MLB Pipeline Praises Guardians Farm System Again

After 17 players made their rookie debuts in Cleveland last season, you might think the Guardians’ farm system is barren, but it’s not. Far from it.

With less than a month left before spring training begins, MLB Pipeline has released its Top 100 prospects for the 2023 season. 7 out of 100 are Guardians players. The Orioles, who have 8, are the only team with more than that. The Dodgers also have seven in the top 100.

Not surprisingly, three of the Guardian’s seven prospects are pitchers. Right-hander Daniel Espino finished 16th. Gavin Williams, another right-handed starter, is ranked 42nd. Tanner Bibby, also right-handed, finished 72nd. All three were starters and were pitched to the Akron RubberDucks last season. Williams and Bibby started the 2022 season with the Captains.

“Espino can destroy hitters with his top-of-the-line fastball and plus-plus slider,” says MLB Scout Report. “He works 95-98 mph and tops out with a 103 with plenty of armside runs on the 4 seamer. He has a great feel on the two-sided slider and demonstrated in the mid-1980s the ability to add depth and reach 93 mph with more horizontal action. increase.”

A right shoulder problem limited the 22-year-old Espino to four starts last season. The Indians selected him with the 24th pick in the first round of the 2019 draft from the Georgia Premier Academy.

Outfielder George Barrera, who started with the Captains in 2022, is ranked 51st. Catcher Beau Naylor is 64th. Another captain for 2022, second baseman/shortstop Brayan Roccio is 75th, and outfielder Chase DeLorter is 82nd.

Picked 16th overall in the 2022 draft by the Guardians, Delauter is likely to start the season with the Captains.

Naylor has been with the Guardians for the final eight games of 2022. He could leave spring training as a backup for primary catcher Mike Zunino.

Valera and Roccio can also make a 26-man roster from Goodyear, Arizona. Rocchio should start shortstop Amed Rosario or second baseman Andrés Jimenez.

The outfielders are Stephen Kwan on the left, Miles Straw in the center, and Oscar Gonzalez on the right. Gonzalez could be the designated hitter, but the Guardian already has Josh Bell or Josh Naylor in that role.