"Cleveland’s system is one of the deepest in the game. The organization remains a pitching development fac-
tory and continues to add impact talent in the draft and international market. The top 10 is stuffed with high-
confidence hitters and led by No. 1 overall draft pick Travis Bazzana and Venezuelan center fielder Jaison Chourio."
Re: Minor Matters
13397Rating the top prospects at each position, BA assigns Cleveland these rankings:
Catcher, none among the top 10
First Base: Velazquez #6, Kayfus #9 [Manzardo has graduated from prospect status] That's a lot of depth and helps explain trade of Naylor
Second Base: Bazzana #2; Brito misses the top 10
Shortstop: Genao #12; Francisca not yet among the top 25
Third Base: none
Center Field: Chourio #5
LF/RF: DeLauter #4
RHP: None among the top 35; let's see how the 2024 draftees develop
LHP: Cantillo #11
Catcher, none among the top 10
First Base: Velazquez #6, Kayfus #9 [Manzardo has graduated from prospect status] That's a lot of depth and helps explain trade of Naylor
Second Base: Bazzana #2; Brito misses the top 10
Shortstop: Genao #12; Francisca not yet among the top 25
Third Base: none
Center Field: Chourio #5
LF/RF: DeLauter #4
RHP: None among the top 35; let's see how the 2024 draftees develop
LHP: Cantillo #11
Re: Minor Matters
13398Alex Clemmey who went to the Nationals with tena and r.ramirez for Thomas is #15 LHP. Ramirez does not make the Nats top 30; Tena neither but he has probably graduated.
Ramirez factors on the Nationals depth chart but neither he nor Tena appears on the projected 2028 lineup and Clemmey is not listed in the 2028 rotation.
Tena's K/BB numbers will keep him off BA prospect highlights. He hit a nice 274 for the Nationals but the rest of his line was not great: 304 OBP/363 SLG. More significant from their perspective would be his 39K/7 BB in 164 Total at bats. In the minors the K/BB was about 3.5.
Ramirez factors on the Nationals depth chart but neither he nor Tena appears on the projected 2028 lineup and Clemmey is not listed in the 2028 rotation.
Tena's K/BB numbers will keep him off BA prospect highlights. He hit a nice 274 for the Nationals but the rest of his line was not great: 304 OBP/363 SLG. More significant from their perspective would be his 39K/7 BB in 164 Total at bats. In the minors the K/BB was about 3.5.
Re: Minor Matters
13399Tena last year.
Better than Rocchio.
Better than Arias.
Better than Martinez,
Better than Schneeman.
Better than Freeman.
Better than Rocchio.
Better than Arias.
Better than Martinez,
Better than Schneeman.
Better than Freeman.
Re: Minor Matters
13400Rocchio is a better fielder. Tena hit better than him last summer.
For a LH hitting IF I'd far prefer Tena to Schneeman.
Arias has worn out his welcome with me.
Freeman played surprisingly well in CF but his offense was unsatisfactory,
For a LH hitting IF I'd far prefer Tena to Schneeman.
Arias has worn out his welcome with me.
Freeman played surprisingly well in CF but his offense was unsatisfactory,
Re: Minor Matters
13401Minor League and Development Rankings by Team Execs [from mlb.com]
Execs prospect poll: Top system? Best at drafting? Best at trading for prospects?
1. Who Has the Best Farm System: Cle gets 4% of the votes; ranking 8th
2. Who Does the Best Job Drafting: Cle 8% ranking 5th
3. Who Does Best on International Market; Cle with 4.3% ties for 4th
4. Who does best at trading for prospects? Cle ranks 6th % not noted
5. Which team hoards prospects the most? Cle 16% ranks second: "The Orioles and Guardians led the polling for this question a year ago as well, but the lead has narrowed and there were many more teams mentioned this time around, Two years ago, Cleveland topped this list and the club still rates near the top as it continues to compete by promoting from within."
6. Which team develops pitchers the best? Cle Pitching Factory leads this list with 28% of the votes. "The Guardians continue to tease more velocity and better stuff out of the arms in their system, as well as find big league talent in later rounds of the Draft."
7. Which team develops hitters the best? Cle finishes 4th in this one; with 6% of the votes. [despite some pretty bad results with 1st round picks]
8. Which team does the best job at finding and developing sleeper prospects? the only list Cle doesn't score mention on
I guess Kwan wasn't a sleeper, taken in the 5th round; Bibee about the same place in the draft.
Execs prospect poll: Top system? Best at drafting? Best at trading for prospects?
1. Who Has the Best Farm System: Cle gets 4% of the votes; ranking 8th
2. Who Does the Best Job Drafting: Cle 8% ranking 5th
3. Who Does Best on International Market; Cle with 4.3% ties for 4th
4. Who does best at trading for prospects? Cle ranks 6th % not noted
5. Which team hoards prospects the most? Cle 16% ranks second: "The Orioles and Guardians led the polling for this question a year ago as well, but the lead has narrowed and there were many more teams mentioned this time around, Two years ago, Cleveland topped this list and the club still rates near the top as it continues to compete by promoting from within."
6. Which team develops pitchers the best? Cle Pitching Factory leads this list with 28% of the votes. "The Guardians continue to tease more velocity and better stuff out of the arms in their system, as well as find big league talent in later rounds of the Draft."
7. Which team develops hitters the best? Cle finishes 4th in this one; with 6% of the votes. [despite some pretty bad results with 1st round picks]
8. Which team does the best job at finding and developing sleeper prospects? the only list Cle doesn't score mention on
I guess Kwan wasn't a sleeper, taken in the 5th round; Bibee about the same place in the draft.
Re: Minor Matters
13402BA prospect guidebook always included some possible Breakout Prospects
Braylon Doughty, RHP
Preseason Rank: 12
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Track Record: Doughty ranked as the No. 47 prospect in the 2024 class on the back of his tremendous feel to spin the ball. The Guardians signed him for slot value—a $2,569,200 bonus—with the 36th overall pick in the draft to coax him out of a commitment to Oklahoma State.
Scouting Report: A 6-foot-1, 196-pound righthander, Doughty is a standout athlete who operates with a smooth, balanced, low-effort delivery. He has a clean and loose arm action and throws from a three-quarters slot he repeats well for a teenage pitcher. Doughty dominated his SoCal competition during the spring with a low-90s fastball that has been up to 96-97 mph and a pair of high-spin, plus breaking balls. His 78-80 mph downer curveball registers spin rates in the 3,200 rpm range and he pairs it with a hard slider in the mid 80s with similarly high pure spin rates. While both pitches have plus potential, Cleveland might have Doughty focus on the curveball initially. The curve immediately becomes a candidate for the best breaking ball in Cleveland’s system thanks to its depth and his feel to land it. Doughty has thrown a mid-80s changeup but it lagged behind his other three pitches in high school. His clean operation and athleticism could lead to above-average control.
The Future: Doughty is a high-upside righty with natural athleticism. He’s a scratch golfer and kicked a 60-yard field goal in high school. He has midrotation upside and should start the 2025 season with Low-A Lynchburg.
Scouting Grades: FB: 55. CB: 65. SL: 60. CH: 45. CTL: 50.
Juneiker Caceres, OF
Preseason Rank: 21
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Caceres signed for $300,000 out of Venezuela in Cleveland’s 2024 international class and played most of the 2024 season as a 16-year-old in the Dominican Summer League. Despite his youth, Caceres was one of the most impressive hitters in the DSL and slashed .340/.425/.504 with more walks than strikeouts.
Scouting Report: Caceres is a 5-foot-10, 168-pound lefthanded hitter and outfielder who lacks much in the way of physical projection, but stands out for his barrel skills and batting eye. Caceres has an uppercut path but an advanced ability to use the entire field with an approach that some scouts view as overly opposite-field oriented. He’ll need to pull the ball more frequently to tap into his power as he ages, and while he might not add massive amounts of strength or power in the future, his 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 mph is already an exceptional figure for a 16-year-old. He’s an aggressive hitter who likes to swing and so far that approach has worked just fine. Caceres played all three outfield positions but is a fringy runner who should fit best in a corner outfield spot. He will need to work to become a fringe-average defender.
The Future: Caceres should be ready to take his exciting hit/power combo stateside in 2025. His offensive tools give him everyday upside but he’s got plenty of development time ahead.
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55. POW: 50. RUN: 45. FLD: 45. ARM: 50.
Robert Arias, OF
Preseason Rank: 29
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Arias was the centerpiece of Cleveland’s 2024 international class when he signed for $1.9 million out of the Dominican Republic. He boasted excellent hand-eye coordination and contact skills with a high-energy play style as an amateur and hit .247/.367/.347 with 29 stolen bases in 41 games in the Dominican Summer League.
Scouting Report: Arias is a 6-foot-1, 168-pound lefthanded hitter with a top-of-the-order toolset. He makes tons of contact and has a chance to be an above-average hitter, though at the moment he tends to get overly pull-oriented and his bat path leads to plenty of ground ball contact. Scouts believe he has the sort of athleticism to make the necessary adjustments mechanically, along with the frame and bat speed that could unlock above-average raw power and near-average game power. He’s a great runner who turns in 70-grade run times and covers plenty of ground in center field. He should easily stick there moving forward with a chance for plus defensive ability. Even if he needs to move off the position, his plus arm should allow him to play either corner at a high level.
The Future: Arias will continue working to optimize his swing, but has the sort of tools to develop into an everyday regular. He should make his stateside debut in 2025 in his age-18 season.
Scouting Grades: HIT: 50. POW: 45. RUN: 70. FLD: 55. ARM: 60.
Braylon Doughty, RHP
Preseason Rank: 12
BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme
Track Record: Doughty ranked as the No. 47 prospect in the 2024 class on the back of his tremendous feel to spin the ball. The Guardians signed him for slot value—a $2,569,200 bonus—with the 36th overall pick in the draft to coax him out of a commitment to Oklahoma State.
Scouting Report: A 6-foot-1, 196-pound righthander, Doughty is a standout athlete who operates with a smooth, balanced, low-effort delivery. He has a clean and loose arm action and throws from a three-quarters slot he repeats well for a teenage pitcher. Doughty dominated his SoCal competition during the spring with a low-90s fastball that has been up to 96-97 mph and a pair of high-spin, plus breaking balls. His 78-80 mph downer curveball registers spin rates in the 3,200 rpm range and he pairs it with a hard slider in the mid 80s with similarly high pure spin rates. While both pitches have plus potential, Cleveland might have Doughty focus on the curveball initially. The curve immediately becomes a candidate for the best breaking ball in Cleveland’s system thanks to its depth and his feel to land it. Doughty has thrown a mid-80s changeup but it lagged behind his other three pitches in high school. His clean operation and athleticism could lead to above-average control.
The Future: Doughty is a high-upside righty with natural athleticism. He’s a scratch golfer and kicked a 60-yard field goal in high school. He has midrotation upside and should start the 2025 season with Low-A Lynchburg.
Scouting Grades: FB: 55. CB: 65. SL: 60. CH: 45. CTL: 50.
Juneiker Caceres, OF
Preseason Rank: 21
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Caceres signed for $300,000 out of Venezuela in Cleveland’s 2024 international class and played most of the 2024 season as a 16-year-old in the Dominican Summer League. Despite his youth, Caceres was one of the most impressive hitters in the DSL and slashed .340/.425/.504 with more walks than strikeouts.
Scouting Report: Caceres is a 5-foot-10, 168-pound lefthanded hitter and outfielder who lacks much in the way of physical projection, but stands out for his barrel skills and batting eye. Caceres has an uppercut path but an advanced ability to use the entire field with an approach that some scouts view as overly opposite-field oriented. He’ll need to pull the ball more frequently to tap into his power as he ages, and while he might not add massive amounts of strength or power in the future, his 90th percentile exit velocity of 108 mph is already an exceptional figure for a 16-year-old. He’s an aggressive hitter who likes to swing and so far that approach has worked just fine. Caceres played all three outfield positions but is a fringy runner who should fit best in a corner outfield spot. He will need to work to become a fringe-average defender.
The Future: Caceres should be ready to take his exciting hit/power combo stateside in 2025. His offensive tools give him everyday upside but he’s got plenty of development time ahead.
Scouting Grades: HIT: 55. POW: 50. RUN: 45. FLD: 45. ARM: 50.
Robert Arias, OF
Preseason Rank: 29
BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
Track Record: Arias was the centerpiece of Cleveland’s 2024 international class when he signed for $1.9 million out of the Dominican Republic. He boasted excellent hand-eye coordination and contact skills with a high-energy play style as an amateur and hit .247/.367/.347 with 29 stolen bases in 41 games in the Dominican Summer League.
Scouting Report: Arias is a 6-foot-1, 168-pound lefthanded hitter with a top-of-the-order toolset. He makes tons of contact and has a chance to be an above-average hitter, though at the moment he tends to get overly pull-oriented and his bat path leads to plenty of ground ball contact. Scouts believe he has the sort of athleticism to make the necessary adjustments mechanically, along with the frame and bat speed that could unlock above-average raw power and near-average game power. He’s a great runner who turns in 70-grade run times and covers plenty of ground in center field. He should easily stick there moving forward with a chance for plus defensive ability. Even if he needs to move off the position, his plus arm should allow him to play either corner at a high level.
The Future: Arias will continue working to optimize his swing, but has the sort of tools to develop into an everyday regular. He should make his stateside debut in 2025 in his age-18 season.
Scouting Grades: HIT: 50. POW: 45. RUN: 70. FLD: 55. ARM: 60.
Re: Minor Matters
13403Ba's prospect book besides listing 30 players for each team also includes a broader ranked list by position of anyone arguably a prospect
here's the depth chart for each position:
LHP starters
Cantillo Nikhazy Messick Wilkinson Hartle Kennedy [all in the top 30] and Jackson Humphries who felt out after a season with poor command
LHP relievers
Sabrowski only one among the 30; Ryan Webb, Steven Perez, Will Dion
RHP starters
Doughty Oakie Espino Peterson Mobley among the 30; then Cameron Sullivan [a 2024 draftee] Justin Campbell [22 draftee who hasn't yet pitched an inning; Dylan Delucia
RHP relievers
Walters only in the 30; Franco Aleman [added to the roster], Nic Enright [ditto]; Jacob Zibin [also never yet got into a game]; Hunter Stanley; Jake Miller; Tyler Thornton; Davis Sharpe; Josh Harlow; Zak Kent; Andrew Misiaszek; Alaska Abney; Allan Hernandez [who pitched pretty well in Arizona Fall League]
here's the depth chart for each position:
LHP starters
Cantillo Nikhazy Messick Wilkinson Hartle Kennedy [all in the top 30] and Jackson Humphries who felt out after a season with poor command
LHP relievers
Sabrowski only one among the 30; Ryan Webb, Steven Perez, Will Dion
RHP starters
Doughty Oakie Espino Peterson Mobley among the 30; then Cameron Sullivan [a 2024 draftee] Justin Campbell [22 draftee who hasn't yet pitched an inning; Dylan Delucia
RHP relievers
Walters only in the 30; Franco Aleman [added to the roster], Nic Enright [ditto]; Jacob Zibin [also never yet got into a game]; Hunter Stanley; Jake Miller; Tyler Thornton; Davis Sharpe; Josh Harlow; Zak Kent; Andrew Misiaszek; Alaska Abney; Allan Hernandez [who pitched pretty well in Arizona Fall League]
Re: Minor Matters
13404Catchers: Cooper Ingle; Zach Cozart Kody Huff Bennett Thompson
1B: Velazquez; Kayfus; Luis Merajo [good power in Arizona summer league] Maick Collado
2B: Bazzana; Brito; Watson; Christian Knapzyck
SS: Weiblyn rancisca; Gabriel Rodriguez; Jose Devers; Milan Tolentino; Yordes Valdes
3B; Genao; Alex Mooney; Dayan Frias
1B: Velazquez; Kayfus; Luis Merajo [good power in Arizona summer league] Maick Collado
2B: Bazzana; Brito; Watson; Christian Knapzyck
SS: Weiblyn rancisca; Gabriel Rodriguez; Jose Devers; Milan Tolentino; Yordes Valdes
3B; Genao; Alex Mooney; Dayan Frias
Re: Minor Matters
13405LF: Caceras; Valera; Alfonsin Rosario [acquired for Eli Morgan]; Joe Lampe
CF: Chuorio; Halpin; Arias; Nick Mitchell [from Toronto in Giminez trade]
RF: DeLauter; J. Rod; W. Antunez
CF: Chuorio; Halpin; Arias; Nick Mitchell [from Toronto in Giminez trade]
RF: DeLauter; J. Rod; W. Antunez
Re: Minor Matters
13406Of all those players the most intruiging based on 2024 stats to me is catcher Bennett Thompson, 13th round pick, from Oregon. Finished his minor league debut season with Low A Lynchburg with 3 hits in 49 at bats. Successfully caught 3 of 27 attempted basestealers. There was obviously some reason he was drafted; here's his predraft scouting report:
Thompson is a 5-foot-10, 196-pound catcher who hit extremely well for Oregon in parts of two seasons in 2022 and 2023. In his first full season for the Ducks in 2024 his offensive numbers back up a bit, as he slashed .281/.386/.431 with less power than he had flashed in each of the previous two seasons. Thompson has a pull-heavy approach at the plate and generally stays within the strike zone on his swing decisions and rarely misses a fastball, but he profiles as a bottom-of-the-order type bat. He did an excellent job controlling the run game in 2024 and threw out 9-of-19 (47.4%) base stealers with a compact arm action and solid arm strength. He has the actions to stick behind the plate with solid mobility and hands and will need to be an above-average defender at the position to make up for his offensive questions. Thompson has a fairly extensive history in wood bat summer leagues but never did much to impress in that capacity beyond putting up solid strikeout and walk rates.
Thompson is a 5-foot-10, 196-pound catcher who hit extremely well for Oregon in parts of two seasons in 2022 and 2023. In his first full season for the Ducks in 2024 his offensive numbers back up a bit, as he slashed .281/.386/.431 with less power than he had flashed in each of the previous two seasons. Thompson has a pull-heavy approach at the plate and generally stays within the strike zone on his swing decisions and rarely misses a fastball, but he profiles as a bottom-of-the-order type bat. He did an excellent job controlling the run game in 2024 and threw out 9-of-19 (47.4%) base stealers with a compact arm action and solid arm strength. He has the actions to stick behind the plate with solid mobility and hands and will need to be an above-average defender at the position to make up for his offensive questions. Thompson has a fairly extensive history in wood bat summer leagues but never did much to impress in that capacity beyond putting up solid strikeout and walk rates.