed until someone else takes that role away from him.
2023 won’t be a make-it-or-break-it season for Curry by any standards, but he is in danger of lagging behind the rest of the system. That isn’t Curry’s fault, Cleveland has drafted some seemingly elite talent at pitcher in recent seasons and they’re all progressing through the minors quickly. Despite being drafted in 2019, 2023 will be just Curry’s third season logging professional games so there’s still time and hope that Curry can maximize his command and reach his potential as a back-end starter.
The List so Far:14. Gabriel Arias15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Seth goes solo to discuss the state of the team at the All-Star Break, the remaining schedule, and Kevin Love’s reported buyout from the team.
Okay, so I have a big huge bone to pick with someone, and I don’t know who it is, so you all have to hear my rant.1 I use this space to tell you about some of the random things in my brain so you are gonna hear my biggest bugaboo recently. My youngest has been sick for a few days, with a fever that she couldn’t seem to kick, and a fairly high one at that, so I knew it wasn’t molars or the on-again-off-again-we-were-on-a-break of the warm weather we’ve been having in Northeast Ohio. Her pediatrician prescribed her amoxicillin, which has been great, but the dosage is 7.5mL. The yellow dropper we have from the kids Tylenol is only 5mL, and the one the pharmacy gave me was only 3mL. So now, three times a day I gotta go in, double-barreled gunslinger-esque,2 with nearly two full droppers of bright pink bubble gum medicine whilst trying to pin down my target who considers any and all of this poison and an assassination attempt. Why not just make a huge dropper? Surely, I can’t be the first and only person to run into this issue. Anyway, thank you for today’s WFNY Parent Corner, yet another thing I definitely stole from Bill Simmons. Let’s get to today’s Wraparound.
A Bad 18-Point Win? YerpCavaliers
It’s truly a different level when blowout victories become things like “lessons” and “teachable moments”, but we were there Monday for Cleveland’s 117-109 drubbing of the San Antonio Spurs. It reminded me of a time when I was growing up when our family cat, this big massive orange tabby named Mr. Bojangles, brought a grinny to the front door.3 Mr. B was not as skilled a huntsman as our female cat Pumpkin, so his “prizes” were special. Which made sense cuz when he dropped it out of his mouth and onto the concrete of the front steps, the thing lay there for a few moments, then took off running, the cat after it in some primordial sense of “hey get back here”. Mr. Bojangles didn’t kill the grinny, he just delivered it. Monday’s win did not feel earned, it felt delivered.
There were a few minutes of game time Monday, early in the fourth quarter, where the Spurs were within four points of the Cavs. It was the closest the Spurs would be in the game, and the first time they were within four since 8:22 in the first quarter. This was a game the Cavs dominated throughout, yet it felt oddly cold by the time we got to enjoy the finished product, the same way your fries might taste when the DoorDash guy picks up your Steak N Shake and chills out at Sheetz for 20 minutes before finishing the order.4 If you’re going to dominate, dominate. Stop playing with your food and eat. Of course, the Cavs are on a now seven-game winning streak, with a big national matchup at 8pm tonight against the Philadelphia 76ers, so there might have been some hang back in their game, but make sure you finish the job and don’t leave the fans cold.
Whats Next?: Duh, I just told you – national game against the Sixers tonight on ESPN. Get your popcorn ready! If Joel Embiid sits, expect Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley to eat tonight.
That Sound Chefs kissGuardians
I’m of course referencing the sound of the bat to ball, the loaded “pop” of a well-placed barrel on a hung curve. That, and the unseasonably warm weather that climate change has dropped onto our doorstep in mid-February5 has me feeling like it’s July. But it’s also a sign that pitchers and catcher have reported to their spring training destinations, and baseball will soon be underway. Baseball is a sport I could wax poetically on like a TikTok thirst trap, but I’ll let this sound help you get in the mood with me.
Josh Bell in the cage pic.twitter.com/DeAVjgkFWz
— Mandy Bell (@MandyBell02) February 14, 2023
It truly helps that MLB.com’s Mandy Bell got Josh Bell blasting off shots in batting practice as he was the biggest catch of the offseason for Cleveland. Do not expect much spring movement for the Guardians going forward. There will be a few cuts, and there will be some names sent down that might surprise you, but mostly the roster will be what it is currently. As much as we might want a Bryan Reynolds, and god wouldn’t we love that for Cleveland, big trades just aren’t made this late in the offseason. And that’s fine! Cleveland is poised to run it back and their competition in the AL Central is floundering. I’m sure we will have more Guardians stuff here on Waiting For Next Year coming this season as we get closer.
What’s Next?: Technically, the pitchers and players don’t even have to report yet, that’s the 17th and 21st, respectively, but intrasquad games should start soon after those dates.
- Truly, you can skip to the big black bold letters if you don’t wanna hear a dad rant.
- And I did not take the dual-wielding feat.
- A grinny, for those not familiar with the near-Appalachian language of some Northeast Ohioians, is a chipmunk. I don’t know why there is a different word for it, there just is.
- Hi, Dave!
- 70 today! I had to put on deodorant!
The Cleveland Guardians have grown some impressive trade trees in my lifetime, and paired with the organization’s ability to consistently identify talent it’s long been a way for the club to recover quickly from trading big names. For instance, the Bartolo Colon trade tree stemming from 2002 and can be traced all the way back to Andres Gimenez and includes the likes of Trevor Bauer, Bryan Shaw, Brandon Phillips, and Carlos Carrasco. It’s been a hallmark of the Guardians organization to getting back to contention quickly, even though they still home-grow a majority of their contributors.
My number 14 prospect is the last member of my top 30 the Guardians didn’t draft or sign as an international free agent, and it’s a trade tree as one-sided as they come in Cleveland’s favor. In 2014 Cleveland traded relief pitcher Vinnie Pestano to the Los Angeles Angels for Mike Clevinger, who Cleveland flipped to the San Diego Padres in 2020 for package of six players, including current roster fixtures Josh Naylor and Cal Quantrill, my 17th-ranked Guardians prospect Joey Cantillo, and our focus today; infielder prospect Gabriel Arias.
Gabriel Arias earned his first Big League homer. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/9wLPj7zthS
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 28, 2022
The Padres signed Arias as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2016, and spent three seasons in San Diego’s low minors before joining Cleveland during the pandemic-cancelled 2020 Minor League season. He spent much of that year training at the team’s alternate site with other top prospects on Cleveland’s emergency player list, and something caught coaches’ eyes. When Minor League baseball returned in 2021 Arias reported to Triple-A Columbus as 21-year-old, skipping Double-A altogether. He fared well, slashing .284/.348/.454 over 115 games for the Clippers while one of the youngest players at the level.
Arias regressed somewhat in 2022, but ultimately made his Major League debut and spent two small stints with the Guardians. In 77 games for the Clippers this past season he slashed .240/.310/.406 with nine doubles, 13 home runs, 25 walks (7.7%), 78 strikeouts (24.1%) and an 89 wRC+. Some unfortunate injury luck is partially to blame for Arias’ disappointing 2022 campaign, but much of the issue still lies with the fatal flaw in his profile.
Pretty nice throw here from Bo Naylor to stop a runner that looked like he was bluffing a steal to second.
But the best throw comes from Gabriel Arias to first. Would like to know how hard he threw this. It looked like a rope. pic.twitter.com/ncdzCpAFT5
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) July 13, 2022
Arias has three legitimate tools. He has a cannon for an arm, he can field any position on the infield with decisive lateral movement and a quick twitch, and he can hit for power. However Arias’ bat is what prevents him from being in serious consideration as an every day player. A combination of an over-aggressive approach at the plate the subpar bat-to-ball skills significantly limit what his ceiling could be. Despite putting up good exit velocities in the minors Arias’ aggressiveness has lead to a career strikeout rate of 26% in the minors, and his inability to consistently make good contact has generated a career 48.7% ground ball rate. Certainly not ideal for a player with his power potential.
There’s good news for Arias even though I’m currently low on his bat. The first is he showed some promise in his second small stint with Cleveland, managing to hit .250 with seven walks to eight strikeouts over 10 games in September and October. The second is that he’s just about to turn 23. Arias has been on the younger side for any level since joining the Guardians, and it’s clear there’s something there they like. The player development program has done more with less for pitchers, sure, but developing bats has been a recent boon for the farm system. It sounds simple enough to say, but if the coaching staff can improve the bat-to-ball skills even slightly then Arias is a four tool player that should be in the lineup. The problem is, that’s not so simple, but that upside is what keeps him ranked at 14th.
The List so Far:15. Jaison Chourio16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
As we break into the top half of my top 30 the bulk of the remaining players may be somewhat familiar even to those who don’t watch the farm system like a hawk. I have a problem, okay? Several of the remaining players have either made their debuts already, been under the microscope for several seasons, or were among Cleveland’s more high-profile draft picks the past two seasons. I don’t think it should be considered spoilers at this point, you can probably guess the names toward the top.
Although my 15th-ranked prospect may be the one you’ve heard the least about. That isn’t necessarily on the prospect, a lot of it has to do with the availability of scouting reports, grainy video, and mostly his age. So far the list has featured one teenager, but that only counted at the time of writing since Jake Fox turned 20 on Sunday. My 15th-ranked prospect will be by far the youngest player on my list, but not the youngest in consideration.
Jaison Chourio clocks in at 15h in my top 30 list, an outfielder signed out of Venezuela in January of 2022. It’s possible the name Chourio is familiar to you already if you’ve read any recent Top 100 lists published in recent weeks since Jaison is the younger brother of Milwaukee Brewers phenom Jackson Chourio who climbed from Low-A to Double-A in his first professional season stateside as an 18-year-old. The younger Chourio, 17, made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2022 and will hopefully come stateside for Complex League in 2023.
Guardians 17yr old switch hitting OF prospect Jaison Chourio taking BP back home in Venezuela. Chourio put up a 140 wRC+ in 2022 making his pro-debut in the Dominican Summer League. Over 40 games he collected 40 walks to just 22 strikeouts. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/GttAMSZHBt
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) February 2, 2023
Chourio’s DSL debut was an impressive one, slashing .280/.446/.402 in 40 games while collecting 11 extra base hits, swiping 14 bags, a 140 wRC+ and drawing 40 walks (22.9%) to just 22 strikeouts (12.6%). Chourio may be young, but the level of patience and discipline he displayed is well above his years, and possibly the kind you just can’t teach. There’s plenty of room for development still with Chourio, but he’s already showing the ability to hit the ball to all fields as a switch hitter as well.
Projections are difficult at this stage. The speed is real for Chourio, proving a strong tool to be both a threat on the base paths and with arm strength to stick in center field long term. Power is what’s difficult to gage right now. He has an excellent knack for contact, but hasn’t quite tapped into his talents yet bashing almost 50% of balls in play into the ground. He’ll need to develop line drive power to add some extra base hits to his profile. That development will be vital to where Chourio’s ceiling truly is, and standing in at 6 foot 1 and 162 pounds as a teenager there’s room to grow into his frame and add a legit fourth tool to his arsenal.
Like with any teenager there’s a lot of time for development, but there’s also plenty of time for things to go wrong. That hopefully won’t be the case with Chourio, but how he adapts to the Complex League in 2023 will say quite a bit about how far he can go. I don’t expect him to jump straight to Low-A like Jackson, and it may be a bit of nepotism related to his brother that has him ranked 15th, but Chourio has legitimate four tool upside if everything goes well over the course of his development.
The List so Far:16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Parker Messick22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
With the news breaking this past Wednesday that the Cleveland Guardians had traded outfielder Will Benson to the Cincinnati Reds I had a hole to fill on my list. Number 21 was vacant, which meant considering who in my “just missed” list yet to come deserved the spot and how many deck chairs on the Titanic I felt like shuffling. There were plenty of options, but probably only one “correct” option since the only reason he didn’t make the list initially was a flimsy personal issue.
Without changing any of the previous order my new 21st-ranked Guardians prospect is Parker Messick, a left-handed pitcher out of Florida State selected in the 2nd round of the 2022 MLB draft. Messick, 22, played three seasons for the Seminoles and fits Cleveland’s criteria as an experienced command college arm. Messick joins the Guardians organization as a highly decorated college arm having earned — among many others — 2021 ACC Pitcher of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, as well as 2022 First Team All-ACC honors while putting up some truly video game-like numbers.
FSU’s Parker Messick dominated with the best line of the night allowing only 1 hit!
7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 13 K, 85 P
pic.twitter.com/8WYAgIvDEU
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) February 26, 2022
Checking in at 6 foot and 225 pounds, Messick features a four-pitch mix including a fastball that sits 89-93, a mid-to-high 70s curveball, a low 80s slider, and a changeup that is arguably his best pitch at the moment. He has an interesting low release point, lower than 3/4, but not quite side arm, that add sweep to his curveball and slider, blurring the lines between separate pitches and a slurve sometimes. The lower release point and his height can create some deception for opposing hitters which makes his changeup especially deadly.
Messick rode his talents to an impressive collegiate career, totaling a 16-8 record in 48 games (32 starts) with a 3.10 ERA, and allowing 43 walks (5.2%) to 289 strikeouts (35%). In his final season with the Seminoles before the Guardians drafted him Messick started 16 games covering 98.2 innings going 7-5 with a 3.38 ERA, allowing just 18 walks (4.6%) to 144 strikeouts (36.5%). He threw 67% of his total pitches for strikes. It’s easy to see why Cleveland jumped on Messick in the second round, and it’ll be exciting to see what the player development department can do with him.
Parker Messick's 14 Strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/ZJEUpg3G3V
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) March 26, 2022
Messick not being in my original top 30 was an entirely “me” problem. I’m very wary of pitchers whose best pitch is a changeup, which isn’t always wrong, but there’s two major reasons why I was originally wrong with Messick. The first; his fastball is better than given credit for. The arm angle and deception help it play well above its low velocity, and pairs very well with the changeup that just falls off the table at the last moment. The second; why should I ever doubt Cleveland’s pitching development? It’s almost sacrilege that I would let a talent like Messick not make a top prospect list because I was concerned his best pitch currently would remain that way or not improve to new heights. No one said you’re reading these because you think I’m intelligent.
Pitching development progresses relatively quickly in the Guardians organization, that just seems to be the norm. As is tradition for 2022 draftees to rarely make their profession debuts in the same season with Cleveland. Messick will likely begin 2023 with Low-A Lynchburg where I expect him to continue to carve up his competition. Yes, there will be growing pains as there is with any prospect, but Messick’s sparkling command and walk rates in college shouldn’t suffer too much moving to the next level. With Messick unlikely to ever beat himself it’ll be fun to watch the fruits of his labor from this offseason bloom. I’ll be curious if the staff had him alter his delivery or release point at all, or if they squeezed an extra tick of velocity out of his fastball.
The List so Far:16. Will Brennan17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. ~~Will Benson~~22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Look, I said I’d try to do this weekly. I have learned of myself that if I allow for some leeway and legroom, I will always use it. Call it laziness, call it mental health, call it “I have a wife, two toddlers, a full-time job, a website to run, and a church that I volunteer at so burnout happens”, call it whatever you want, but I try not to overload my circuits. But recently, boy, have I ever been burning the candle at both ends. Honestly, it feels like there is a 3rd and 4th end, like the cross joint in Pineapple Express. Nevertheless, here we are on another Wednesday Wraparound. Let’s get it.
Why not make the whole game a Cavalanche?Cavaliers
You ever hear the argument “why not make the plane out of whatever they make the black box out of?”. Well, we got the Cavsquivalent on Monday when the Cavaliers went on a crazy binge scoring while making it look like the Washington Wizards were out of spell slots.1 All five starters were in double digees, plus 6th-man-turned-trade-piece-turned-back-into-useable-player Caris LeVert added 10 off the bench. The score might not indicate such a lopsided affair if you were watching, but when you are able to give Mamadi Diakite four minutes, you’re probably gonna allow some garbage time scoring.
With the trade deadline looming Thursday, whoever is available for tonight’s game at home against the Detroit Pistons will be an indication of who might be dealt. Reports were reported that LeVert has been taken off the table, but you can make the argument that is posturing since his contract would be so valuable to move now and lock in someone for next year with the deals hitting Cleveland and bigger numbers salary-wise. Why not get a better fit, a true shooter like Josh Richardson or Alec Burks, who would fit the roster a bit better than LeVert and would go with the cap a little smoother? LeVert and starting 3 Isaac Okoro have been playing better of late, but adding a veteran helps raise the floor and ceiling just a bit. Not every game can be a Cavocalypse.2
What’s Next?: A home game against the Pistons, where Cleveland is a 12.5-point favorite. and then doomscrolling Twitter for WojBombs and ShamAttacks on Thursday
Wills They or Won’t TheyBrowns
NFL rookie contracts can get a little weird with what is allowed or not. Jedrick Wills has been an NFL player for three seasons now, and having been picked in the first round, is entitled to a 5th-year option that the team can pick up. The salary of each spot is slotted, similar to the actual pay for rookies, and depending on player performance, can go up or down. Wills’ number was released last night, and Cleveland has a few weeks to decide whether or not they want to have Wills’ talents on Deshaun Watson’s blindside for the next two years. The price tag is $14,175,000, which would put Wills at or around the 16th or 17th highest-paid left tackle on an AAV level for the 2022 season. Which is to say picking up the option for 2024, when Watson will be hitting bigger money…it’s a no-brainer.
There are a lot of fans and enemies of Wills on social media and #BrownsTwitter, and I get it. You watch the plays back at super slow speed that exposes all types of flaws and holds that nobody sees cuz it’s slower than a turtle stuck in molasses and see how nonchalant he looks at times despite the play under investigation was supposed to be going the other way and be done seven seconds ago so he just assumes the other guy made the play and then it’s on him all of a sudden and it makes you big mad. We are a lunchpail city and Wills’ isn’t holding up his end of the bargain here, or at least that’s how it looks when you see Jake Burns’s film rooms and cut-up clips that get passed around. But even if Wills isn’t as tenacious as you’d like your offensive linemen to be, that doesn’t mean he sucks outright, and getting a player at his level for less than $15m a year is borderline stealing. And there’s hope around the corner too: I mentioned last time I was here that Bill Callahan is staying around, so he will have good coaching. Watson will have a full offseason where he isn’t courting other front offices for his services and dodging reporters at courthouses. The band will be back together with Jack Conklin’s extension and either Nick Harris or Ethan Pocic returning at the center position. 2023 is a make-or-break year for Wills, as it is his 4th season and he needs to get things right. But you can also say that about the entirety of the Cleveland front office, coaching staff, and much of the roster. I don’t make absolutes often, as only Sith make those,3 those against picking up Wills’ 5th year just simply are wrong.
What’s Next?: The NFL 2023 Scouting Combine is starts March 2nd, so we will get to see players perform under perfect conditions and do exercises and drills that will never happen on a football field
- Oh yeah, that’s a Pineapple Express reference AND a D&D joke. I’m killing it.
- Credit to WFNYer Farmer Ethan Forness for the coining of the term “Cavocalypse”.
- Which in and of itself is an absolute but I digress.
The WFNY BrownsCast is back to recap the 2022-23 Cleveland Browns season as WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek examine everything that happened this season and where the Browns go from here. After a few-week hiatus to let the Browns season breathe, the two are back to give their final thoughts on all the things that happened this season with the franchise.
Joe and Taylor talked about the season and whether the team fell below expectations. They also discussed what went wrong this season. The duo gave their choice of one thing about the Browns that they are excited about coming out of this season and one thing about the Browns that worries them coming out of this season. Also, on the pod, Joe and Taylor ranked the Browns’ biggest needs this offseason. They did a mock draft of their top players in free agency and trade they would love to grab for Cleveland and they aired out their one grievance surrounding this team. So, take a listen to all of this and much more on the latest WFNY BrownsCast!
Well, it’s that time of year again folks, the trade deadline is now on the horizon. That time of year when you turn on notifications, and anxiously refresh your timelines, as Shams and Woj control your life one tweet at a time. The Cleveland Cavaliers currently sit 5th in the eastern conference in a precarious spot as the Thursday deadline approaches, with both limited resources and less-than-perfect options. Though the Cavs have plenty of ammo to get a trade done, is it actually worth it? That is the question that hangs over Koby Altman and company as they work the phones looking for upgrades across the league. There are both cases to be made for staying pat and making a trade. With both possibilities on the table, I think it’s worth weighing both pros and cons since both are very plausible in the 96-ish hours until the trade deadline.
The Case for Making a Trade.
The Cavs are far from a perfect roster, but it’s not in the way you think. They are a team filled with 4 All-Star caliber players which is the good news, the bad news is that the small forward spot is a mystery, even to the Cavs. It has been a season-long issue, as JB Bickerstaff has tried to crack the code swapping through internal options of who fits best with the core four. Even Though the Issac Okoros, Lamar Stevens, and Caris LeVerts of the world provide solid to great defense, the problem lies in the fact that most of the wings on the roster aren’t amazing 3-point shooters. Of the wings that started more than 10 games, they are shooting 35.7% from 3-point range, which is slightly below league average. At first glance, it doesn’t look like a big issue, but a lot of their looks are coming from the corners in which they are shooting a measly 35.6% from corner 3s (the average is 38.8%.) With the Cavs already playing with 2 non-shooters in Mobley and Allen, on top of the lack of true spacing, not having a threat from the perimeter has been a constant pitfall for the Cavs throughout the season. That is why at the very least the Cavs need to look into another wing that can provide consistent shooting, even if you sacrifice some defense for shooting, with both Mobley and Allen you should be able to keep your defensive integrity. The Cavs are tied for 1st in Defensive rating as a team with the twin towers leading the charge, so any player that is inserted onto the Cavs will always have one of those two behind them to erase would-be scorers.
The Case Against a Trade.
On the flip side, even with all that said the options out on the market are far from perfect. Especially with Issac Okoro’s development over the past month since being inserted in the starting 5, it has made this a tough conversation. The starting 5 with the Okoro since the start of January have had a positive net rating of 6.8 and this lineup has been destroying starting 5s since January 4th. This also not to say Okoro is just going along for the ride, his improvement has been stark.
Isaac Okoro has made 23/46 3PT since 2023 began. He needs 23 more to surpass his career high of 62. He’s appeared in 55 games this year. In the first 27 he shot 25.5%. In his last 28, he’s made 41.2% of his looks & has brought his AVG on the season up to 34.8%. Growth. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/G2Lz3pxuYb
— Its Cavalier (@ItsCavalier_Pod) February 6, 2023
Okoro might not be the knockdown shooter on high volume that people are looking for but he’s knocking down his 3s as of late. He has been the perfect glue guy, scoring a respectable 8.5 points on 51% from the field, with his trademark lockdown defense shutting his assignments water off in the process.
Cavs F Isaac Okoro has been absolutely on the defensive end of the floor as of late pic.twitter.com/a1VHk8nFFw
— MoreForYouCleveland (@MoreForYou_CLE) February 6, 2023
That is what is so difficult about this year’s trade deadline, with the way Okoro is playing he’s made the Cavs brash decision on what to do even harder. Even with the linked names of Josh Hart, Doug McDermott, Josh Richarson etc. you might only be marginally improving at the cost of something else. With Okoro only being 22 and still under his rookie deal, it might be more beneficial to let Issac’s development continue at this rate.
That is where things stand as we go into week, it could be an eventful week for the Cavs, or pass by without a move being made. Either move seems to be justifiable with where the team is in their contention window. No matter what happens, even if the team does or doesn’t pull the trigger, this team is going to be in a good spot regardless of what happens when 3 o’clock comes around on Thursday.
As good as the Cleveland Guardians have been identifying position players with above-average bat-to-ball skills and plate vision the major drawback has been concerns surrounding exit velocities and quality of contact. We saw in 2022 what can happen to the offense when the lineup goes stagnate, and the team is lacking consistent power from anyone besides first-half Jose Ramirez. Despite those fears, the Guardians are occasionally able to pluck a player capable of being productive despite those concerns in their profile, and Will Brennan may be an exception.
The Guardians drafted Brennan in the 8th round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Kansas State where he was a two-way player capable of hitting 93 with his fastball. Now in the Cleveland system, Brennan is a full-time outfielder with strong contact skills and an affinity for putting the ball in play from the left-handed batter’s box. He joins the list of Hunter Gaddis, Xzavion Curry, Nick Mikolajchak, and Andrew Misiaszek from the 2019 crop of picks looking to make an impact with the Major League club in 2023.
Nice oppo knock for Will Brennan pic.twitter.com/29OXN3O105
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) April 1, 2022
Brennan, freshly 25, made his Major League debut — an 11-game cup of coffee and making the club’s postseason roster — after a strong 2022 split between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus. Brennan played 129 games between both levels, slashing .314/.371/.479 while collecting 40 doubles, 13 home runs, stealing 20 bases, and drawing 50 walks (8.5%) to 69 strikeouts (11.7%). The surface numbers are sparkling, but if you’ve followed Brennan’s Minor League career this felt like the natural trajectory of things, though doubling his home run total from 2021 to 2022 is certainly promising.
Brennan climbed the ranks quickly despite losing the 2020 Minor League season to Covid. Overall he’s played 288 games across three seasons in the minors posting a career .296/.367/.435 batting line, 79 doubles, 20 home runs, 44 stolen bases, and 118 walks (9.2%) to 158 strikeouts (12.3%). Brennan has been as consistent as they come, having registered a batting average below .280 and a wRC+ below 107 just once at any level, both coming in 2019 during a 26-game stint in Low-A.
Brennan is the quintessential Guardians blueprint for a position player. He possesses the bat-to-ball skills to succeed at the Major League level, but despite the plate vision to draw walks, his preference to try to put the ball in play leads to some over-aggressiveness at times, chasing pitches out of the zone instead of taking what’s given to him. He’s never had a strikeout rate above 16.4%, but Brennan will have to rely on his eyes a bit more to get on base and make as much of an impact as possible at the big-league level.
Will Brennan hit this through 21 mph wind blowing in.
First Big League bop for the kid.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/EaqZ4y271o
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) October 2, 2022
Unlike other entrants on my top 30 list, Brennan isn’t devoid of power, though it’s unclear just how much more Cleveland can squeeze out of him. It’s likely he’ll produce lower home run totals than average, but a 15-home run ceiling still raises Brennan’s offensive floor considerably. His speed is a respectable tool providing a quick first step both out of the box and in the outfield, allowing him to man either corner outfield spot without much concern. He has been caught stealing 15 times on the base paths so there’s room to grow, however Brennan may be a beneficiary of the new bag dimensions and placement.
As a left-handed hitter, Brennan likely won’t help Cleveland’s issues against left-handed pitching but will make an excellent platoon or fourth outfielder option for the Guardians in 2023. He’ll enter Spring Training competing with the likes of Will Benson and George Valera for a spot on the Opening Day roster. Brennan is a high-floor player, and it’s to be determined if the ceiling can rise to everyday player status, though he should represent an above-average bench option for Cleveland from the jump.
The List so Far:17. Joey Cantillo18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Will Benson22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
If you all will allow me, I’d like to let my homer bias show for a moment. When we broke into the top 20 with Petey Halpin I’d talked about how skill gaps among Cleveland’s prospects would start to be more apparent. Not only that but from here on out my personal excitement level for each prospect is elevated significantly. It’s a combination of “there’s a lot of players close to contributing at the Major League level” and “Cleveland’s farm is healthy enough that their 11-17 ranked prospects could make top 10 lists for other teams across the league.”
I left it somewhat vague for a reason, I don’t think all of them would take over every system’s top 10, but there are instances where I think Cleveland’s number 17 could be another club’s nine or 10. For now though, let’s turn our attention to my 17th-ranked Guardians prospect who the club actually acquired via trade in 2020 as part of the return package for Mike Clevinger.
Joey Cantillo is my 17th ranked Guardians prospect, a 6 foot 4 inches 225-pound left-handed pitcher drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 16th round of the 2017 MLB draft from high school in Hawaii. Cantillo, 23, has climbed as high as Double-A in parts of four Minor League seasons. There have been some injury concerns for Cantillo, including a shoulder injury that ended his 2022 season, but more on that later. Let’s first look at his repertoire and his time as a professional so far.
Cantillo arrived in Cleveland as a soft-throwing southpaw featuring a fastball that sat in the mid-to-high 80s and struggled to touch 90. The pitch played up, however, missing more bats than expected despite the lower velocity. He also features a plus curveball with a deep 12-6 shape, a plus changeup, and the cutter/slider hybrid Cleveland’s development staff has worked to teach the likes of Tanner Burns and Cody Morris among others. Cantillo idolizes Los Angeles Dodgers legend Clayton Kershaw, and his mechanics are reminiscent of Kershaw’s, albeit a little quicker and shorter to the plate.
After joining the Guardians organization and spending two full seasons working with the coaching staff Cantillo has managed to add muscle to his frame, and with the help of some unorthodox training has raised his fastball velocity from struggling to reach 90 to sitting 91-95 and has touched 97. Read that again. Yeah. The extra velocity translated well to Cantillo’s healthy 60.2 innings in 2022, maintaining full control of his arsenal the entire time. It’s believed the shoulder injury that shut Cantillo down for 2022 was due to his body adjusting to throwing harder, but neither he nor the team seem overly concerned by it.
Joey Cantillo
Age: 22
Level: AA
Starts: 13
IP: 60.2
K: 87
BB: 28
K%: 35.5%
BB%: 11.4%
FIP: 2.51
WHIP: 1.09 pic.twitter.com/kiMqRspcU4— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) November 15, 2022
Cantillo appeared in 14 games for the Rubberducks in 2022, notching 13 starts while compiling a 4-3 record with a 1.93 ERA, 28 walks (11.4%), 87 strikeouts (35.5%), a 1.09 WHIP and 2.51 FIP. Through all of that, he held opponents to a .178 batting average against and surrendered just two home runs. In fact, even before the velocity jump, Cantillo excelled at keeping the ball in the yard allowing just seven total home runs in 242.1 professional innings, a miniscule 0.3 HR/9. Overall Cantillo has a career 2.38 ERA in 62 games (47 starts) in the Minor Leagues spanning rookie ball to Double-A.
This is one of the filthiest curveballs I've ever seen Joey Cantillo throw.
When the Guardians acquired him in 2020, his CB lacked some bite and he needed more velo. Now it's a big downer CB and this was a beauty. pic.twitter.com/yku17p6yNT
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) June 16, 2022
Cantillo was my “best-kept secret” pitching prospect in the Guardians organization for a brief time, but what he flashed in 2022 is hardly a secret anymore. He can still get lost in the shuffle of the likes of Daniel Espino, Gavin Williams and Tanner Bibee, but Cantillo proved enough to the organization to be added to the club’s 40-man roster this winter. Next steps for Cantillo involve competing for a spot in the Triple-A rotation during Spring Training and focusing on staying healthy for more than 60 innings. If Cantillo can avoid any setbacks he’ll make headlines in the upper minors, all while just a phone call away from The Show.
The List so Far:18. Juan Brito19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Will Benson22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
The overarching theme of this series has been how good Cleveland’s scouting and development programs have been in recent seasons. We’ve known for years what the pitching side of the development team could do, but in recent seasons the new regiment has begun the take effect among the position players in the farm system. The organization has been able to sustain itself at a high level, not needing to reinforce depth via trade. In fact, it’s largely been the opposite with the organization overdue for a consolidation trade.
What’s more impeccable about Cleveland’s run on promising prospects is through all the years that have built the farm to its current state the club has been very successful. Tanking can be successful, look no further than the Baltimore Orioles, but looking around at the rest of Cleveland’s own division there’s proof of just how difficult it can be for prospects to pan out. So that makes my 18th-ranked Guardians prospect one of the unique ones, having been a trade acquisition yet to play for a Cleveland affiliate.
Juan Brito lands at 18th on my top 30 list, a second baseman from the Colorado Rockies organization acquired in exchange for outfielder Nolan Jones this past winter. Brito, 21, was an international free agent signing of the Rockies from the Dominican Republic in 2018, and he spent all of 2022 in Low-A. The switch hitter has a mixed profile, but let’s look at what Brito accomplished for the Rockies organization in 2022.
Brito played 107 games in his age-20 season, posting a triple slash of .286/.407/.470 and collecting 29 doubles, 11 home runs, 17 stolen bases, 78 walks (15.7%), 71 strikeouts (14.3%), and a 129 wRC+. Brito displays the patented Guardians discipline and vision skills having drawn more walks than he’s struck out and maintaining an on-base percentage of over .400 in his three professional seasons so far. His ability to not beat himself may end up being more valuable than the bat itself in the long run, but early returns are promising.
Congrats to Juan Brito of the @FresnoGrizzlies on being named Cali League Player of the Week.
.520/.600/.840 slash in 30 PA. 3 doubles, 1 triple, 1 HR, 7RBI with 3 SB on top of that. Also dude walked 5 times compared to 2 SO.#RaiseTheBear #Rockies #MiLB pic.twitter.com/EMOI3x323T
— Blake Street Banter (@blakestbanter) July 19, 2022
Brito doesn’t hit the ball particularly hard, but he already demonstrates decent pull-side power from the left-handed batter’s box. At 5 foot 11 inches and just 165 pounds Brito likely won’t add much more power, but it’s certainly not impossible. Brito puts the ball in play a lot, which as we’ve discussed leads to good things more often than not, but he doesn’t have a quick first step out of the box or burner speed.
Brito may have swiped 17 bags in 2022, but he was caught nine times in the process and with a below-average arm and limited range, he’s likely locked at second base with the hopes he can play at least average defense. This doesn’t bode particularly well for Brito given the names above him in the farm system and how many middle infielders the Guardians have already. Other players have begun to move about the diamond trying to find playing time, but Brito will have to truly stand out at second base to make a name for himself.
Guardians 21yr old switch hitting INF prospect Juan Brito getting some cage work in today at the organizations Goodyear Development Complex. Brito came over in the Nolan Jones trade w/ the Rockies.
Brito over 107 games in 2022.
AVG) .286
OBP) .407
SLG) .470
OPS) .877
wRC+) 130 pic.twitter.com/2CvA3tfEzO— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) January 20, 2023
Brito is a fine young player, but I don’t see his path to major-league effectiveness with Cleveland. Yes, I’m ranking him 18th on my top 30 list, but it’s more my faith in the club’s current talent evaluation success that puts him this high for me. With the Guardians facing a roster crunch, they decided to trade Nolan Jones — a former Top 100 prospect and team number one — for a player who was immediately added to the 40-man roster. There’s clearly something the development team thinks they’ve identified with Brito and believe he has more than what’s on the surface.
I’ll reserve judgment for now and monitor how Brito is used when he reports to High-A Lake County for the Minor League season. He’ll turn 22 at the end of the season, but since he’s already on the 40-man I’d like to see him make it to Double-A halfway through the year. The problem remains that with no positional flexibility and a bat not fit for designated hitter duties Brito will have a hard time finding playing time among the rest of Cleveland’s second base and shortstop stable. I’m puzzled but hopeful that there’s more than meets the eye.
The List so Far:19. Nate Furman20. Petey Halpin21. Will Benson22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Matt and Todd are back for a winter pod. They discuss the catching position, the logjam at middle infielder, Cody Morris and his fit with the roster, and last week’s GuardsFest. The duo also give a tribute to the late great John Adams, beloved Cleveland Indians/Guardians fan drummer.
The 2021 and 2022 Cleveland Guardians draft classes have the potential to be a special crop of players. We’ve already discussed how the 2016 draft class was unique in the sense that it produced three members of the current rotation — Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale, and Zach Plesac — and saw them all make their Major League debuts in the same season. In fact, my top 30 list will feature 10 players from the past two drafts, and arguably should include more from the 2022 class, but that’s a topic for my just missed list when we reach the end.
With Cleveland’s recent reputation for prospect development, it’s easy to feel excited when you look at every name the Guardians took in 2022. That excitement level is raised significantly when you consider the gains a few members of the 2021 class made in their first professional season. Our focus today shifts back to a position player who already features the usual staples of a Guardians prospect; contact, discipline, awareness, and maybe even a few intangibles.
Nate Furman is my 19th-ranked Guardians prospect, a 21-year-old second baseman selected by Cleveland in the fourth round out of the University of North Carolina – Charlotte. Furman was named Second-Team Conference USA and team MVP for his sophomore season, but his reputation isn’t centered around awards. He put together his best body of work in 2022 as a sophomore, putting up counting stats that rank top 10 in Charlotte’s program history.
Furman played 58 games in 2022 slashing .371/.502/.474 with 14 doubles, just two home runs, 21 steals, and drew 49 walks (16.3%) to just 26 strikeouts (8.7%). No, a .502 on-base percentage is not a typo, that’s a real-life number as Furman managed to get hit by 14 pitches on top of the 49 walks, and it’s not unusual by his standards. Overall in 94 collegiate games, he slashed .351/.482/.468 with 21 doubles, 22 stolen bases and 71 walks (16.9%) to 41 strikeouts (9.8%). He even managed to turn in a .306/.387/.367 line in 28 games for the Orleans Fire Birds of the Cape Cod League.
Guardians 2022 MLB 4th Round Draft Pick 21-year-old old INF prospect Nate Furman putting in work at Philadelphia Baseball Training facility. Furman is set to make his pro-debut during the 2023 minor league season.#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/1DnfCXSVkF
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) December 24, 2022
Alright, that’s a lot of numbers, but let’s talk about what makes Furman tick. He possesses elite bat-to-ball skills and plate discipline, with quick hands and bat speed featuring a smooth, compact left-handed stroke. Whereas the Guardians think they can add power to certain players it’s likely Furman never will add any to his 5 foot 8-inch, 180-pound frame. His speed is more tenacity than anything, playing every rep like his hair is on fire, which translates to quickness at second base, and possessing an average arm makes him an ideal fit at the keystone.
Furman constantly puts the ball in play which leads to opportunities for his aggressiveness to make something happen. What he lacks in power and size he makes up for by working harder than anyone in the room. He has a great reputation as a hard worker, relentless competitor, and a good mind for the game. Frankly his profile is reminiscent of Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan, and while a lineup full of players lacking power would be tough to work with, most teams would kill to have one player with Kwan’s reputation, let alone two. That doesn’t mean Furman will be a 4.4 fWAR player, Gold Glover and Rookie of the Year finalist, but as Cleveland fans, we’ve seen this before.
2⃣ | NATE FURMAN DOES IT AGAIN!! He doubles to center, scoring McKiethan and Dragum to give us the lead!!
21 Charlotte: 3
UTSA: 2#GoldStandard | #9ATC pic.twitter.com/0Zt40AIMOk
— Charlotte Baseball (@CharlotteBSB) April 17, 2021
Furman will make his professional debut for the Guardians in 2023 where I expect him to adjust very quickly to the lower minors. There are those who believe Furman’s speed and arm could transition him to center field, which may help alleviate the future headache of finding where to play him among the Guardians flood of middle infielders scattered throughout the system. Kwan found success at the Major League level, and it’s possible Furman can too. He’ll go as far as his bat will carry him, even without any projectable power. Sometimes hard work and tenacity weigh more than natural talent, and it’s something tailor made for Cleveland’s brand of baseball.
The List so Far:20. Petey Halpin21. Will Benson22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
We’ve made it to the top 20! It’s been fun running through a few of these profiles a week, but from here on out there should be noticeable differences from previous entrants. There might be an extra tool in a player’s arsenal or just a few adjustments away from breaking out. I don’t mean to say we’re in the star tier yet, but I’m certainly more optimistic from here on out. Without further adieu, let’s get back to it.
The jump from high school to the professional level is often overwhelming, but that doesn’t mean players who struggle early should be written off. It’s part of the process. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule or just players who adapt faster. I’ve been particularly impressed with Petey Halpin’s adjustment to the Minor Leagues, and that’s what earned the 20-year-old outfielder from San Mateo, CA the 20th spot on my list.
Halpin was drafted by the Cleveland Guardians in the 3rd round of the 2020 MLB draft from Mira Costa High School, signing him away from a commitment to play college ball for the University of Texas. He was barely 18 when the Guardians selected him, and his first professional season was wiped out due to COVID, but that didn’t seem to slow Halpin down at all when he made his organizational debut in 2021 for Low-A Lynchburg. He mustered a .294/.363/.425 batting line with a 117 wRC+ in 54 games as a 19-year-old.
There were already some eyes on Halpin entering 2022, and he spent the entire season with High-A Lake County. In 105 games Halpin produced a .262/.346/.385 triple slash, 21 doubles, six home runs, 16 stolen bases, 45 walks (10.4%), 92 strikeouts (21.2%), and a 107 wRC+. There were some growing pains for him in Lake County, but I can find almost any reason to still be excited about a prospect. He displayed improved patience pushing the walk rate over 10% and keeping the strikeout rate tolerable. The speed may be Halpin’s best tool, and as he continues to develop it will serve him well on both sides of the ball.
Petey Halpin had nine outfield assists this year in High-A Lake County, showing off his strong arm to go with range and ability to make good reads and use his speed. +4 in CF per Clay Davenport's defensive metrics as well. pic.twitter.com/B9uW4x8djq
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) October 29, 2022
Halpin is a pure center fielder, utilizing his above-average speed with solid instincts and an average arm. He has a ways to go if he wants to be more than a fourth outfielder or a bench option for the Guardians, but it’s not an insurmountable climb. Halpin is currently a speed and defense first player with gap power and potentially optimistic power projections for his 6-foot 185-pound frame. I don’t mean a slugger, but 10-15 home runs may not be out of the realm of possibility. His viability as an everyday player will be tied directly to how much power he can add and how that shapes his offensive output.
Halpin is capable of producing solid contact but has been inconsistent in doing so. Whether it’s his pitch selection or bat-to-ball skills there’s still plenty of time to iron out the kinks before the Guardians call his number. There’s a strong possibility gap power is Halpin’s ceiling, so finding ways to maximize the damage from each swing will be critical if the power projections are overly optimistic. These statements do not detract from just how smooth and aesthetically pleasing his left-handed swing is, however.
Petey Halpin finaly breaks the tie yet again for the @LCCaptains
An RBI double in the 13th to make it 11-10 pic.twitter.com/ukGxjIPlEj
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) July 8, 2022
In an organization overrun with prospects who display advanced patience, zone awareness, and contact skills players need to find ways to set themselves apart. Halpin is no different, and while speed and defense are great the Guardians may already have several options alarmingly similar to Halpin ahead of him. Of course that won’t stop Halpin from working his way up the ranks, nor will it stop me from being interested in his profile. He won’t be Rule 5 eligible until after the 2024 season, so there’s little urgency to rush Halpin through the system while still so young. He’ll likely start 2023 back with Lake County, though I have a feeling he gets a shot at Double-A sooner rather than later.
The List so Far:21. Will Benson22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
The Athletic’s Zack Meisel has written his Opening Day roster projection, so why not start up the 2023 version of This Week in Guardians baseball and get the feedback from the WFNY staff?
Editor’s note: comments have received some light editing for brevity purposes.
Bo Naylor Gerberry: I think Naylor will be the backup catcher. I can’t see them putting more resources (40-man spots) into catcher. * Forness: I’m of the same mind; the only other option should be Lava. Lava isn’t beating Bo. * Bode: Zack has been insinuating that Bo is starting the year in AAA all offseason. I don’t know if he knows something or is speculating, but it’s seeped into the fanbase and now that is the expectation amongst most. Personally, I start Bo in The Show. * Krall*: I’ve been saying all along if Bo isn’t the starter, they should carry three. Bo can DH or pinch hit and you can get his bat in the lineup when needed. If he’s the sole backup, he can’t play if he’s not catching that day.
Other differences of opinion from Mr. Meisel on position players Bode: IF: +Tyler Freeman OF: -Will Benson (I do believe that Josh Naylor will spend some time in RF). * Gerberry: Freeman over Benson. Brennan 4th OF, Naylor 5th if need be. They were using Arias in the OF at the end of the year. * Forness*: As long as they don’t use either (Arias/Benson) at 1B. Waste of tools.
Other differences of opinion from Mr. Meisel on pitchers Bode: SP: no change (unless we find a Plesac taker, unlikely until mid-year). RP: +Touki, -Herrin … though I wouldn’t be totally surprised to see them put Morris or Gaddis there instead. * Forness: You don’t think Morris is a good candidate for opening day? * Gerberry: I’d love Morris out of the pen, I don’t see them doing it to start the year. I want Morris to be this years Eli, but I think the org wants him prepped as a starter. * Krall: Morris hasn’t shown an ability to stay on the field, and when you contrast that with a potential stud out of the bullpen, it’s not that hard of a decision. * Bode: Our rotation is full if we don’t move someone. If we make a trade, then he’s in… if we don’t, then we might start him in the bullpen to reduce his overall innings load on the year because I do think the FO views him in the rotation (as a trial) by September. * Forness: Also, Cantillo, Gaddis, Curry, Pilkington, Allen, Battenfield, Williams, Bibee, Espino all potentially available this season. * Gerberry: So.Many.Arms. * Bode: I’d be somewhat surprised to see Gavin Williams and Espino this season (maybe a short cup of coffee) as I fully expect the organization to be really careful with them. Bibee & Allen are the next high-end arms coming (imo). * Forness: I don’t disagree, but none of them are truly impossible this season. I would be thrilled with a full season of AAA for Espino to hopefully shed some of that reliever risk worry. * Krall*: Espino I think is probably not happening, at least not in a starter role. The others are possible in really any capacity. Williams does have that injury history, but unlike Espino, he’s built up from last year. maybe the guards cleaned something up mechanically that could keep him healthy. only time will tell.
Seth goes solo to discuss the Cavs’ bench struggles and proposes two mock trades that fills their need of perimeter shooting.
We did it, everyone, we made it to back-to-back Wednesdays! It helps that Northeast Ohio got hit with a snow blast, thus shutting down thoroughfares and places of higher education throughout the region. The days of waking up and having to wait for the scroll of school names along the bottom of the morning news are long gone, as I got inundated with all calls and text messages and push notifications alerting me to the canceling of school activities. A good thing too, as I was up later than normal watching the Cavs lose a nail biter to the New York Knicks last night, which brings us to our first point…
Bench Mob or Bench Sob?Cavaliers
When the Cavaliers got WFNY favorite and actual real-life player Dean Wade back from injury in time for Saturday’s win over the Milwaukee Bucks, it seemed like the perfect “oh yeah, it’s all coming together” moment. Tuesday night was the next go around and would mark the first time since the opener that the entire roster1 would be available. It felt like there was finally an opportunity to string some good games together, get some rotations set up for the playoffs, and take off toward the No. 2 seed. Enter the Rotation Game from Hell.
Head coach JB Bickerstaff has been dragged online for some curious lineups; swingman Cedi Osman often sees too much or too little of the floor while big man Kevin Love soaks up the minutes. But the 105-103 loss was a head-scratcher in many ways. There was at least a six-minute stretch between the first and second quarters where neither Donovan Mitchell nor Darius Garland was on the floor, and the team responded with only nine points and fell from being down three to being down double digits. Mitchell’s groin strain has been barking and he missed the Milwaukee game Saturday with the injury, but there is little reason to go so long without any reasonable help for the struggling offense.
JB sat both Mitchell and Garland with about 3:40 left in the 1st quarter. the score was 24-21 Knicks.
Mitchell will return with 9:11 left in the second. In about 7 minutes of court time without their two guards, the Cavs scored 9 points and are now down 10
— Jordan Zirm (@JordanZirm) January 25, 2023
As much as not having your big guns offensively was an issue, the continued trust in Kevin Love to play 20+ minutes a game is worse. I love Love, absolutely, and he will forever be a Cleveland fixture, but he needs put out to pasture. A rebounding icon and someone Bickerstaff can go to for some low post help if Evan Mobley or Jarrett Allen get in foul trouble early, but his feet aren’t the same, and the struggles he is having with his thumb are real. Wade only played four minutes in a winnable game; if the organization sees something in him, then he needs to get back up to speed and get some work with the starters. I am not ready to move on from Love, but I am past primed to see his minutes swap with Wade or Osman. Caris LeVert and Lamar Stevens are okay enough, LeVert should be the instant cooker offense with Ricky Rubio, but both played far too long in a winnable game on the road. The team desperately needs offensive help at the trade deadline to help this bench.
What’s next?: Cleveland travels to Houston and Oklahoma City for a back-to-back Thursday and Friday before returning home for a game against the LA Clippers on Sunday.
And that’s all I got. It’s middle January, so there is little Guards news and nothing coming from Cleveland outside of Brian Callahan wanting to stick around in Cleveland and not interview with the new York Jets and their open offensive coordinator spot. It’s a testament to Kevin Stefanski and his staff that the journeyman Callahan wants to stick in orange and brown despite the “on the hot seat” ness #BrownsTwitter wants to claim Stefanski has.
- Minus Dylan “Big Foot” Windler.
It’s rare for a single draft to be so fruitful for an organization. Statistically, all prospects are long shots, and while you can hope that at least your team’s first-round picks make it to The Show and contribute, the Cleveland Guardians rotation is currently made up of a majority of pitchers the club selected in 2016. Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and Aaron Civale all debuted in the same season — a feat worthy of its own recognition — and have combined for 28.0 fWAR, 103 wins, and a Cy Young award. That draft also featured Nolan Jones in the second round who debuted with Cleveland in 2022 before the former top 100 prospect was dealt to the Colorado Rockies.
It is the first round pick of the Guardians from 2016 that is my focus this time around, and it is outfielder Will Benson who also made his Major League debut in 2022. Cleveland drafted Benson as a teenager and signed him away from a commitment to play college baseball for Duke University. Standing in at 6 foot 5 inches and weighing 230 pounds Benson more closely resembles an NFL tight end but has a tantalizing combination of above-average speed and arm strength from the outfield to pair with the power you should expect from his frame.
Benson, 24, began 2022 with Triple-A Columbus where he played 89 games before getting the call. Overall the left-hander slashed .278/.426/.522 with 20 doubles, 17 home runs, 16 stolen bases, 78 walks (18.7%), 91 strikeouts (22.7%), and a 153 wRC+. It was by far Benson’s most electric season in the minors, eventually earning him the call-up and several nominations for “prospect of the year” within the Guardians organization. Fans were foaming at the mouth for him to get an opportunity in the big leagues, and he eventually would, slashing .182/.250/.200 in 28 games. It’s a small sample size so I’m not willing to pass final judgment just yet, but more on that in a minute.
Will Benson laces a triple to the gap!#MiLBesDivertido | #CopaDeLaDiversión pic.twitter.com/mjAuVbFgGO
— Columbus Clippers (@CLBClippers) July 29, 2022
Benson’s 2022 numbers with the Clippers pop off the page, but the majority of his other six seasons with Cleveland raise some red flags. Good things happen when you put the ball in play, it’s something I mutter in my sleep when I think about Cleveland’s developmental philosophy, but it’s something Benson has consistently failed to do in his time in the minors. Overall he possesses a .222/.351/.443 career batting line in the minors with a 15.4% BB% and 29.8% K%. In fact, before 2022 Benson had never had a strikeout rate below 28.6% and only hit better than .238 in one other season.
There’s also the concern of places for Benson to play disappearing. The emergence of Oscar Gonzalez surprised everyone, and late season call-up Will Brennan received more consistent playing time for Cleveland at the end of the season and in the playoffs. I didn’t even mention George Valera knocking on the door from Columbus. With all of the surprise wealth in the outfield the club tried to experiment with Benson as a first baseman, a move that I personally disagree with because it wastes his speed and arm.
Will Benson took a homer away!
(MLB x @TMobile) pic.twitter.com/hrTnv6cCUx
— MLB (@MLB) September 11, 2022
Benson’s 2022 season piqued my interest. When he puts it all together the talent is evident, the problem is he has yet to do so consistently. The lackluster Major League debut didn’t help, but if his 2022 Minor League numbers signal a breakout, and this is who Will Benson is, I’m sold. I need to see Benson repeat his 2022 successes from the minors, and he’ll likely start back with the Clippers barring a scorching Spring Training or a surprise trade.
With elite zone awareness and the speed to swipe 20+ bags easily with MLB’s updated base dimensions and placement Benson sounds like an excellent bench option, but it will be his inability to put the bat to the ball that will ultimately be his Achilles’ heel. The tools are there teasing us to what he can be in terms of an impact bat. With his ability to draw walks Benson doesn’t have to hit .300 to be a problem for opposing pitchers, but he certainly has to do better than .238 and strikeout less than 28.6% of the time. We’ll find out sooner rather than later what direction Benson will be moving on this list.
The List so Far:22. Doug Nikhazy23. Tanner Burns24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Left-handed pitching. It’s something the Guardians lineup struggled against in 2022 and something not featured every fifth day in a Cleveland rotation since TJ House made 18 starts for the club in 2014. In fact, only 12 southpaws have registered a start for Cleveland since 2010, and Scott Kazmir and David Huff are tied for the most starts by a left-handed pitcher in that span with 29.
And that brings us to my number 22 prospect Doug Nikhazy, a highly decorated left-handed pitcher taken by Cleveland in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Ole Miss. Nikhazy, 23, left the Rebels with multiple All-American honors, First Team All-SEC honors in 2021, Ole Miss single-season wins record (12), and second most strikeouts in a single season in school history (142). It’s easy to see why the Guardians used a second-round pick on him, so let’s look at his makeup and his debut season with the organization.
Nikhazy features a three-pitch mix with a fastball that sits 88-92, a slider, and a standout curveball. Even though velocity is king the fastball misses its fair share of bats, and the curveball plays well off of it. The slider is inconsistent but could be plagued by his average to below-average command limiting his ability to get chases out of the zone. The curveball is his best pitch with a 12-6 break and some sharp bite that could make it a plus pitch if he can find the zone on a regular basis.
Back-to-back terrific outings for #Guardians 23yr old LHP prospect Doug Nikhazy for Lake County!
Line – 6.0(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 3BB 7SO (86 Pitches 55 Strikes)
Last two – 12.2(OP) 6H 2R 2ER 6BB 17SO 1.43 ERA@Dougnikhazy @LCCaptains #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/h2awGfQvdM
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) August 18, 2022
Nikhazy made his organizational debut in 2022, making a combined 24 starts between High-A Lake County and Double-A Akron. He pitched 102.1 total innings with a 3.97 ERA, 79 walks (17.4% BB%), 128 strikeouts (28.3% K%) and a 1.49 WHIP. He got roughed up in his first four professional starts in April, surrendering a .296/.446/.318 opponent batting line in 11 innings pitched but rebounded nicely. Over his next 17 starts, Nikhazy held his opponents to a .164/.312/.286 triple slash while posting a 3.29 ERA in 82 innings pitched. Despite the alarming walk totals, Nikhazy proved largely effective as he settled into his first full season which earned him a late call-up to Akron where he struggled with the learning curve in three starts.
Two things separate Nikhazy from Tanner Burns who I ranked at number 23 and suffers from similar command issues. The first is Nikhazy’s ability to limit self-inflicted wounds and hard contact, allowing more walks than hits in 2022 and posting a respectable 0.79 HR/9. He demonstrated better control in college as well, posting walk rates of less than 10% in his two full seasons for the Rebels. The second reason Nikhazy earns the number 22 spot is his upside as a reliever. He has a somewhat deceptive left-handed delivery that helps the fastball play up despite well below-average velocity, and the curveball is a reliable out pitch. Both demonstrate the ability miss bats when he’s throwing strikes, providing the club with more options how to use Nikhazy going forward.
Guardians 22yr old LHP prospect Doug Nikhazy was one out & one strike away from a 7.0 inning no-hitter for Lake County! Nikhazy ended up going 6.2 innings striking out a career high 11 batters.
Line – 6.2(IP) 2H 2R 1ER 3BB 11SO (96 Pitches 62 Strikes)@Dougnikhazy #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/TpBpZ717sf
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) July 9, 2022
Nikhazy has a reputation as a relentless competitor, something showcased heavily during Ole Miss’ 2021 College World Series run when he was featured multiple times by Rob Friedman, AKA @PitchingNinja. He’s also reportedly a sponge when it comes to taking instruction and learning how to be a better pitcher, something that could help him find ways to be more effective despite below-average stuff going forward. Like Jack Leftwich in my number 28 spot, Nikhazy is getting the opportunity to be a starter for now and work out the kinks with the rest of his arsenal and his command, but it’s the reliever upside that bumps him up a few spots on the list.
If Nikhazy is able to throw strikes more consistently going forward he should be able to get hitters to chase more, which would improve his already impressive 28.3% K%. The pieces are all there, and it’s not unheard of for Cleveland’s player development staff to find a few ticks of velocity, something that might make Nikhazy a legitimate threat. I’ll be monitoring Nikhazy’s usage in 2023 for better command and if the team slides him into the bullpen. Either way, the Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC will work its magic.
Undisciplined. Unorganized. Directionless. Soft. These are words that have characterized the Joe Woods era of the defense. In the 3 years that was supposed to be a defense transforming from a bottom dweller to a destructive defensive unit, they have been the ones that have self-destructed. From blown coverage, finger-pointing, and outbursts to the media this was a talented unit that seemed more like a rudderless ship capsizing into the depths of its incompetence. A change was very necessary as Joe Woods was fired as they got off the bus from their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in early January, which commenced a search for a defensive coordinator that would both command respect and be competent. Enter Jim Schwartz.
On the surface, his 4-3 base defense might look familiar, but don’t mistake that as a copy-paste approach. Schwartz when talking to the press emphasized how in the modern NFL, the defensive line wins games. While Joe Woods put a lot of importance on trying to cover ground in the passing game, Schwartz’s belief is that stopping the pass starts and ends with the pass rush.
Jim Schwartz: "A devasting pass rush goes a long way. You can create turnovers off of pass rush. If you can rush with four, it allows your blitz game to be so much more effective because you start blitzing on your terms as opposed to on the offense’s terms. #Browns
— P.J. ZIEGLER (@PJFOX8) January 18, 2023
That has been his calling card for the past 20+ years, that he’s gotten production out of his defensive lines which he tries to scheme up one-on-ones for his star defensive players. Myles Garrett, who was double-teamed the most out of anyone in the NFL, should greatly benefit from this change as he’ll finally be the focal point on the defense.
Another aspect of Schwartz’s defense is the use of man coverage. This has been a complaint from Browns fans since many believe the best use of Greg Newsome and Denzel Ward is that they are very good man corners, while in Woods’s defenses ran a good amount of zone.
I will write up some bigger angles on Schwartz's defense by the end of the week. One thing is noticeable (outside of the DT stuff we all know).
Eagles' use of man coverage under Schwartz (NFL rank):
2017: 8th
2018: 17th
2019: 7th
2020: 5thWoods was 27th, 28th, 23rd https://t.co/rVZo6dmfPq
— Jake Burns (@jake_burns18) January 17, 2023
This was clearly apparent all last year that it felt like the team was not playing to its strengths. It was a coach in Woods that wanted to play a certain style but failed to grasp what made his players the best versions of themselves. That lack of flexibility to change and be accountable is what sealed Woods’s fate. This will be the plan for Schwartz as he tries to give a voice and empower his best players to play at a premier level next season. Building the trust between the players and coaches that was lost will be a priority for Schwartz who believes that it is desperately needed for this all to work.
Browns DC Jim Schwartz: If you can help players, they'll listen. And if you're coming from an honest spot, they'll take it. Establishing trust is job No. 1
— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) January 18, 2023
This is something that is also good for Brown’s head coach Kevin Stefanski. Schwartz is a lot like a presidential running mate that Stefanski hand-picked to hit all the demographics. Even though Schwartz aligns with Stefanski’s philosophies he gives off the impression that he is an old-school football guy, and his background reflects it. Even though he has an economics degree from Georgetown and was one of the pioneers of the analytics movement in football, he has the fiery style that gives him an edge and wins him brownie points for fans. it also helps that his coaching career started in the same halls in Berea that once were home to Bill Belichick, he was one of the famous “slappys” that would do all the grunt work so that is another plus. He even was giving funny anecdotes in the “turkey sandwich story” in which he accidentally stole the last turkey sandwich from Belichick and feared he wouldn’t be welcomed back. Whether this was by design or by accident, he is a palette cleanser from Kevin’s more even-keeled demeanor and gives Browns fans the more “personable” and “human” touch they might be looking for.
Obviously, this can all just be the honeymoon phase clouding my mind. We are in mid-January, after all, where winning press conferences have been a tradition unlike any other in Northeast Ohio. I know you might think I’m drinking the kool-aid and putting too much stock in what might be said but I do believe in his approach. It shouldn’t take a brain scientist to make this defense competent. With stars Garrett, Ward, Newsome, and others, having an adult in the room as the defensive coordinator should be enough to make them a well-rounded defense. That is what I believe Schwartz to be, with his resume and his super bowl ring there should be a level of expectation that he’ll make the defense everything we have been waiting for.
The Cleveland Browns kicked off their offseason by firing defensive coordinator Joe Woods. Cleveland interviewed a handful of candidates over the last week since the firing of Woods. A little over a week later, the Browns announced that they have hired Jim Schwartz to be their new defensive coordinator. The veteran coach has experience as both a head coach and a coordinator. So, what can we expect from Schwartz?
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns hiring Jim Schwartz as the new defensive coordinator on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. Joe and Taylor gave their thoughts on the hiring process and their initial opinions on the new coordinator. They also talked about the impact this hire has on the roster along with a lot more surrounding the addition of Schwartz. Take a listen!
I want to do something a little different with this introduction and play some Indians/Guardians trivia. I’ll list the names below this paragraph, so let’s begin. Since 2010, how many pitchers that the Cleveland Indians/Guardians have signed as free agents have started a game for the team? Bonus points if you can come up with close to half of the names, but it’s definitely a thinker. Are you ready for the answer?
Seven total free-agent signees of the Cleveland Indians/Guardians have started at least one game for them since 2010. The list is as follows, as well as the number of starts:
– Scott Kazmir (29)
– Jefry Rodriguez (8)
– Shaun Marcum (6)
– Brett Myers (4)
– Bruce Chen (2)
– Chris Seddon (2)
– Bryan Shaw (2)
That’s a grand total of 53 starts in 12 seasons, over 1900 games played by Cleveland that have been started by a pitcher not born of their system or acquired via trade. Sure, we can play the “question spending” card if you really want to, but I would counter with this: if the Guardians can identify and develop talent so well that 97.3% of their games in a span of 12 years were started by players they drafted or traded for, do you really need to spend on pitching? It’s a testament to just how great the player development program I’ve been praising really is.
All of this brings us to my number 23 prospect in the Guardians farm system, 24-year-old right-handed pitcher Tanner Burns. Burns was selected in the first round by Cleveland in the 2020 draft out of Auburn, and at the time was the highest draft pick the Guardians had used on a college arm since taking Drew Pomeranz fifth overall in 2010. I could keep going with random unrelated facts, but let’s get into Burns as a pitcher and what he is to the Guardians’ farm system.
Burns played all of 2022, his second season in the organization, with Double-A Akron, making 21 starts for the Rubberducks. He compiled a record of 3-7 over 88.2 innings pitched with a 3.55 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 45 walks, 92 strikeouts, and a 5.12 FIP. The ERA and strikeouts (23.7% of batters faced) jump out as positives, but some of the other numbers raise some eyebrows. The answers to Burns’ on-field performance lie more in his general makeup than any one glaring flaw.
Strong start tonight for #Guardians 23yr old RHP prospect Tanner Burns tonight for Akron as he strikes out 8 over 5.2 innings of work allowing just 1 run against Harrisburg.
Line – 5.2(IP) 5H 1R 1ER 4BB 8SO (92 Pitches 59 Strikes)@TannerBurns_7 @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/JO5DaTHVWe
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 11, 2022
Burns utilizes a four-pitch mix of fastball, slider, curveball, and changeup. The fastball sits in the low-to-mid 90s, the slider may end up being a plus offering, and the curveball and changeup are effective when Burns is throwing strikes. That last bit is the key. Burns’ command is pretty inconsistent through his first 39 Minor League starts, resulting in a 10.5% BB% between High-A Lake County and Akron, but when he’s on he throws all four pitches for strikes and backs it up with a 26% K% in the same span.
Good slider last night from Tanner Burns.
He has that hybrid cutter/slider where the cutter is up in the zone 86-88 and the slider style is 80-83 low in the zone.
Captains manager Greg DiCenzo said Burns was trying to vary sequencing last night, led to deep counts, early exit pic.twitter.com/CcZPscsoAV
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) June 19, 2021
Self-inflicted wounds worry me the most with Burns, and it’s the main reason he’s sliding in the wrong direction on my top 30. Burns walked 9.2% of the batters he faced with a FIP of 4.35 in 2021 and 11.6% of batters with a 5.12 FIP in 2022. Despite the good strikeout numbers Burns has outperformed his FIP so far but hasn’t shown consistent signs of improvement with both of those numbers increasing in 2022. Sure, you can expect some fluctuation since he was playing at a more advanced level, but those numbers will catch up to him sooner rather than later unless he makes some serious improvements in his command.
I understand the appeal of Burns, he had a first-round pedigree out of college and the upside has always been a back-of-the-rotation innings eater, but unless he reigns in the walks and gives up fewer hard-hit fly balls then Burns will have trouble sticking anywhere in the organization. The Guardians have historically done more with less, and though he was a little old for his level in 2022 it was just his second season of professional ball. I’m willing to see how Burns performs in the first half of 2023 before bumping him entirely from the list, but he fell quite a few places from where I initially put him. I look forward to his 2025 Cy Young campaign.
The List so Far:24. Joe Lampe
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
Remember a few weeks ago when I said I was going to start a new series and then didn’t? Just me? That checks out. I started my Wednesday Wraparound series with the hope and promise of an idealistic small business owner popping up their food truck in front of the middle of the strip mall parking lot…and then no one came. Except it was me that didn’t arrive last week, but I am here today, so imagine this post as the one and only Keith Lee answering the call from Frankenson’s and changing it all around…just very much more low-key on it.1 Without further ado, your Wednesday Wraparound
OMG OkoroCavaliers
When the season started, Isaac Okoro was in the starting lineup on the wing. Okoro was heralded as a 3-and-D guy, but to that point in his career, he wasn’t quite so much from the 3. Everyone expected a pump-up in volume type performance being surrounded by past and would-be All-Stars, imagining that not being tasked with so much of the scoring load like last year would be beneficial and all that was asked of him was to stand in the corner and hit corner threes. Well, the season started… and he missed his first 12(!!) attempts from deep. He would have been scuttled to the bench, but Darius Garland’s eye injury kept him in the starting five.
It’s been a roller-coaster season for Okoro, in and out of the starting lineup for different combinations of Caris LeVert, Dean Wade, and Lamar Stevens once Garland returned to health, but we seem to be coming out of the muck and mire with the third-year player. He’s reworked his shot on the fly and been able to provide stellar defense on the opponent’s best backcourt players, allowing for Garland and Donovan Mitchell to conserve energy for offense.
Cavs don't win without Okoro's constant D on McCollum, who scored pretty easily except when Okoro was guarding him
the pièce de résistance is Okoro frustrating McCollum so much here that CJ got called for a technical, not ideal in the final 2 minutes of a potential comeback https://t.co/6uLItEPj5J pic.twitter.com/Tme6d5nnbS
— Bowser2Bowser (@bowser2bowser) January 16, 2023
If Okoro can keep up with this offensive performance, the front office can explore deals at the trade deadline to look for more depth rather than a starting wing. If you want cold hard numbers as to how good Ice has been of late, this is pretty much all you need to know: almost 50% from 3 is Steph Curry-esque.
Cavs' Isaac Okoro's season splits:
First 32 games: 41.4 FG%, 22.4 3P%, 4.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, 0.7 assists
Last 13 games: 54.4 FG%, 48.4 3P%, 8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists
Cavs are 16-5 this season when Okoro plays 20+ minutes, 12-12 when under 20.
— Greg Swartz (@GregSwartzBR) January 17, 2023
What’s Next?: Cavs play tonight in Memphis, but lead scorer Donovan Mitchell is questionable to even make the trip with a strained groin. Okoro might need to carry a bit more of the scoring load.
Browns find their Lone Starr2Browns
If you are reading this, undoubtedly you have heard that the Browns found their replacement for deposed Joe Woods and hired Jim Schwartz to be the team’s new defensive coordinator. As I mentioned in yesterday’s discussion piece here on Waiting For Next Year, Brian Flores was my first pick for DC, but Schwartz was my 1b. I have always liked Flores and thought he got a rough shake at Miami, as it has proven he did, and I was hoping that Cleveland would be the next stop on his “rehabilitation tour” around the league. Schwartz is a pleasant “consolation” prize, a guy who has had success as a DC in the league, winning a Super Bowl with the Eagles in 2017 in the role. As #BrownsTwitter found out yesterday, he is a numbers guy3 but also is known for his fiery temperament and should act as a nice counterpoint to head coach Kevin Stefanski’s Mr. Rogers schtick.
Why is Schwartz a good pick? As much as I hate the diatribe around base defense, he is a 4-3 guy, meaning Myles Garrett will not be standing up and will continue to wreak havoc on quarterbacks with his hand in the dirt. His “Wide 9” technique is well-known and will help unlock even more of Garrett’s game. He does employ two interior defensive linemen and so, as mentioned in the discussion piece linked above, expect the Browns to expend lots of capital, whether it be dollars or draft, on the DT position. Getting that push inside helps allow for the ends to be as wide as they are with clear lines to the opposing quarterback, but also expect Garrett and holdovers Alex Wright and Isaiah Thomas to be moved around and inside the line as well. Imagine a roly-poly offensive guard having to try to guard Myles as he spins and shoots through the middle. Love the hire, love the fit.
What’s next?: Watching the Super Bowl?
Progressive Field gets trendierGuardians
Hey, something to write about the Guardos! I wish it was the acquisition of Bryan Reynolds, but I’ll settle for some stadium talk. The Guardians unveiled their new plans for the renovations to their aged facilities, highlighted by a new fit for the Terrace Hub, new open-air seating and mezzanine sections in left and right field, and also grab-and-go stations in the upper deck areas. The grab-and-go stations are where fans can grab a Pepsi product and a bag of peanuts at will and make it back to their seats before the player you like hits a home run and you miss it because your wife made you go with her to get said drink despite your pleas to stay in your seat so you can watch the home team at bat.4
The future of Progressive Field is here. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/0GV378FKRO
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) January 12, 2023
The proposed plans in right field will do away with a lot of the “shipping containers” that were part of renovations three times back, and will allow for more of a fun feeling to the game for locals and the youths. Many have been #madonline about losing seating or making it so the stadium is more “nightlife” than “night at the ballpark” but the sport in general and Cleveland more specifically is losing fans due to the lack of connection points. The changes being made to the park allow for less of a stuck-in-your-seat feel, something that I as a parent of two small children appreciates. The Corner section and SRO seating in right field made a ballgame way more accessible for 20-somethings that don’t want to have to shimmy through seating every time they want a beer and the team sees the traffic in that area. It’s good for the organization to get people into the seats, regardless of whether it’s a park bench in the upper deck in right or a row behind home plate, and they have also said that all of the renovations going forward are not going to impact the already low seating number for the stadium. Change in this regard is good and opens up the game to more fans, which in case you didn’t put two and two together, means more funny money for the club to spend.
What’s Next?: Pitchers and catchers report in 30 days. It’s coming y’all.
- If you still have TikTok despite the China user data issues, please give Keith Lee a follow. Wholesomeness to the T, and it will make you hungry and wish you lived in Las Vegas.
- It’s a SpaceBalls reference, give me a break.
- READ: he does the Cleveland boogeyman word, “analytics”
- Yes, this happened to me. I missed a Franmil dinger live and in action.
The Cleveland Browns have hired Jim Schwartz to be their next defensive coordinator. The former Detroit Lions head coach is from the Bill Belichick and Nick Saban defensive tree, so let’s see what the WFNY staff thinks about this hire.
Editor’s note: conversation has been slightly edited for brevity.
Do we like this hire? Valentino: Wow. All the talk yesterday was that the Seattle guy had a phenomenal interview and Breer saying that Flores was the favorite. Did anyone have Schwartz getting the gig? * Schnitkey: I’ll go on record as really liking this hire. Schwartz is really thought highly of as a DC and he brings a ton of experience and success at that job. * Milner: He’s been doing for 20+ years so he has the expertise and probably will be helpful for Stefanksi. * Jedrzjek: Schwartz feels like the high-floor pick. * Gerberry*: Flores was No. 1 but Schwartz was 1b.
What does this hire mean scheme-wise? Bode: His gap-dependent contain run defense will be interesting if we don’t upgrade DT (which I think we will). He has really interesting pass rush concepts. * Schnitkey: The question is whether or not he can get on the same page with Myles. Everything will depend on how much buy-in he gets from Garrett. * Milner: He should because Schwartz claim to fame is the defensive line. He’ll make Myles the focal point which is what we want. * Gerberry: FA dollars will definitely be paid for iDL. * Bode: Schwartz is really different than Woods. I think that can be a good thing. Playing a lot of single-high is going to be jarring to some fans. Remember that he deploys it as “the look” but that doesn’t mean it is what the defense is playing (his concept is that you can play multiple hybrid coverages if you start from that look). I’m REALLY interested in how this affects Ward. One of the key concepts that Schwartz does is he leaves one CB on an island, completely. And, he has to not let the offense know who that is. I think Newsome thrives there… and, I think that suits Ward if he returns to his pre-2022 self (Emerson less so… he might actually fit better as the float safety but I guess we’ll have to see). * Gerberry: How far back will Jabrill Peppers be? I like Emerson and he did well last year, but I’d go with the pedigree of Ward/Newsome as 1st round talents and try to play to their strengths than a 3rd rounder that is younger. * Milner*: Martin will probably find a role that works, but Greg and Ward are gonna be the stars of the show in the secondary.
What about the analytics versus football-guy stuff? Where does Schwartz fall? Jedrzejek: Carman and Lima chanting “He’s not a nerd!” after the hire… lol. * Milner: I’m so over the jokes. Andrew Berry and Stefanksi played football, they just so happened to be at Ivy League schools. * Bode: Schwartz talks with Football Outsiders, so he is a nerd? Oh no, he earned Distinguished Economics Graduate Honors at Georgetown! * Milner: Nah, he’s a football guy so he’ll whip those nerds into shape. * Bode: He might be the perfect optics hire… he looks and talks like a football barbarian… he has the acumen of the Ivy guys. * Milner: Yeah, this narrative is dumb because if these coaches aren’t smart than what are we doing? I’m sure if there’s a mic’d segment of Schwartz people will love it. * Jedrzejek*: Why does this particular Browns team feel like a perfect topic for HBO’s Hard Knocks?
Seth goes solo to discuss the Cavs’ disappointing five-game road trip, Isaac Okoro’s hot stretch at the small forward position, Kevin Love’s struggles in January, and a look at the Cavs’ All-Star odds.
The seventh installment in my Cleveland Guardians top 30 prospect list feels like a great time to remind those of you still reading, and frankly myself, that prospects are nearly impossible to predict. On top of that I’m just some guy who really likes the Guardians, but that doesn’t stop me from getting attached to and excited about certain prospects. Sometimes there’s little reason for it. There are times when you just really like a player and no matter what you’ve read, you’re always going to defend and follow that player.
Sometimes you can find yourself reading nothing but good things about one of these players, and it quickly becomes confirmation bias. You double down on players, convinced they’re just one adjustment or a decent season away from breaking out. It’s hard to let go when those players don’t pan out, but that’s just probability since there’s thousands of prospects and only 780 open jobs each season. Most recently it was Tyler Naquin for me. I was convinced he was going to be the next great Guardians outfielder, and some of his brightest moments made it even more difficult when the team moved on from him.
My number 24 prospect in the Guardians system is going to be more of the latter description of my attachment to prospects, and my fixation this time is on outfielder Joe Lampe. Lampe, 22, was a third round pick of the Guardians in the 2022 MLB draft out of Arizona State following two seasons with the Sun Devils. Alright, maybe by now you’ve looked him up on FanGraphs and maybe you’re wondering “okay Ethan, why are you so attached to a player who’s only got three professional games under his belt?”
Well, everything I can find and consume about Lampe all points to a player with a floor of at least a fourth outfielder at the Major League level. Even as I’m writing this I’m wondering why I have him ranked 24th, but let’s discuss his collegiate career and tools, then I’ll attempt to pump the brakes and justify where I currently have him ranked.
JOE. KNOWS.
Two-out, two-run shot for Lampe. Devils score four in B8.
Peery in to close. pic.twitter.com/PD3prDYbaP
— Sun Devil Baseball (@ASU_Baseball) April 16, 2022
In Lampe’s two seasons with the Sun Devils, he showed marked improvement year over year, and earned his fair share of accolades. During the 2021 season he slashed .294/.383/.461 in 55 games, collecting 13 doubles, four home runs and six stolen bases while drawing 21 walks (7.8% BB%) and striking out 27 times (12.4% K%). He also earned Pac 12 All-Defensive Team honors and a nomination for an ABCA/Rawlings Gold Glove for his defensive efforts in his sophomore season.
Lampe played 57 games as a junior, flaunting an improved .340/.394/.590 triple slash. He tallied a career-best 37 extra base hits that included 22 doubles and 12 home runs, swiped 17 bags, and maintained his plate discipline numbers with 22 walks (7.8% BB%) and 30 strikeouts (10.6% K%). The extra efforts earned Lampe Perfect Game Third-Team All-American honors for the 2022 collegiate season. Lampe’s power surge was reportedly dominantly pull-side from the left-handed batter’s box, which shouldn’t be a problem in the grand scheme of things.
So, we have an outfielder with excellent plate vision and discipline, elite speed to both be a threat on the base paths and stick in center field, contact skills, and growing power. What’s wrong with him? The answer is not much, really. Lampe’s floor has high upside as a fourth outfielder already, and if he grows into some more power and can draw some extra walks he’s the perfect prototype for a threat at the top of the order in an every day lineup.
Joe Lampe of @ASU_Baseball scored on a sacrifice fly tonight. The impressive thing is he started on second base. The kid can absolutely fly pic.twitter.com/Ed7pnkOEpB
— Stephen Schoch (@bigdonkey47) April 24, 2022
Every time I say that it seems too simplistic. Lampe had a 129 point jump in his slugging percentage between 2021 and 2022, but it’s worth noting he played 32 games for the Cape Cod League between those seasons and mustered just two extra base hits in 137 plate appearances in his first taste of wooden bats. He did on the other hand lead the league in walks (21) and on-base percentage (.416) that summer. The Cape Cod League isn’t a direct prediction of players transitioning to professional ball, it just seems worth mentioning as something to keep an eye on.
Lampe is very toolsy and fairly polished for a college player, and that’s why I’m so high on him in general. However, I have him at 24th simply because I want to see how he handles his first full season with Lynchburg before I jump the gun too much. If he displays the abilities he did in college early with the Hillcats then I expect Lampe to move up this list quite a few spaces when we revisit it at the All-Star Break. We know what he can do, and to take the next step to being a legitimate prospect involves finding some more power and channeling the strong plate vision and discipline into more walks, but those things aren’t a given. Even if Lampe doesn’t push his ceiling the Guardians found a gem, and I’ll be excited to see what he can do in more than three games in the minors.
The List so far:
25. Isaiah Greene
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
For what feels like a decade Cleveland’s outfield has been a sore subject outside of a few select players. Michael Brantley, half of an Oscar Mercado season, a Rajai Davis home run for the ages, and a few bright Taylor Naquin moments feel the most noteworthy among a sea of veteran signings that didn’t pan out alongside Bradley Zimmer and Daniel Johnson. However, the winds of change started blowing along the shores of Lake Erie at the 2021 Trade Deadline when Cleveland acquired center fielder Myles Straw from the Houston Astros.
The 2022 season would continue to alleviate the fan base’s woes when Steven Kwan and Oscar Gonzalez burst onto the scene to help the Guardians win the AL Central manning the corner outfield spots, and there’s more outfield help just below the surface. Though for my 25th ranked prospect you’ll have to dig a little further into the system, back to the Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats to find outfielder Isaiah Greene.
Greene came to Cleveland from the New York Mets in January of 2021 along with Amed Rosario, Andres Gimenez and Josh Wolf in return for shortstop Francisco Lindor. He was a second round pick by the Mets from Corona High School in California, and signed for a bonus of $850,000 to go pro instead of playing college baseball for Missouri. Greene had only attended instructional ball with the Mets and got his first taste of affiliate ball when he joined the Guardians for the 2021 Minor League season.
Guardians 21yr old OF prospect Isaiah Greene had a nice day at the plate for Lynchburg going (2-4 R 2B SB) in their game one loss to Charleston in the Carolina League Championship series.@Isaiah24greene @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/FPcEXpG4VK
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 19, 2022
Greene played 114 games for the Hillcats in 2022 slashing .226/.393/.340 with 14 doubles, four home runs, 97 walks (20.4% BB%), 114 strikeouts (23.9% K%), 39 stolen bases and a 117 wRC+. Alright, there’s a lot to unpack there. The then 20-year-old displayed somewhat advanced plate discipline and awareness with a walk rate over 20%, and paired a .393 on-base percentage with dangerous speed on the base paths. His .314 BABIP is counterintuitive to his .226 batting average, but his near-elite speed and 49.8% ground ball rate in 2022 suggest he can beat out his fair share of infield grounders.
Greene is raw in almost every sense of the word. His swing relies more on pure athleticism rather than mechanics, and his speed has helped him mask questionable decisions on the base paths. He’s even noted to be a sub-optimal route runner in center field, which paired with his average arm might force him to a corner outfield spot if he doesn’t improve his tracking. Yet Greene put up some ridiculous numbers despite needing, well, quite a bit of instruction. Although the speed may be his best tool there’s reason to believe Greene is plenty malleable.
Greene has the potential for more power, but he’s better served tuning his left-handed stroke to focus on line drives where he can make the most of his speed. Depending on where you look Greene’s power grades out between 30 and 60 on the 20/80 scale, which leaves a ton of room for variation, but it’s easy to salivate over the idea of 20 home runs and 40-plus stolen bases. It’s a long shot, and considering the snags involved in re-educating Greene how to swing a bat those power projections may be optimistic, but all 6 foot 1 and 180 pounds of him suggests he could still add some muscle to the frame and naturally grow into a few more home runs.
Indians OF prospect Isaiah Greene shows some quick bat speed on this single but gets a little too aggressive trying to stretch a single into a double#OurCLE pic.twitter.com/IZ34YAMZGa
— Prospects Worldwide (@ProspectsWorldW) September 17, 2021
Like Jake Fox, his Hillcat teammate before him on this list, Greene has a long path to development. He’ll enter his age-21 season likely as a member of High-A Lake County where Greene will continue to flesh out his swing mechanics and hopefully grow as a defender. He’s not eligible for the Rule 5 Draft until December of 2024 so there’s plenty of time to mold Greene, and he shouldn’t face much competition for playing time in the lower levels. Greene is much less polished than almost every other entry in my top 30, but his theoretical ceiling might be higher than several of his peers.
The List so far:
26. Jake Fox
27. Jhonkensy Noel
28. Jack Leftwich
29. Trenton Denholm
30. Peyton Battenfield
The fellas at WFNY try a new format and go snake drafting their top 2022 Cleveland sports moments. Listen in as the WFNY crew goes from strategy to sentimental thinking about their favorite moments of 2022.
What say you, Cleveland? Where did your favorite 2022 moment get drafted? Listen here to see where the guys selected walk-off homers, record-scoring performances, and a controversy that stunned the nation.
FOX Sports’ John Fanta joins the WFNY airwaves. We discuss all things Cleveland, including his first Cleveland sports memory and what his first move would be if he were running the Browns.
Follow John (@John_Fanta) @TheFieldof68, hosting the Big East Shootaround, and watch his great broadcast and reporting work on FOX College Hoops (@CBBONFOX).
When we talked about Jhonkensy Noel I got to mention Cleveland’s philosophical shift in player development, prioritizing contact over most other tools. It was a vague umbrella statement, so let me expand on that a little. When I say the Guardians target players with good contact skills I’m referring to players with strong hand-eye coordination, plate discipline, and bat-to-ball skills. Typically those skills are difficult to teach, but Cleveland identifies players who possess those abilities innately and build up prospects from there.
This change in scouting and development occurred around 2016, and the first wave of those position players are starting to make some noise. Steven Kwan finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2022 and is the best example the Guardians have to date, but the likes of Will Brennan, Richie Palacios, and Tyler Freeman all debuted last season touting similar offensive profiles.
My 26th-ranked Guardians prospect is Jake Fox, a second baseman and outfielder out of Lakeland Christian High School in Florida, who fits the Guardians’ new identity perfectly. Cleveland drafted Fox in the third round of the 2021 MLB draft and signed the teenager to an over-slot bonus of $850,000 to lure him away from a commitment to play for the University of Florida. He’s advanced for his age and came out firing in the Complex League when he hit .405/.469/.429 with seven stolen bases and a 146 wRC+ in 13 games when he was just 18.
Fox spent all of 2022, his age-19 season, with Cleveland’s Low-A affiliate the Lynchburg Hillcats. If Fox was ever intimidated by jumping from high school to pro ball, he never showed it in his first full professional season. Over 104 games Fox slashed .247/.381/.374 with 25 doubles, five home runs, 74 walks (15.7% BB%), 90 strikeouts (19.1% K%), a 118 wRC+ and 21 stolen bases. He managed to add some power to his 6 foot frame, totaling 34 extra base hits as a teenager in the low minors.
Jake Fox gets @LynHillcats on the board with an RBI 1B pic.twitter.com/DhRxkB2eXO
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) April 13, 2022
Those numbers are incredible for a 19-year-old, especially the plate discipline, and there’s plenty of intrigue around Fox’s full potential. To reach that potential however Fox’s swing will need to be addressed. There’s a hitch in Fox’s left-handed swing, essentially an extra motion of the hands or arms that occurs while in loading or stride. Some players have been successful with a hitch, including the likes of Albert Pujols and Gary Sheffield, but oftentimes can limit players to just their hand and forearm strength instead of their full body. If the movement is slight enough it can be used to keep rhythm and timing in the batter’s box, but in Fox’s case it seems the motion is enough he found himself falling behind his first taste of professional pitching at times.
Fox has impressive upside for his relatively average tools. He was drafted as a shortstop, but moved to second base thanks in part to a pedestrian arm, but his speed is seemingly his best tool early on. In 117 professional games so far Fox has swiped 28 bags in 31 attempts. The speed could be game changing for Fox both on the base paths and in the outfield where he played 31 games in center field for the Hillcats. With the glut of middle infield prospects there’s those who believe that with his plus speed Fox is capable of covering ground quickly and could transition to the outfield full time even with an average arm.
Love this angle of Cleveland’s 2021 third-rounder Jake Fox singling to right!
The 18 year-old has a .400 AVG in his first 8 pro games, per @indiansPro
pic.twitter.com/mJWlJdQlyX
— Farm To Fame (@FarmToFame_) September 8, 2021
I have plenty of positive things to say about Fox, he’s demonstrated already that he has a very respectable floor, but there’s he’ll have a longer development path than others within the organization. It’s unclear how high the ceiling can reach, but based on early returns I’m confident Fox has the talent to be an MLB regular with the wheels to impact games as a late pinch runner, but he’ll have to find a true home in the field. He’ll need to show steady growth at every level, where he’ll likely be among the youngest players at each stop.
Fox should make the jump to High-A Lake County this season, and the Guardians should have no reason to rush him. He’ll turn 20 just before the season starts, and with the logjam of middle infielders in the upper minors there’s no reason to promote him beyond Lake County this coming season unless he forces the club’s hand. He’ll have plenty of time to fine-tune the mechanics and enough playing time to figure out where he’ll end up defensively. For 2023 we’ll want to see if Fox has made any noticeable changes to his swing, if he’s added any power, if that power comes at the cost of his plate discipline numbers, and where he’ll spend most of his time in the field. He’s the second youngest player in my top 30, and I look forward to seeing what Fox does next.
The List so far:No. 27: Jhonkensy Noel
No. 28: Jack Leftwich
No. 29: Trenton Denholm
No. 30: Peyton Battenfield
Let’s talk about power, something the Cleveland Guardians could have used a bit more of in 2022. Cleveland finished the season with a cumulative total of 127 home runs, good for 29th in baseball, and over half of that total was generated by Jose Ramirez, Josh Naylor, and Andres Gimenez. In fact, only two other Guardians — Amed Rosario and Oscar Gonzalez — eclipsed the 10 home run plateau.
Now, power isn’t everything, and the Guardians found other ways to generate offense. A combination of contact-oriented hitters and aggressive baserunning that tormented opponents was Cleveland’s primary means of run production. This identity is an organization-wide shift in philosophy over the better part of the past decade. Similar to how the Guardians prioritize command in pitchers, the scouting and development departments prioritize position players with excellent contact skills believing they can add power or improve other tools in the process.
The blueprint is an excellent idea, and it started to pay dividends in 2022 in the likes of Steven Kwan, Tyler Freeman, and Will Brennan, but this brand of baseball isn’t without its flaws. Without the ability to sway a game with a single swing of the bat Cleveland’s offense appeared impotent at times, floundering collectively as a lineup. Sometimes you just need a player who is a constant threat to clear the fence in any situation. So does Cleveland have any power waiting in the wings?
Jhonkensy Noel could potentially be a well of power for the Guardians lineup in the not-so-distant future, and checks in as my 27th-ranked Guardians prospect. Noel, 21, signed with Cleveland as a member of the 2017 international Free Agent class out of the Dominican Republic. To the surprise of some, he was added to Cleveland’s 40-man roster after his age-20 season in 2021. The organization clearly sees something in Noel, choosing to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft having never played above than High-A Lake County at the time.
Noel is an imposing sight in the right-handed batter’s box, checking in at 6 foot 3 inches and 250 pounds, and he hits for 70-grade power to match the frame. The mammoth strength was on full display in 2022 as Noel slashed .229/.310/.489 across three levels with 26 doubles, 32 home runs — tied for 5th across all of Minor League Baseball — and a 114 wRC+ with 49 walks (8.9% BB%) and 150 strikeouts (27.4%). He raised some eyebrows when he was promoted from Lake County to Double-A Akron after slashing just .219/.286/.589 with a 31.7% K% in 62 games, but played his best baseball with the Rubberducks, posting a .242/.338/.488 triple slash, a 123 wRC+, a 10.8% BB% and cutting the K% back to 22.7% over his next 67 games.
here’s one of my favorite baseball players: Jhonkensy Noel pic.twitter.com/he3YHO2QR6
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) July 16, 2022
The numbers, while not the most exciting, are still impressive for a 21-year-old, especially one that jumped from High-A to Triple-A in just one season, all while leading the organization with 60 extra-base hits. I do, however, have two causes for concern with Noel, and perhaps they will shed some light on why I’m lower on the slugger than others.
The first is the Guardians have been burned by the power-hitter profile in recent seasons. Bobby Bradley and Franmil Reyes touted similar power upside with high strikeout rates and low walk rates, but neither could outweigh the negatives in their respective games and now neither is with the organization. Noel’s young, it’s far too soon to drop the curtain on his development and I’m not advocating for that. Noel will need to prove he’s different as he faces better pitching in the upper minors. Both Bradley and Reyes own career strikeout rates north of 30%. Noel will need to prove he can handle Major League caliber pitching, especially breaking balls and off-speed offerings, while hopefully displaying more of the discipline he showed in Akron last season.
JHONKENSY NOEL LANDS ONE ON THE ROOF.
This dude is unreal. pic.twitter.com/n1xmHcj7U4
— Akron RubberDucks (@AkronRubberDuck) July 3, 2022
The second concern for Noel is he’s currently a man without a position. He signed as a third baseman with the Guardians, advertised as having a strong arm, but lacked the twitch and range to man the hot corner in the low minors. As he climbed the farm system in 2022 the club experimented with Noel largely as a corner outfielder — presumably to still make the most of his arm — as well as a first baseman.
There’s value to a good designated hitter, but in order for Noel to be a true DH, the rest of his offensive production would need to improve significantly to justify him occupying a spot in the Guardians lineup nearly every day. It will be integral to Noel’s future with the Guardians, one the team believed as recently as 2021 he was a part of, that he becomes at least a near-league average fielder alongside what he brings at the plate. Personally, I believe Cleveland has an organizational need for first basemen, and Noel’s start as a third baseman should translate to first base in theory. Still, it’s by no means an easy position to learn.
Noel had a four-game cup of coffee with Triple-A Columbus to end 2022, and will likely begin 2023 right back there. He’ll join a Clippers outfield of George Valera, Chris Roller, and recent signee Roman Quinn seeking to grab near-everyday reps in a corner outfield spot. We’ll be looking for growth as a defender, either at first base or in the outfield, as well as monitoring the strikeouts and walks as Noel acclimates to upper minors pitching. It seems unfair to say, but 2023 feels like a prove-it year for Noel. Despite the fact he’ll turn 22 in the upcoming season there’s a sense of urgency about Noel since he’s already a member of the 40-man roster and he’ll be on the younger side of Triple-A, but 2023 will be a strong barometer for how his future will play out.
The Cleveland Browns lost the season finale to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14. With the loss, the Browns end the season with a 7-10 record and another season with no playoffs. It was a fitting finale to a season with a lot of disappointment and frustration. The team suffered a lot of mistakes that plagued them throughout the entire year. But, the loss now means we head to another offseason of questions and adjustments.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns losing in the season finale to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14, in the last WFNY BrownsCast postgame show of the season. The two talked about the loss and all that went into it. Joe and Taylor also previewed the offseason and much more in the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. Take a listen!
Well, it’s over. The Cleveland Browns lost the season finale to the Pittsburgh Steelers, 28-14. With the loss, the Browns end the season with a 7-10 record and another season with no playoffs. The game was pretty much a microcosm of the entire year. The Browns defense saw miscommunication in the secondary, bad tackling, and a below-average offense scoring 28 points against them. The team overall had a lot of penalties and lost the turnover battle. This game was a fitting end to a very disappointing and frustrating season. Now brings an offseason of change, most likely on the defensive side of the ball. A tradition like no other for this franchise.
Game Stats
Browns TOs: 2
Steelers TOs: 1
Browns’ Penalties: 9 for 65 yards
Steelers’ Penalties: 4 for 20 yards
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: 19 of 29 for 230 yards, 2 TDs, and 2 INTs; 6 carries for 44 yards
Steelers QB Kenny Pickett: 13 of 29 for 195 yards and a TD
Browns RB Nick Chubb: 12 carries for 77 yards; 5 receptions for 45 yards and a TD
Steelers RB Najee Harris: 23 carries for 84 yards and a TD
Browns WR Amari Cooper: 2 receptions for 51 yards
Browns TE David Njoku: 4 receptions for 42 yards and a TD
Steelers WR George Pickens: 3 receptions for 72 yards and a TD
Game Highlights
met him at the
: #CLEvsPIT on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/rX7yrx4vsi— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 8, 2023
DPJ showing off the speed for 38
: #CLEvsPIT on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/lkHCFxsW2q— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 8, 2023
pic.twitter.com/1QFPZ1vQJo
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 8, 2023
That KP GP connection
Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNUAdNa pic.twitter.com/ll5VjoeTcj
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 8, 2023
Ballhawk!
Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNUAdNa pic.twitter.com/aZMxa7msmp
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 8, 2023
Another INT
Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNUAdNa pic.twitter.com/hsaMesgHU8
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 8, 2023
.@ohthatsNajee22 in for 6⃣!
Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/E0NYNUAdNa pic.twitter.com/fe7ZvHjLHO
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) January 8, 2023
escapes the pocket and improvs for 6
: #CLEvsPIT on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/GiSFjkTR63— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 8, 2023
DEREK WATT TD
: #CLEvsPIT on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/Qlv0a3sHpm pic.twitter.com/V2qSWsWEHd— NFL (@NFL) January 8, 2023
The 2022-23 NFL season has been an up-and-down adventure for the Cleveland Browns. It is coming to end with another season with no playoffs at the end. Before we get to the offseason, the Browns have one more game in Week 18 versus the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers are still in the playoff hunt as we get to this season finale matchup, so the motivation will be strong on Pittsburgh’s side. What will that mean for the game?
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek previewed the Cleveland Browns’ season finale matchup vs the Pittsburgh Steelers on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The two first touched on the tragic incident that happened in the Monday Night Football game between the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals. Joe and Taylor also broke down the Browns/Steelers matchup. Take a listen to the show for these topics and much more!
With a pair of right-handed pitchers in Peyton Battenfield and Trenton Denholm under our belts, it’s a great time to change it up and talk about… another pitcher? Well, guess it can’t be helped with Cleveland’s reputation, and the list is nearly half pitchers. We will however continue the trend of college arms drafted by the Guardians who made their professional debuts in 2022. My number 28 prospect is right-handed pitcher Jack Leftwich.
Leftwich, 24, was a 7th-round pick by the Guardians in the 2021 MLB Draft out of the University of Florida. He wasn’t a decorated college arm, more of a swiss army pitcher filling whatever role the Gators needed him to. The righty made 65 appearances (35 starts) over his four collegiate seasons with Florida amassing a record of 20-14 with a 4.25 ERA in 235.1 innings pitched. It wasn’t clear what Cleveland’s intentions were with Leftwich when they first drafted him given he was respectable in any capacity in college, but the Guardians showed their hand as the 2022 Minor League season unfolded.
Leftwich started his professional career with Cleveland’s Low-A affiliate the Lynchburg Hillcats, appearing in 14 games but making just five starts. He posted an ERA of 2.39 with Lynchburg over 60.1 innings pitched and 84 strikeouts to just 10 walks before a promotion to High-A Lake County. It was with the Captains that the Guardians proved willing to give the then-23-year-old a chance at being a starter first. He started all 10 games he appeared in for Lake County with a 4-0 record, 3.12 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 14 walks and a 3.30 FIP to show for it.
Jack Leftwich really had the slider working over 4 scoreless IP yesterday, creating a ton of uncomfortable swings and showed ability to throw in any count.
Back to back outings without an ER or BB with 8 K in 7 IP to start 2022 for the #Guardians 2021 7th-round pick. #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/LP9UAeV17y
— Ian Smith (@FlaSmitty) April 18, 2022
Leftwich’s stint with the Captains is particularly impressive when you consider he was still stretching out into a starter’s workload on the fly, and the drop off at the higher level was minimal. Overall in 2022 he appeared in 24 games (15 starts) while compiling a record of 8-2 covering 109.1 innings pitched, a 2.72 ERA, 24 walks (1.98 BB/9), 140 strikeouts (11.55 K/9), and a Guardians organization leading 0.92 WHIP. Additionally Leftwich was also one of just six pitchers in Minor League Baseball with a K% over 30% (33%) and a BB% below 6% (5.7%) joining organization mate Tanner Bibee on that list. Like Battenfield and Denholm before him, he excelled at keeping the ball in the yard registering a 0.41 HR/9 across both levels and a ground ball rate approaching 50%.
Leftwich possess a big frame at 6 foot 4 inches and weighing in at 220 pounds. He features a three pitch mix with an above average mid-90s fastball, an above average slider and a middling changeup. The slider can be downright nasty when it’s working and plays well off the fastball, but for him to stick as a starter he will need to further develop his changeup. Leftwich has an abbreviated, violent-looking delivery which may be better suited for relief, but mechanics can be refined if the organization prefers him as a starter.
Anyway, getting back to Guardians prospect stuff. Cutting video for the @Official_CGBI 2022 Rookie Prospect of the Year and reminded that Jack Leftwich threw two of these very nasty, bullying sliders this year. pic.twitter.com/Oiap9dLq7j
— Justin L. (@JL_Baseball) October 29, 2022
As far as professional debuts go they don’t get much better than Leftwich’s, and yet his was overshadowed by several other 2022 debuts we will cover later in this list. Going forward it would appear the short term plan is to give him every opportunity to be a starter, but the argument does exist that if he is unable to develop the changeup or a different third offering then Leftwich may profile as a strong setup man in the bullpen with two plus pitches in the fastball and slider.
Leftwich will likely pick up where he left off with Lake County in 2023, and may be in short order for a promotion to Double-A Akron relatively quickly if he repeats or improves upon his 10-game sample with the Captains last season. He has a relatively high floor, and I’d argue an even higher ceiling as reliever than starter, but the Guardians once again appear to have found several gems in the 2021 draft. It’ll be fun to watch if the 2021 draft class has similar returns to Cleveland’s 2016 crop of pitchers, and Leftwich should be on your radars after his first season with the Guardians.
Seth goes solo to discuss the Cavs’ dramatic three-game winning streak, Donovan Mitchell’s once in a decade performance, and a look at the upcoming roadtrip.
Spoiler alert; for the rest of this series there’s going to be a lot of pitchers on this list. It should be no surprise considering the WFNY staff affectionately refers to the player development department in Cleveland as the Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC. Continuing right along from where we left off with Peyton Battenfield is another polished college arm, and a player drafted by the Cleveland Guardians who made his organizational debut in 2022.
Right-handed pitcher Trenton Denholm is my 29th-ranked prospect in the Guardians system. Denholm, a 4-year starter at UC Irvine, was selected by Cleveland in the 14th round of the 2021 MLB Draft and spent the entire 2022 season with the Guardians Low-A affiliate Lynchburg Hillcats. Denholm, the 2019 Big West Pitcher of the Year, decided to return to UC Irvine for a 4th season despite strong performances in 2019 and 2020, including 31.2 innings pitched of 0.00 ERA ball in the Cape Cod League, but saw his draft stock slide when he was roughed up to the tune of a 4.61 ERA in 16 starts for the Anteaters in 2021. Denholm saw his H/9 spike to 10.32 over 82 innings pitched, but kept his home run rates, strikeouts, and walks more or less within his career averages.
2022 was a relatively successful debut for the 23-year-old righty after a tumultuous finish to his collegiate career. Denholm started 23 games for the Hillcats covering 97.2 innings pitched en route to a 5-5 record, a 4.79 ERA, 107 strikeouts, 40 walks, a 1.54 WHIP and a 4.04 FIP. Similar to his last year in college he surrendered a less than ideal 10.19 H/9, but continued to excel at limiting home runs. Denholm posted essentially equal ground ball and fly ball rates (38.6% and 38.3% respectively) and only allowed 0.74 HR/9 (7.5% HR/FB) in 2022.
Guardians 22yr old RHP prospect Trenton Denholm with a terrific start for Lynchburg tonight allowing just 1 run over 6.0 innings while striking out 8 Kannapolis batters.
Line – 6.0(IP) 6H 1R 1ER 0BB 8SO (84 Pitches 57 Strikes)@trent_denholm7 @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/WXgEPH3RsD
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) August 31, 2022
Obviously there’s room for improvement, but as far as professional debut seasons go it was fine, but there’s a blueprint for Denholm just like any other Guardians pitching prospect. It’s easy to say the obvious as a guy who writes about prospects for fun and doesn’t actually pitch, but improving the walk rate and limiting the base hits will go a long way. I know, Captain Obvious reporting for duty, but in Denholm’s case it’s more than just refining a pitch or changing sequencing or approach. There may be physical limitations he has to overcome.
Physically, Denholm is undersized for a pitcher at 5 foot 11 inches and just 180 pounds. He relies more on raw athleticism and command to get by, featuring a three pitch mix with a high-80s/low-90s fastball, a low-70s curveball with a more traditional 12-6 shape and arguably one of the better changeups in the organization. He fits Cleveland’s command-first profile with the organization believing they can build from there, and makes the most he can of his size, but Denholm will need to develop a refined, repeatable delivery that can maximize his smaller frame and hopefully add a few ticks to the fastball without sacrificing command.
Tremendous start in Game 1 of the playoffs by #Guardians 22yr old RHP prospect Trenton Denholm tonight allowing two unearned runs over 7.0 innings striking out 5 for Lynchburg!
Line – 7.0(IP) 4H 2R 0ER 1BB 5SO (73 Pitches 54 Strikes)@trent_denholm7 @LynHillcats #ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/THQo02hI8f
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) September 14, 2022
It’s certainly not impossible for pitchers with smaller frames to be successful or find a little extra velocity. Look no further than Guardians reliever Eli Morgan who was able to hit 95 with his fastball in short stints in 2022 while only being 5 foot 10 inches and 190 pounds. It also isn’t unheard of with Cleveland’s development for guys to add a little velocity or to maximize their stuff solely by refining command, and Denholm will have plenty of time to develop and make adjustments while likely spending the upcoming 2023 season with High-A Lake County. We’ll be watching for fewer baserunners in Denholm’s starts this coming season, and hopefully more of the low-90s fastball instead of the high-80s.
Overall Denholm has a high ceiling, and there’s a lot to like. Initially I wanted to put him a few spaces higher, but with the changeup being his best pitch I’m looking for additional improvement in his other two offerings, especially the fastball, so the changeup can play better off of them. I have confidence Denholm will make strides in 2023, and may be on the fringe watchlist for a breakout season that he can hopefully continue to build on.
A new year brings new things. In an attempt to break myself out of a writing funk, I’ve decided to start something new and do a weekly round up of sorts for the Big 3 in Cleveland, as much news as there can be for some of the organizations, of course.1 I’d love to say this will be weekly on Wednesday’s, but all I can assure you is that it is happening today.
CavaliersDonnie does it all
If you were not paying attention to Bally Sports on Monday, as much of America waited with baited breath on the status of injured Buffalo Bill Damar Hamlin,2 Donovan Mitchell went off on Chicago. With injured stars Darius Garland and Evan Mobley out for the second straight game, the Cleveland Cavaliers had a struggle to score. That is until the second half when Spida took over and scored a franchise high, a city high, and only the 9th time a player has scored 71 or more points in an NBA game. He scored 42 in the third and fourth quarters, which just that alone would have been his second-highest scoring output of the season, to creep the Cavs back into contention. An amazing stat: Cleveland never led in regulation. It wasn’t until overtime that they finally overtook the Bulls and had a lead, a lead that was put together by scoring 13 of the 15 points in the 10 minute overtime. Truly one of the best showcases of talent.
What’s next: The Cavs host the Phoenix Suns tonight, then head out of a West Coast swing for five games. Get ready for #LateNightCavs
BrownsHe’s a runner, he’s a track star
While the rust is slowly falling off of Deshaun Watson’s arm, we have been privy to seeing that his legs still work just as well as they did when he was in Houston. His elusiveness has been on display and showcased as the Browns offense has been coming alive of late. While only completing 50% of passes in the win over the Commanders, Watson scrambled and moved and juked his way to throwing three tudders and gaining 32 yards on roll outs and RPOs. As he gets more of a feel for the game that he was out of for almost two full years, Watson’s accuracy and ability will shine again, as you can see with certain throws like this one.
https://twitter.com/Browns/status/1609636889480552449?s=20&t=15z9tzpPf2YqaiWqaSWEKA
Watson was able to get the ball out quickly and where only his receiver could pull it in, and Amari Cooper’s route was impeccable. He had a similar throw to tight end David Njoku as well: frozen rope to the sideline, reading the coverage perfectly, and gaining big chunks of yardage. This six game stretch is basically pre-season for Watson’s 2023, and it’s been a mixed bag, but with his wheels, Watson unlocks an extra level for Cleveland.
What’s next: The season finale Week 18 matchup for Cleveland in Pittsburgh against the Steelers. Steelers need a win to make the playoffs and Cleveland again gets to try to play spoiler.
- Looking at you, Guardos. Make the Bryan Reynolds trade already!
- If you have not yet donated to the GoFundMe for Damar’s mother’s daycare, the link is here.
71 points. We just witnessed the greatest Cleveland Cavaliers’ regular season game performance ever. This is not hyperbole; this is real. Donovan “Spida” Mitchell willed his team to a 145-134 victory over the Chicago Bulls by posting an astounding stat line of 71 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. We as Cavs fans were blessed to watch LeBron James, the greatest NBA player ever in my humble opinion, for so many years. Monday’s performance by Mitchell is the best regular-season performance I have ever witnessed.
Mitchell’s performance gets more ridiculous as you look into it. He broke the Cavs’ single-game scoring record. He broke the record for most points in a game in Cleveland (Move over MJ). Only six players in NBA history have scored at least 70 points in an NBA game. Mitchell shot 22 of 34 on the night. No one who has scored more than 70 points in a game has shot fewer shot attempts than Mitchell. Only two, Wilt Chamberlain and David Thompson, were able to shoot less than 40 shot attempts to get above 70 points, with both attempting 38 shots. It gets better. With 11 assists, Mitchell scored or assisted on 99 points on the night, which is the second most in NBA history behind Chamberlain’s historic 100-point game. We witnessed not just Cavs’ history, but NBA history.
Mitchell put together this performance in a game where the team needed him to have this sort of night. Cleveland was down big for most of the night as they slept walked through the first half of the game. At the half, Mitchell had just 16 points. Nothing was going right. But, Mitchell turned it on to a level we have never seen before. He willed the Cavs back into the game and then made an insane putback game-tying bucket off a free throw to force overtime. Oh, then he finished up the victory by scoring 13 of the Cavs’ 15 overtime points. We have seen a lot of single-player-willed wins as a Cavs fan, add another one to the history books.
Not only did Mitchell achieve scoring records that have never been reached, he helped engineer a comeback for the ages. The Cavs were down by 21 at various points in the game and you can see where Spida determines, “not tonight!” in the game flow and win probability. The Bulls either lead the game or were tied for the lead throughout the entirety of regulation. It wasn’t until OT that the Cavs and Mitchell finally had control and made it look more lop-sided than it was.
Not only did Mitchell score 71, it was a needed, heroic individual performance. Look at that game flow. #letemknow pic.twitter.com/Q1weyrSa7t
— Craig Lyndall (@WFNYCraig) January 3, 2023
Please witness some of Mitchell’s best highlights from a night we will never forget.
71 PTS
8 REB
11 AST
WDonovan Mitchell sets a new scoring record for the Cleveland Cavaliers and becomes only the 7th player in NBA history to score 70+ points in a game. pic.twitter.com/qbOwr3sqyH
— NBA (@NBA) January 3, 2023
Happy New Year WFNY readers! A new year means a new baseball season, and a new baseball season means a new Farmer Ethan’s Almanac series. This year leading up to the start of the Guardians season I will be counting down Cleveland’s top 30 prospects as decided by yours truly. We’ll talk a little about each player’s tools, how they performed in 2022 and what to expect in 2023. Without further adieu, let’s get started with number 30.
The Cuyahoga Pitching Factory LLC has always been amongst the most economical compared to its competitors, rivaled only by the likes of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay Rays, and more recently the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros. Cleveland’s player development staff excels at turning decent arms good, and good arms great. The organization has a type too, preferring experienced college arms and valuing command over stuff. Even when they acquire arms in trades the Guardians typically stick to this modus operandi.
And that’s how we end up with top prospect No. 30, Peyton Battenfield, a 25-year-old right-handed pitcher out of Oklahoma State. Battenfield came to Cleveland at the 2021 Trade Deadline when the Guardians sent outfielders Daniel Johnson and Jordan Luplow to the Rays for the former 2019 ninth-round pick. When he joined Cleveland Battenfield was in the midst of a strong 2021 with the Rays across High-A and Double-A, and he experienced very little drop-off when he joined the Akron Rubberducks in August.
Battenfield went 7-1 across 21 games (19 starts) with both organizations between two levels totaling 103 innings pitched. He accrued a cumulative 2.53 ERA, 131 strikeouts, 19 walks, and a 0.83 WHIP by the end of 2021, and found himself on more than a few prospect radars. The effort was enough to earn a spot in Triple-A Columbus’ rotation for 2022, but we saw some regression with the Clippers this past season.
An absolute gem today from Peyton Battenfield (@PBattenfield) for the @CLBClippers vs Indianapolis:
8 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K – 93 pitches – 66 strikes#FutureGuardians pic.twitter.com/Da8VJoR42o
— Future Guardians of THE LAND (@FutureGOTL) July 14, 2022
Battenfield led the farm system in innings pitched in 2022, throwing 153.2 innings while posting a 3.63 ERA, striking out 109 batters, walking 57, a 1.27 WHIP and a career-worst FIP at any level of 4.68. He massively outperformed his FIP by keeping the ball in the yard (career-best 9% home run to fly ball ratio), and stranding 75.1% of baserunners. The alarming numbers for Battenfield last season, and also the reason to believe he can bounce back, was the precipitous drop in his strikeout rate and the jump in walks. He held a 32.9% K% (11.45 K/9) and a 5% BB% (1.66 BB/9) in 2021, but saw those numbers dip to a 17% K% (6.38 K/9) and an 8.9% BB% (3.34 BB/9).
Despite the dip in strikeouts and the uptick in walks, Battenfield still proved an effective starter in 2022 and had fans clamoring for him to be the next pitching prospect up for the Guardians when the injury bug came for starters Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale. So what is it about Battenfield that allowed him to still be so effective?
2022 Triple-A highlights for Peyton Battenfield. pic.twitter.com/wSr2MpxLV6
— Guardians Baseball Insider (@Official_CGBI) October 3, 2022
In true Cuyahoga Pitching Factory fashion, Battenfield is a command-over-stuff prospect, utilizing a four-pitch mix of fastball, curveball, changeup and slider. The 6 foot 4 inch 224 pound righty grades out to having an above average fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s, an average curveball and changeup, and the slider is a newer offering for Battenfield, ditching his cutter at the end of 2021 in its favor. His 2022 didn’t show it, but Battenfield is capable of generating more swing-and-miss, and the slider could help bring that back into his profile.
Battenfield is currently on Cleveland’s 40-man roster after he spent a weekend in Toronto when Guardians reliever James Karinchak didn’t travel with the team for the road series. That alone puts him on the short list of candidates to fill in alongside fellow prospects Xzavion Curry, Hunter Gaddis, Logan Allen and Konnor Pilkington should any injuries occur at the big league level.
In the short term however keep an eye on Battenfield in Spring Training and through the early parts of the Triple-A season, and pay attention to the strikeouts and walks. His stuff was good enough to still be effective during his first stint in the upper minors. Barring any sort of injury a rebound in strikeouts and limiting self-inflicted wounds should help Battenfield find that other gear he’s shown he possesses. At best he has a chance to be a respectable back-of-the-rotation arm, and with Plesac’s future somewhat muddled in Cleveland he may get a chance sooner rather than later.
The Cleveland Browns got the new year off to a good start as they beat the Washington Commanders, 24-10, on New Year’s Day. It was a game of two halves as both teams put together a miserable first half. But, in the second half, the Browns offense turned it on and scored 21 points to pull away from the Commanders. Quarterback Deshaun Watson had probably his best half of the season as he threw three touchdown passes. The goal of the game was to get the offense out of the mud and we saw the beginning of that in the second half.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns beating the Washington Commanders, 24-10, on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The two talked about the tale of the two halves. The duo also broke down Watson’s performance and a lot more things surrounding the victory. Take a listen!
The Cleveland Browns got back to the winning side, beating the Washington Commanders, 24-10, on New Year’s Day. The first half was a miserable half of football for both teams, but the Browns offense awoke in the second half. The Browns, behind the great dual-threat ability of quarterback Deshaun Watson, scored 21 points in the second half to pull away from the Commanders. With Cleveland officially out of the playoffs, the main task for this team was to get Watson and the offense going. And, they did just that. The first half was a struggle, but Watson really heated up in the second half. The quarterback found Amari Cooper often, with Cooper nabbing two touchdown receptions in the half. Watson showed his ability to create plays with his arm and legs, illustrating the immense talent he has as a quarterback. This was the sign we wanted to see in these last couple of games. With the win, the Browns move to 7-9 as they move onto the final game of the year.
Game Stats
Browns outgain Commanders, 301 to 260 yards
Browns’ TOs: 0
Commanders’ TOs: 3
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: 9 of 18 for 169 yards and 3 TDs; 8 carries for 31 yards
Commanders QB Carson Wentz: 16 of 28 for 143 yards and 3 INTs
Browns RB Nick Chubb: 14 carries for 104 yards
Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr.: 24 carries for 87 yards
Browns WR Amari Cooper: 3 receptions for 105 yards and 2 TDs
Commanders TE Logan Thomas: 6 receptions for 56 yards
Game Highlights
Step for step! The Warden getting for his 3rd of the year
: #CLEvsWAS on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/OWKZaJqomQ— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2023
read it the whole way
: #CLEvsWAS on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/bOtsFTM63I— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2023
ball hawk @realgrantdelpit
: #CLEvsWAS on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/2n5GYvm2Tq— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2023
Carson takes it in himself
#CLEvsWAS FOX pic.twitter.com/QwhT8FYBno
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) January 1, 2023
turned the corner and took off for 6⃣
: #CLEvsWAS on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/M2lQkfz1xC— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2023
Stretching across the plane!
: #CLEvsWAS on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/xwZ2QUn9vl— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2023
season-high 3 tuddies for DW
: #CLEvsWAS on FOX
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/ylwoL3YKDE— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) January 1, 2023
2022 was an eventful year in Cleveland sports. The newly minted Cleveland Guardians stormed onto the scene with the youngest roster in the league to a postseason run to the theme song of Spongebob Squarepants. The Cavs swung a trade for Donovan Mitchell and are not just a fun, young team but now contenders in the Eastern Conference. The Browns either alienated or reinvigorated Browns fans by acquiring Deshaun Watson while having a typical Browns letdown. Safe to say a lot of good and bad has happened this past year. Traditionally New Years’ is both a time to reflect and change for the better, and nothing says New Years’ like giving each team a resolution to ring in the new year. So let me share my resolutions for all the 3 Cleveland sports teams so they can make 2023 even better.
The Guardians: Find Another Quality Starting Pitcher
A starting pitcher? The team known as a pitching factory needs a starting pitcher? Yep, you read that right. Outside of Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, and Cal Quantrill last year, 2022 from a pitching standpoint was up and down, to say the least. Those who pitched more than 50 innings had a record of 8-20, an ERA of 4.43, and only accumulated 2.2 in fWAR last year. That is not gonna cut it especially when October rolls around. On top of injuries to Zach Plesac and Aaron Civale, the 4-5 spots were a rotating cast of characters with appearances from Xzavion Curry, Hunter Gaddis, Cody Morris, etc, and most of their performances didn’t inspire a ton of confidence. This issue really became apparent in the postseason when Aaron Civale didn’t make it out of the first inning of a pivotal game 5 in the Bronx. They cannot have another predicament like that if the Guards want to go deeper in the postseason in 2023, Simply put, they need another starter they can trust. Whether that is through a trade, or someone internally stepping up into the rotation, the 4-5 spots will need much improvement to give the Guardians a more legitimate chance.
The Cavaliers: Figure out the Wing
You can make a case that the Cavs might have 4 All Stars in their starting 5, and the only thing that’s missing is the most glaring. In a sport where wing play has become so important, the Cavs are missing that scoring impact on the perimeter. Cavs wings have scored 8 points a game, 43% from the field, and an abysmal 25% from 3. It’s even worse when you look at the corner 3 percentage, the most efficient shot in basketball; they are only hitting only 34% from the corners (the league average is 40%). While Caris LeVert, Lamar Stevens, Issac Okoro, and Cedi Osman can be valuable role players, they haven’t provided enough consistency when they’ve been on the court. One internal option could be Dean Wade who during the season has hit 41% of his 3s, the only problem has been he’s only played 17 games and with his shoulder injury we don’t know when he’ll be playing again. It’s safe to say the Cavs need a wing upgrade and fast, especially with the lack of shooting, it’s killing the spacing on the floor. So Cleveland would be wise to explore the trade market by the trade deadline in February.
The Browns: It’s Time to Go All In
The Browns haven’t had a great season, mostly by their own doing. With the trade of Deshaun Watson and his status in question which resulted in a 11-game suspension, the Browns were put in an unprecedented state of limbo waiting for their franchise QB in 2022. We have now seen the aftermath as the Browns are 6-9, the result of historically bad run defense and an inconsistent offense. The teams main focus has now shifted to getting the 230 million dollar man reacclimated to playing football in the final 6 games. The front office and the head coach had a built in excuse for season going sideways, and now it’s time to put all your chips in the middle of the table. With the core of the Browns locked up until 2025, the Browns should do everything possible to fill holes on the rosters and make important changes to the coaching staff. the Myles Garrett’s, Amari Cooper’s, Denzel Ward’s, and Nick Chubb’s of the world are not getting any younger and now the Browns finally have their quarterback that they feel can take them to places. There’s no time left to cut corners on the salary cap, especially with most of your star players in their prime. It’s time to bank on this window they’ve created with Deshaun Watson.
The Cleveland Browns are out of the playoff race with two weeks left in the 2022 season. Cleveland is traveling to Washington to face the Commanders in their Week 17 matchup. With no playoffs in view, there are still things the Browns would like to work on in these final games. The team would like to continue to get quarterback Deshaun Watson ready and back in form for next season. This will be another game to do just that.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek previewed the Cleveland Browns’ Week 17 matchup vs the Washington Commanders in the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The two started the pod recapping what happened last week in the loss to New Orleans and all the scuttlebutt that has come out about the team in the last few days. Joe and Taylor previewed the Browns/Commanders matchup along with other topics on this week’s WFNY BrownsCast. Have a listen!
Craig Lyndall joins Seth to talk the Cavs’ loss to the Nets, how the East elites have tightened at the top, and the rotating door at small forward.
The fellas close the show with their favorite holiday traditions.
The Cleveland Browns are officially out of playoff contention as they fall on Christmas Eve to the New Orleans Saints, 17-10. In a cold miserable environment at FirstEnergy Stadium, the Browns showcased another example of why this team is missing out on the playoffs. Cleveland made way too many mistakes on offense. They had multiple touchdown passes dropped, numerous penalties that made their job harder and some interesting play calling to say the least. On defense, the Browns couldn’t stop a simplistic Saints offense that reverted to just running a wildcat offense with Taysom Hill and Alvin Kamara as quarterbacks. This is yet another game this season that fell into the same losing format. The offense makes too many mistakes, the defense can’t stop the run, and the team loses in a narrow loss. With the loss, the Browns are 6-9 and officially done in the playoff race. On to 2023.
Game Stats
Browns outgain Saints, 249 yards to 244 yards
11 total combined punts
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: 15 of 31 for 135 and an INT; 3 carries for 24 yards and a TD
Saints QB Andy Dalton: 8 of 15 for 92 yards and an INT
Browns RB Nick Chubb: 24 carries for 92 yards
Saints RB Alvin Kamara: 20 carries for 76 yards and a TD; 2 catches for 34 yards
Saints QB/TE Tayson Hill: 9 carries for 56 yards and a TD
Browns WR Amari Cooper: 6 catches for 72 yards
Saints WR Rashid Shaheed: 4 catches for 41 yards
Game Highlights
G Money with the INT
: #NOvsCLE on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/NHsKqHw8lZ— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 24, 2022
4⃣ high stepping his way to the endzone
: #NOvsCLE on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/9CbGSXhC1u— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 24, 2022
Deshaun threading the needle
: #NOvsCLE on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/ap2FtJA7Sd— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 24, 2022
TAYSOM TOUCHDOWN! #NOvsCLE | : CBS pic.twitter.com/oS3pWBmzUm
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 24, 2022
INTERCEPTED!
Daniel Sorensen picks off Deshaun Watson #Saints | : CBS pic.twitter.com/PKnp4g1Azv
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 24, 2022
AK FINDS A WAY – TOUCHDOWN #SAINTS!#NOvsCLE | : CBS#Saints | @OchsnerHealth pic.twitter.com/ZvhFZQ2MST
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 24, 2022
Punched in @A_kamara6 takes it in for the @Saints lead!
: #NOvsCLE on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/DT9wm5eoRR pic.twitter.com/GWsVX6BMzt— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2022
@gnewsii
: #NOvsCLE on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/CX2mcFarKU— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 24, 2022
On 4th and 10… CARL GRANDERSON WITH THE DAGGER. pic.twitter.com/eugf1gjBDY
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) December 24, 2022
The Cleveland Browns are 6-8 as they enter Week 16 to face the New Orleans Saints at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Saints come into the game at 5-9, but right in the playoff race due to the poor records of the NFC South division. The Saints have a worse record than Cleveland, but they hold better playoff hopes than the Browns. The Browns are barely hanging onto hopes of the playoffs. This game could be all about the weather as a huge snowstorm wreaks havoc on the country.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek previewed the Cleveland Browns’ Week 16 matchup vs the New Orleans Saints on their latest WFNY BrownsCast. The duo talked about the weather conditions and how they could affect the game. They examined the Saints as a team and how the Browns will match up with New Orleans. Joe and Taylor talk about these things and much more on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast.
The Cleveland Browns are not going to make the playoffs…probably. They squandered too many leads and dropped too many contests in the first half of the season…I think. There’s almost no point in breaking down the pencil-thin path the Browns would need to walk to make it to the postseason. However, is Christmas not the time of miracles? Are we not full of hope, joy, light, and love in the spirit of the season knowing that anything is possible? If you’re ready, pound some eggnog, put on a Santa hat, and let’s go full Pepe Silvia on the Browns’ nearly invisible playoff odds.
Cleveland Browns (6-8, No. 12 in AFC)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Saints, at Commanders, at Steelers
The Browns need to win out. Plain and simple. If they win their final three games, they’ll be 9-8 with a prayer of a chance to earn the last playoff spot. The bad news is, they own no meaningful tiebreakers, so they’ll need most of the teams above them to finish 8-9 or worse.
Las Vegas Raiders (6-8, No. 11 in AFC)
Remaining Schedule: at Steelers, vs. 49ers, vs. Chiefs
The Raiders greatly helped Cleveland by knocking off the Patriots on a ridiculous last second defensive score, but it would really help if they could lose now. They’ll be home for two of their last three, but they’re playing a pair of legitimate contenders. Seems likely that Vegas will lose at least one more game.
Best case scenario: Raiders beat the Steelers, lose to the Niners, last game doesn’t matter.
Jacksonville Jaguars (6-8, No. 10 in AFC)
Remaining Schedule: at Jets, at Texans, vs. Titans
The Jaguars showed a ton of moxie and heart by coming back to beat the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. They are in the mix in the AFC South trailing first-place Tennessee (7-7) by only one game. Browns fans need the Jags to win Thursday night against New York and then promptly lose to either Houston or Tennessee.
Best case scenario: Jags beat the Jets, lose to Houston, final game doesn’t matter
New York Jets (7-7, No. 9 in AFC)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Jaguars, at Seahawks, at Dolphins
You know that moment when you’re watching any Browns game and they score early but miss the extra point and you think to yourself “That’s going to come back to haunt us,” then later in the game the team is down by four points at the opposing 30-yard line but a field goal wouldn’t help? The Jets game was like that for the whole season. If Cleveland had closed the deal against the Jets, they’d be 7-7, New York would be 6-8, and Cleveland would be the No. 9 seed and only one game below the playoff line. Sigh. The Jets need to lose the correct two of their last three games to give Cleveland a shot.
Best case scenario: Jets lose to the Jags, lose to the ‘Hawks, and beat the Fins
New England Patriots (7-7, No. 8 in AFC)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Bengals, vs. Dolphins, at Bills
The Patriots delivered one of the more decisive losses of the Browns season when they soundly clocked them on the lakefront. Another tiebreaker the Browns would love to have right now. Without it, the Pats now need to lose exactly two of their last three games. After seeing them get their hearts ripped out in Sin City, however, it’ll be curious to see how much fight is left in them down the stretch. Hopefully just enough to beat the Dolphins in Week 17.
Best case scenario: Pats lose to the Bengals, beat Miami, then lose at Buffalo
Miami Dolphins (8-6, No. 7 in AFC, last wild card spot)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Packers, at Patriots, vs. Jets
We have finally reached a team currently in playoff position. Yes, it did take a while. Of the teams Cleveland is chasing, Miami has arguably the hardest schedule. The Packers are in a down year, but Aaron Rodgers is still a Hall of Fame talent. The Pats and Jets could still be playing for a postseason chance in the final two weeks, but the Dolphins will give them a handful.
Best case scenario: Miami loses out
Los Angeles Chargers (8-6, No. 6 in AFC, second wild card spot)
Remaining Schedule: at Colts, vs. Rams, at Broncos
I am not a gambler, but if I had to put money on one team on this least making the playoffs it would probably be the Bolts. Their remaining opponents have a combined record of 12-28-1. The Colts just blew the biggest lead in NFL history, the Rams’ quarterback has been with the team for less than one week, and the Broncos have been circling the drain since before the bye. It would be nice to get some help from any of them, but I won’t hold my breath.
Best case scenario: Chargers lose out
Baltimore Ravens (9-5, No. 5 in AFC, first wild card spot)
Remaining Schedule: vs. Falcons, vs. Steelers, at Bengals
Surprisingly, Baltimore appears on this list. The clubs split the season series, but the Browns could end up holding a tiebreaker here. Three more losses for the Ravens would put them at 9-8 including a 3-3 mark in divisional play. If Cleveland wins out, they’d also be 9-8 and would have a 4-2 record against AFC North opponents which means they would jump the Ravens. This might seem unlikely considering the opponents, but Tyler Huntley is no one’s idea of a starting NFL quarterback and it remains to be seen when Lamar Jackson will return to the field or how productive he will be if he gets back. There are plenty of ways this season can break for Cleveland but watching the Ravens plummet from the fifth to eighth (or worse) seed would certainly be heartwarming.
Best case scenario: Ravens burst into flames and fall out of the sky
What does Five Thirty Eight’s NFL Predictor tell us? As of press time, the Browns’ playoff odds are at 1%. That’s…low. If they get all the breaks they need in Week 16 those odds jump all the way up to 7%. Now we’re cooking! If Week 17 also goes perfectly, those playoff odds land at 44%. If Week 18 lines up beautifully then the Browns, Ravens, and Jaguars will all qualify at the three wild card teams and the Browns would be the No. 5 seed.
See? Simple.
Like most seasons, the Browns only have themselves to blame. Beyond the inexcusable Jets game, they had legitimate chances to win against the Falcons, Chargers, and Ravens. If those results are all flipped this team is 10-4 and fighting for a division title. Maybe that’ll be the case someday. It’ll be nice to look at the standings and see Cleveland somewhere other than “In the Hunt” or not even on the screen. Even if the Browns fail to win out or end up in fourth place then they’ll play an arguably weaker schedule in 2023. There’s no draft pick to worry about so may as well win as much as possible now and get the team ready for next year. If nothing else, there will be plenty of games to scoreboard-watch as we enter the full holiday season. Oh, and just in case you still need an idea of what to ask Santa for this year, maybe send him this article. The Browns can use all the help and magic they can get.
The Cleveland Browns beat the Baltimore Ravens, 13-3, in a game where points were hard to come by for both teams. The Browns were outgained by the Ravens, but the key to the win was the ability of the Browns defense to deny the Ravens from finishing drives. Cleveland was able to force two turnovers, two missed field goals (including a blocked field goal), and three turnovers on downs. That is how the Browns were able to get the victory and move to 6-8 on the season.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns beating the Baltimore Ravens, 13-3, on the latest WFNY BrownsCast. The duo talked about the success of the defense and the game by Deshaun Watson. Joe and Taylor spoke on those topics and much more on the latest WFNY BrownsCast. Take a listen!
The Cleveland Browns got back on the winning side on Saturday as they took down the Baltimore Ravens, 13-3. The Browns won it behind a strong performance by the defense. Without Lamar Jackson under center, the Ravens were basically one-dimensional. Baltimore did have a lot of success on the ground to the tune of 198 rushing yards, but the problem was that they couldn’t finish their drives. Cleveland forced two turnovers, two missed field goals and three turnovers on downs. The Browns were outgained, but they were able to finish their drives a tad better than Baltimore as they scored the only touchdown of the game. It wasn’t pretty, but the Browns took care of business as they should have and got the W. The Browns are now 6-8 after the victory.
Game Stats
Ravens outgain Browns, 324 to 283 yards
Browns TOs: 0
Ravens TOs: 2 (plus three turnovers on downs)
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: 18 of 28 for 161 yards and a TD; 6 rushes for 22 yards
Ravens QB Tyler Huntley: 17 of 30 for 138 yards and an INT
Browns RB Nick Chubb: 21 carries for 99 yards
Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins: 13 carries for 125 yards
Browns WR Amari Cooper: 4 catches for 58 yards
Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones: 4 catches for 31 yards and a TD
Ravens TE Mark Andrews: 3 catches for 31 yards
Game Highlights
you know @TheRealJRSmith had to do it pic.twitter.com/jEjMnIDoLn
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022
Bus rolling
: @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/6uhOwTp5HN
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 17, 2022
"I'll take that."
-Denzel probably: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/zBbUTeVsUP— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022
do ya dance DPJ!
: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/wZ5YOT9X9r— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022
JJ3 punched it free
: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/2ayeHCYRMD— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022
JK TAKES OFF@nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/Rqeag0Kdeh
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 17, 2022
JORDAN GOT
: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/uyjBamK0GI— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022
off to the races
: #BALvsCLE on NFLN
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/YbUgpylvoD— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 17, 2022
Joe Gerberry joins Seth to talk about the Cavs’ big win in Dallas, Darius Garland’s struggles, and the bench production as a whole.
The fellas close discussing potential trade targets and their favorite features at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse.
Don’t forget to check out Underdog Fantasy! First time depositors that use this link can have their deposit matched up to $100!
The Cleveland Browns are coming back home to take on their AFC North rival, Baltimore Ravens. The Browns are coming off a tough loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week. The loss moved the Browns to 5-8 on the season and pretty much dashed the little bit of hope that was left that Cleveland could mount a playoff run. Nonetheless, the Browns want to beat their division rivals and avoid going below .500 in their divisional record in 2022.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek previewed the Cleveland Browns’ Week 15 matchup vs the Baltimore Ravens on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The two first spoke about the fan and media murmurs surrounding Kevin Stefanski’s job security. Joe and Taylor also broke down the Browns/Ravens matchup, examining the keys to victory and much more surrounding this big game. So, take a listen to this week’s WFNY BrownsCast!
I’m not sure how many will remember this, but there is an iconic scene from Malcolm in the Middle where Hal notices the light bulb is out, so he goes to get a new one. On the way to getting a new one he encounters in order: a broken shelf, a stuck drawer, being out of WD-40, and finally a sputtering motor on the car. Each stop along the path requires a fix and heightens his frustration, so when Lois comes home and asks if he could replace the light bulb, he boils over and yells “that’s what I’m doing!!” as he rolls out from under the car. It’s truly a masterpiece and something I’ve watched myself struggle with on the daily.
While I love the move and the player and the fixes he brings, I can’t help but consider this scene with the officially official news that Josh Bell has signed his two-year, $33 million deal with the Cleveland Guardians. Absolutely he is a fix from the Owen Miller doldrums; no more listless cleanup hitter plate appearances for the miscast utility infielder. Bell’s bat fits right in with Cleveland’s brand of contactability and low K rates while offering up big-swing-tater-mashing-power that was missing from the lineup when Franmil Reyes started diving out for sliders down and away. Bell had the 11th-best BB% in the majors last year1 and his 15.8% K% was 29th lowest,2 and it’s so rare to find an outside fit to the culture as well as this. But there are issues with Bell’s arrival at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario.
Firstly, what does this do to Josh Naylor? The presumed starter at first last season, the eldest Naylor was working his way back from the gruesome injury that took his 2021 campaign away along with most of his mobility. He missed some time with leg issues, and every double to the gap was an adventure as we waited with bated breath as the lumbering slugger trucked into the second baseman. So while Bell to first base makes Josh Naylor the everyday DH, keeping his lower leg extremities fresh on the bench, that removes the roving DH the team used late last season to give players half days off and still doesn’t address Naylor’s platoon splits. The former Pirate/Nat/Padre Bell is a switch hitter so he will play nearly every day, but Naylor struggled against left-handed pitching last year: a wRC+ of 139 versus RHP is great, but it’s buoyed by a 53 against same-sided pitchers. Let’s call this the “light bulb”.
One fix for that would be to have likely everyday right fielder Oscar Gonzalez tandem with Naylor at DH. Sponge Oscar Square Gonzalez barely had platoon splits at all, per wRC+, and a 107 against LHP is just what the doctor ordered. It’s early in his major league service time, but anyone who has watched Gonzalez in right can attest that a move to DH might be in the best interest of the Guards and OG alike, anyway. But then if Bell is at first and OG is at DH, who is playing right field? Now we’ve moved to “the broken shelf”.
Every team carries at least a fourth outfielder if not a fifth, so if OG is sitting, that allows for someone else to get some reps. Is that someone one of the Will’s, Benson or Brennan? Possibly, though both bat left-handed, and only Brennan, he of the 11 total postseason plate appearances with only two hits, looked like something could be there in the future. There’s always the possibility that George Valera forces his way onto the roster out of spring training, but that feels 1) unlikely and 2) not a fix! Gabriel Arias doesn’t have a spot on the field and the organization was toying with the idea of him in the outfield at the end of the year, and he’s already gotten playoff starts at 1B, so maybe they want him to grab an outfielder glove and expand his repertoire to include “everywhere but pitcher”? We’ve moved onto “out of WD-40 and car noises”.
I know I am probably blowing up the proportions of the Bell deal. Before he signed, the question the front office was trying to answer was “where do we get power from?” The question now is much more simple while being much more niche: “where do we find another right-handed bat to play right field against only left-handers?” And this roster is far from being complete too: the trade of Sean Murphy to Atlanta and the signing of Christian Vazquez in Minnesota takes away two viable options for the catcher position for Cleveland. Do they attempt to acquire one of the three catchers from Toronto? Try to squeeze Jonah Heim from Texas? Do they push their prospect load onto Pittsburgh for Bryan Reynolds (a switch hitter!) to add offense that way and bring back Austin Hedges or sign Mike Zunino? There are plenty of different avenues to go, and the Josh Bell signing does fix a lot of problems without maybe adding one or two more.
- Would have been 1st in Cleveland.
- Would have been the 4th best amongst Guardos.
Gluttons for punishment, we are. We never learn; we are the boys and girls and fans that need to touch the fajita griddle to see how hot it is, despite its fizzing and popping and sparks of oil in our faces. We are Browns fans and while that should classify any and all of us to be under some sort of mental hospital supervision, it still resonates for us as some sort of earned doctorate in the school of hard knocks. With the loss to the CinciTucky Bengals,1 the Browns are all but eliminated from the playoffs. And thus why our site exists rears its ugly head: we are now and again and always Waiting For Next Year.
The #Browns now have a 0.4% chance to make the playoffs, per ESPN FPI
— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) December 12, 2022
As has been said by many, but best by our former leader Craig Lyndall on Twitter, as soon as the Deshaun Watson suspension was expanded from six games to 11, 2022 became a farce of a season. This year was never the year, no matter how many Jacoby Brissett 4th-and-1 sneaks happened, no matter how many times you fought the good fight on Twitter about Nick Chubb’s carry total and how it resonates with the wins and losses column, we were destined to be on the outside looking in come January and any sort of emotional capital you were going to spend being invested in this team was going to be wasted. Which sucks! You are allowed to be upset by it! Don’t be ashamed to be angry that your team isn’t winning. And it’s all made worse when we sit back and think about the could-have-been’s and how close this season came to mattering for its loyal fans, which you can obviously attribute to yourselves. The inexplicable loss to the Jets, the Falcons game that probably could have been a win, the blowout losses to Miami and Buffalo that should have acted like carnaries in the mine shaft to what this team actually is rather than what fans hoped it be…
We all want to win. We all want to have that #VictoryMonday celebration, the same kind that Rams fans and #BakerBros got to have last Friday. It sucks waking up knowing that you have a loss hanging over your head, that the team has wasted another prime year of Chubb and Myles Garrett and made us fall in love with Jacobes only to have to root for2 Watson and the obvious and inevitable rust that has pancaked his arm and his field vision. I will say this: anyone who thought Watson was going to be able to climb back up on the bicycle of being an NFL quarterback, let alone his Houston-era level of play, was telling themselves lies.
So what do we do now? Where do we go from here? Do we continue to root for the team and the Charlie Day-esque red-string scenarios to be able to creep into Wild Card weekend? Probably not worth our time. Do we start watching bowl games to find that second-round player we want to try and get at the end of the first? Without a first-round pick from the Watson trade, the pantry looks bare, but this is a roster that with the proper amount of coaching and game planning and return to health of the numerous starters, can be a force. Let’s begin the free-agent shopping list: defensive tackle is a must, as is a new defensive coordinator and maybe a third wide receiver.
Personally, I am excited to watch Watson sandblast the oxidation from his mind and body like it was one of those Facebook videos on the account with crazy nonsensical names where they inexplicably spend hundreds of dollars restoring an old axe into something new and inventive and completely impractical. We can argue whether or not Watson being the starter is the best thing for the 2022 Browns, but as we have already established, that ship has sailed, and the last four games of this season needs to be about getting him back in game shape and prep for 2023. It’s hard on fans to have transition years, especially after seeing playoff victories in foreign territories like Steelerland while seeing the team payroll escalate with $230 million in guarantees to a player that isn’t game-ready. Alas, we do what we do best as Browns fans: we wait, probably until the calendar flips…to next year. I think Thanos actually said it best:
- Cincinnati is in Kentucky and you can’t convince me otherwise. Go cry in your cinnamon chili garbage if you want.
- Or not root for,
The Cleveland Browns couldn’t keep their streak alive versus the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday as the team fell to the Bengals, 23-10, in Cincinnati. The Browns had a lot of opportunities on offense to get this victory, but the offense couldn’t get the points on the board in the end. With the loss, Cleveland is 5-8 and very much on the tail end of any kind of hope of making the playoffs. This was a must-win game for any Browns’ playoff hopes.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns losing to the Cincinnati Bengals, 23-10, on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The duo spoke about the underlining problem on offense and why the team has struggled on that side of the ball. Joe and Taylor spoke about that and much more following the loss. Take a listen to the WFNY BrownsCast for their reaction!
The Cleveland Browns could not continue their win streak versus the Cincinnati Bengals as the team lost to the Bengals, 23-10, in Cincinnati. With the loss, the Browns fall to 5-8 and may have ended any hope they still had of making a run to the playoffs. This game was all about missed opportunities. Cleveland reached the Redzone three times but only came out of those trips with ten points. They also turned the ball over on downs at their 25-yard line and had an interception on their 26-yard line. The Browns defense was able to keep them in it for the most part, but the offense failed to get the points on the board.
The Browns are now in a position where most of the progress to end this season will come in the form of getting ready for 2023. The biggest part is getting Deshaun Watson ready for 2023. The playoffs this season are only a dream now.
Game Stats
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: 26 of 42 for 276 yards, a touchdown, and an interception; 6 carries for 33 yards
Bengals QB Joe Burrow: 18 of 33 for 239 yards, 2 touchdowns, and an interception
Browns RB Nick Chubb: 14 carries for 34 yards
Bengals RB Joe Mixon: 14 carries for 96 yards
Bengals RB Samaje Perine: 4 carries for 22 yards and a touchdown
Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones: 8 receptions for 114 yards
Browns TE David Njoku: 7 receptions for 59 yards and a touchdown
Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase: 10 receptions for 119 yards and a touchdown
Game Highlights
The griddy is back #ProBowlVote x #JaMarrChase#CLEvsCIN | CBS pic.twitter.com/ntoIxj78pu
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 11, 2022
"Ope – I'm just gonna scooch around ya"#ProBowlVote x #SamajePerine#CLEvsCIN | CBS pic.twitter.com/Qi2eK8LZE0
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 11, 2022
euro steppin to the sack @Flash_Garrett
: #CLEvsCIN on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/dvBq7DtKc8— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 11, 2022
FLEA FLICKER ALERT#CLEvsCIN | CBS pic.twitter.com/qN7pIZonMl
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 11, 2022
full extension at the pylon
: #CLEvsCIN on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/DfGMHlo9gZ— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 11, 2022
Jessie lookin' like a receiver #ProBowlVote x #JessieBates#CLEvsCIN | CBS pic.twitter.com/SYKU0bv7Xx
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) December 11, 2022
Jadeveon with the tip, Deion with the INT
: #CLEvsCIN on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/EWLT6R1irU— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 11, 2022
The Cleveland Browns are getting set for their biggest game of the season to date, as they prepare to travel to Cincinnati to face off against the Bengals. The Bengals lead the AFC North alongside the Baltimore Ravens, coming in with an 8-4 record. The Browns are 5-7 and fighting for their playoff lives each and every week, so this game is monumental to their playoff hopes.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek preview the Cleveland Browns’ Week 14 matchup vs the Cincinnati Bengals on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The duo breaks down the Browns/Bengals matchup and how the Browns have had success versus the Bengals over the past several seasons. Joe and Taylor also examine the keys to the victory for the Browns, along with a lot of other topics surrounding this big game. Take a listen to the WFNY BrownsCast!
It has been an impressive start for the Cavaliers, sitting at 16-9 and firmly in third place in the East. They are driven by the best defensive rating in the NBA (107.3) and a top-ten offensive rating. There’s no hiding from it, this team has entered contender status and should be buyers as the trade deadline approaches on February 9th.
The Cavaliers possess a core of four All-Star-worthy players in Darius Garland, Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley, and Jarrett Allen. They lean on this core heavily, as all but Jarrett Allen are in the top 40 for minutes logged per game this season. Outside of the core four, the Cavs are searching for contributions on the offensive end.
Caris LeVert is shooting just 37% for the season and is struggling to find where he fits after being moved to the bench. Dean Wade has battled injuries and is currently dealing with a shoulder sprain from which he’ll likely be out until January. Isaac Okoro’s offensive issues continue to plague him, as he’s shooting just 22% from three and is not taking the strides in Year 3 that many had hoped he would. Free agent signings Robin Lopez and Raul Neto are best served to be your 14th and 15th pieces than guys you want playing night in, night out at this stage of their careers. Ricky Rubio should be back at some point in 2023, but he’s 32 and coming off his second torn ACL.
All that to say, they need some help outside of the core four if they want to go toe-to-toe with a Milwaukee or Boston come May. Below are three potential trade targets that represent upgrades and would also likely not cost too much, given the acquisition cost of Donovan Mitchell.
Trade 1 – Upgrade the Starting SF Role:The Charlotte Hornets have not extended Kelly Oubre Jr. which creates doubt about whether he’s in their long-term plans. The 6’6, 27-year-old small forward is in the last year of his deal, making $12.6M this season. As the Hornets surged to the bottom of the standings, they would be well off to get something for Oubre now instead of allowing him to leave in free agency for nothing. Oubre is averaging 20.4 points and an impressive 1.7 steals per game. He’s the type of player the Cavs would love to have guarding opposing wings in the spring. The major hurdle will be what other teams are willing to offer, and can the Cavaliers get there.
Kelly Oubre Jr. stuffs it in with two hands! pic.twitter.com/JuXhMAMeyI
— Hornets Nation (@HornetsNationCP) December 8, 2022
Trade 2 – Upgrade the Wing:Josh Richardson’s San Antonio Spurs are swiftly in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, sitting dead last in the Western Conference. The Spurs are looking at a fire sale of veterans before the deadline and Richardson fits the mold. He is 29, shot 41% from three last season, and with a 6’10 wingspan, has the capabilities to be a solid enough two-way player for the Cavs down the stretch.
Richardson is in the last year of his current deal, worth only $12.1M, so it’s not hard to find the salary to match in an attempt to upgrade the wing.
Josh Richardson beats the first quarter buzzer pic.twitter.com/m2cVgkUOyy
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) November 16, 2022
Trade 3 – Upgrade Back-up Center:Another buy-low, veteran candidate that could represent an upgrade is Nerlens Noel of the Pistons. The young Pistons don’t have much reason to play the veteran as they focus on developing their young frontcourt. Noel is essentially in the last year of his deal, as he has a club option for 2023, making $9.2M this season.
Noel would be a strong defensive upgrade over Robin Lopez. Most importantly, it could allow Mobley to stay at power forward if Jarrett Allen misses any time.
Pistons Making Nerlens Noel, Alec Burks Available in Trades https://t.co/r9g4h8mL5Q pic.twitter.com/q7LsIo6PSb
— Hoops Wire (@WireHoops) November 21, 2022
As we talked about on the CavsCast, Koby Altman is one of the most aggressive GMs in the association and I expect him to look near and far to improve around the fringes of this core as they’ve transitioned from feel-good story, to a legitimate finals contender.
Matt and Todd with a Hot Stove edition. They break down the Josh Bell signing, the catching situation and what’s next for the Guardians.
Well the front office said they would be adding to the payroll, appreciably, if you read Zack Meisel’s piece in The Athletic, and today we saw that come to fruition was the Cleveland Guardians signed free agent first baseman Josh Bell to a two year, $33 million deal. Jon Heyman reports the deal also has an opt out after the first year, and the year-to-year breakdown is not known at this time, but an AAV of $16.5m is a fairly high amount for the Guardians.
Josh Bell to Guardians. $33M, 2 years. Opt out.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 6, 2022
Bell, 30, is a switch hitter who fits the statistical mold in Cleveland. He put up a 12.5% BB rate1 and struck out only 15.8%2 of the time which is the lowest mark of his career since his 45 game debut season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Bell has 30+ home run power to go with those rates, and an 80.6 Contact%/86.1% Z-Contact% in 2022 shows that he isn’t in the business of having empty at bats.
Cleveland will be the fourth major league team for Bell. He started out with the Pirates and played there until dealt in 2021 offseason. Bell was traded to the Washington Nationals where he played one and a half seasons before being sent shipping alongside Juan Soto to San Diego.
His fit with Cleveland will be interesting. Bell figures to be the everyday first baseman, being a switch hitter, which would feasibly push incumbent starter Josh Naylor to designated hitter. Neither are Gold Glove worthy on defense, so the move is negligible. My only concern would be what it means for Oscar Gonzalez. Penciled in as the starter in right field, if Cleveland acquires another outfield bat, he could be on the way out or relegated to the bench. But more bats for manager Terry Francona to fiddle with is a positive.
Adding Bell and his bat to the lineup is a boon for this team, even without any other moves, and they still are in on Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy…as is every other team in major league baseball. Naylor has had some issues with left handed pitchers, so now Naylor can feasibly timeshare DH with Gonzalez and you get rid of the Owen Miller at bats at first and replace them with Bell’s pop. Hopefully Cleveland is not done wheeling and dealing yet, but even if there are no other moves except incremental ones, this is a fantastic signing.
- 11th best in the bigs
- 29th lowest
Joe Gilbert joins Seth and gives his assessment of the season thus far, the Cavs’ ugly loss to the Knicks, and where they could look for some help before the trade deadline.
The fellas close predicting the Cavs’ record over the next 3 games, including a big showdown with the Lakers on Tuesday night.
The Cleveland Browns are on a two-game win streak after the team beat the Houston Texans, 27-14. The Browns saw the return of Deshaun Watson, but the debut was not something fans or the team will want to remember. Watson looked very rusty and that steamrolled into a very rough day for the offense. Thankfully, the Browns defense and special teams stepped up and had two great games. The defense scored two touchdowns, while the special teams contributed another one. The game finished as one of the weirder games we have seen as Browns fans.
WFNY’s Joe Gilbert and Taylor Jedrzejek reacted to the Cleveland Browns beating the Houston Texans, 27-14, on the latest edition of the WFNY BrownsCast. The two broke down the debut of Watson. Joe and Taylor also talked about the great performances of the defense and special teams. Take a listen to all of this and much more on the latest WFNY BrownsCast!
Welcome again to another installment of my new favorite series! The MLB Winter Meetings start this week and the rumors and whispers are bound to get louder as we go through the week, but we are here for you. Sure, the Guardians were never in play for someone like Jacob deGrom who signed a mega-deal with the Texas Rangers, but there was a new player requesting a trade that should spark the interest of Cleveland baseball fans: Bryan Reynolds.
BREAKING: Bryan Reynolds has requested a trade from the Pirates, @JMackeyPG reports https://t.co/jLMjogFX0p
— Post-Gazette Sports (@PGSportsNow) December 3, 2022
Reynolds signed a two year, $13.5m deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates last year to avoid some of his controllable years, and in 2023 he is due $6,750,000 in 2023, but after that is his Arb 2 and Arb 3 years. Reynolds wants a new deal, a long term extension with the Pirates and the offer they have made, the details of which we barely know but would make Reynolds the highest paid Pirate in team history meaning that it was more than the $70m that Ke’Bryan Hayes signed for. That obviously was not enough for Reynolds, whatever that money was, and thusly he has asked for a move away from the Slightly Southeast Guardians.1 Pittsburgh maintains that Reynolds request will not be heard and that it “has no bearing” on their plan for Reynolds as he is signed through this season, but that’s common language from a team that just got the cold slap in the face of an agent’s memo that their player wants to be the subject of the next #KenRosenbomb tweet.
So firstly, why Reynolds? 2022 was a slight down year for Reynolds but he is perfectly what Cleveland does and needs in their outfield. A career line of .281/.361/.481, 9.8% BB rate, 21.7% K rate, and a sure bet for 20+ home runs every year, Reynolds is uber consistent and he’s only 27. He sacrificed a little bit of contact in 2022 (74.2% Contact% in 2022 as opposed to 77.8% in 2021) and got three more taters and lost 40 and 45 points in average and on-base percentage, respectively. He’s mostly been used at a centerfielder in Pittsburgh, but would be patrolling right field in Cleveland as one of the few better defenders in CF already lives in Cleveland.
So again, the title of our series: what would it take to acquire? Well, I could just copypasta the Sean Murphy piece here; one of Brayan Rocchio and/or George Valera, one of Gavin Williams and/or Daniel Espino, and some high quality flotsam, but that isn’t cool. The Pirates have a decent middle infield depth at the major leagues and high minors, so Rocchio seems to be removed. The best ranked outfield prospect for Pittsburgh would be 25-year-old Matt Frazier, who is in Double A, so Valera would seem to be a necessity for the NL Central organization. Cal Mitchell is the only outfielder of note, so Valera would match up with Hayes and shortstop Oneil Cruz to be one of the better younger cores in the league.
Roasny Contreras and Mitch Keller are the top two starters in the bigs so they seem to be yet another team that would enjoy poaching some value from the Guardians. Reynolds’s age, team control, and eventual price tag seem to warrant fewer and/or lower valued assets than Murphy, which could mean that the trade only requires one of the top five players in the system.2 That could make a trade resemble something like Valera and Tanner Bibee, or Williams and Will Benson, another major league-ish center fielder that could or would take over the spot Reynolds vacates. With Pittsburgh in a “we aren’t trading Reynolds” stance at the moment, it’s hard to get a read on what they might like in return.
What it boils down to in Cleveland: the team has the prospect firepower to go out and acquire both Sean Murphy and Bryan Reynolds and have it not hurt too too much. Reynolds should probably only cost two of the top tiered players, and even if it ends up being Tyler Freeman or Gabriel Arias and others, that is the best case scenario. So I’ll mark it down as this: George Valera and Tanner Bibee for one Bryan Reynolds. Like the Murphy deal, it probably hurts fans to see that value go out, but Reynolds is a really good major league hitter, and the Guards have the ability to acquire him. Reynolds moves to right field, Josh Naylor stays at 1B and Oscar Gonzalez slides to the bench and becomes the everyday designated hitter, which if you have watched him in right, makes sense. The future is the future and the future is always bright until it’s not, so why not go for the player that has never had a wRC+ under 125 in a full regular season. Let’s do iti
- For those unaware, there is an unusual affinity by the Pittsburgh franchise for former Indians/Guardians. Carlos Santana just recently became the most recent former Cleveland baseball player to be acquired by the Pirates.
- Valera, Rocchio, Williams, Espino, and Bo Naylor, for my little opinion.
The Cleveland Browns won their second straight game in a row as they beat the Houston Texans, 27-14. With the victory, the Browns move to 5-7 on the season. This game also marked the debut of Deshaun Watson as he returned from his 11-game suspension. The story of the game turned out to be everything else besides the offense.
In his first game of the season, Watson was super rusty and because of that, the offense struggled to do much of anything. The pass game was non-existent due to the rusty play of Watson and the poor pass protection by the hampered offensive line. The run game was solid, but it couldn’t carry the offense to too much production. Thankfully, this was the first game of the season where the special teams and defense carried the team to a win on their own. On special teams, the Browns had a punt return for a touchdown by Donovan Peoples-Jones. On defense, the unit was able to get a touchdown on a fumble recovery by Denzel Ward and a pick six by Tony Fields. The Browns won despite of Watson and the offense. Cleveland didn’t need the offense versus the lowly Texans, but going forward Watson and the offense have to knock the rust off quickly if they want to make a run to the playoffs.
Game Stats
Browns TOs: 2
Texans TOs: 4
Browns QB Deshaun Watson: 12 of 22 for 131 yards and an INT; 7 carries for 21 yards
Browns RB Nick Chubb: 17 carries for 80 yards
Browns WR Donovan Peoples-Jones: 3 receptions for 44 yards; 3 punt returns for 86 yards and a TD
Texans QB Kyle Allen: 20 of 39 for 201 yards, a TD, and 2 INTs
Texans RB Dameon Pierce: 18 carries for 73 yards; 3 receptions for 22 yards
Browns LB Tony Fields: 4 tackles, a pass defensed, an INT, a TD, and a fumble recovery
Game Highlights
toe tap turnover courtesy of JJ3
: #CLEvsHOU on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/hz2d41amn7— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 4, 2022
takes all 11 to bring him down!
: #CLEvsHOU on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/hMcIouML4S— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 4, 2022
one cut and GONE
: #CLEvsHOU on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/5BadU3fWmG— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 4, 2022
right place, right time for The Warden
his 2nd fumble recovery score of the year and 3rd career TD pic.twitter.com/txYUnJ5W9p
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 4, 2022
.@T_Fields1 takes his first-career INT to the end zone!
: #CLEvsHOU on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/FaHQAGHBDq— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 4, 2022
Jordan Kunaszyk Tony Fields
: #CLEvsHOU on CBS
: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/IZZ85V8TtJ— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 4, 2022
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