Aaron Davenport excelled in Akron. 12 runs in 40 2/3 innings; 3 starts in a row went 6 shutout innings, totaling 22 strikeouts and only 6 hits. His last Akron game was not so great, 3 runs in 6 innings.
And his first couple outing for Columbus were 1 inning 3 runs; then 4 1/3 innings 5 runs.
Re: Minor Matters
13712Welbyn Francisca keeps his hot streak alive with his 2nd homer of the spring. Hitting streak up to 12 games in which he's had now 21 hits, 3 doubles a triple and this one homer. And he's stolen 10 bases.
NIck Mitchell is another hot hitter for Lynchburg, No. 4 2024 Blue Jays draft pick came in the Giminez deal. Since joining the Hillcats from rehab he's gone 8 for 17 with 5 walks. 21 year old OF from Indiana.
NIck Mitchell is another hot hitter for Lynchburg, No. 4 2024 Blue Jays draft pick came in the Giminez deal. Since joining the Hillcats from rehab he's gone 8 for 17 with 5 walks. 21 year old OF from Indiana.
Re: Minor Matters
13713A couple notable debuts today in Arizona went better than McKenzie's and Sabrowski's yesterday
Shane Bieber 2 1/3 innings, 1 hit, 5 strikeots.
Chase Mobley the 3rd of the 3 hard throwing big RH high school pitchers selected in 2024 6-5 205 10th round pick signed for 1st round money, Made BA's list of top 10 pitchers to watch in Arizona. His first 1 inning as pro 1 hit 2 strikeouts
Shane Bieber 2 1/3 innings, 1 hit, 5 strikeots.
Chase Mobley the 3rd of the 3 hard throwing big RH high school pitchers selected in 2024 6-5 205 10th round pick signed for 1st round money, Made BA's list of top 10 pitchers to watch in Arizona. His first 1 inning as pro 1 hit 2 strikeouts
Re: Minor Matters
13714rehabbers at bat in Goodyear
Genao homer, 2 singles, and an error
Chourio single and an error
Valera single. DH no errors
Genao homer, 2 singles, and an error
Chourio single and an error
Valera single. DH no errors
Re: Minor Matters
13715Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 6/1/25
Next Year in Cleveland - Guardians Farm System Coverage
To: me · Mon, Jun 2 at 7:39 AM
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 6/1/25
Jacob Cozart is finding a groove; If you don't know the name Jake Miller yet, you might want to get familiar
Matthew Kennell
Jun 2
READ IN APP
Scoreboard
Rochester Red Wings 4, Columbus Clippers 3 - Statcast
Somerset Patriots 3, Akron RubberDucks 1
Cedar Rapids Kernels 7, Lake County Captains 6
Lynchburg Hillcats 3, Fredericksburg Nationals 1
Highlights
CJ Kayfus (LF, Columbus): 2-for-4, R, 2 2Bs, RBI – Two of the five doubles for the Clippers on the day belonged to Kayfus and he was the only man with multiple hits. His two-base hits were both recorded at over 103 mph off the bat and it was his second straight game with multiple hits as he improves his batting average to .330 with a .955 OPS. He played left field for a game – just his fourth time in left this year.
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Jake Miller (RP, Akron): 2.1 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – Miller continues to dominate the Double-A Eastern League with his fourth straight scoreless appearances (7.2 innings). He threw 32 pitches with 22 of them over for strikes and four of his seven outs were on strikes. What made Miller’s appearance so impressive was three straight strikeouts on the rehabbing Jazz Chisholm Jr. and top Yankee prospects George Lombard Jr and Spencer Jones.
Jacob Cozart (C, Lake County): 2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBIs, BB, PB – Cozart recorded the lone extra-base hit for the Captains with his RBI double in the third inning. He also singled through the right side of the infield in the midst of a three-run top of the fifth to plate a second run on the day and reached base a third time on a walk. He now has three multi-hit games in his last five.
Yaikel Mijares (3B, Lynchburg): 2-for-4, R, RBI, DP – Similar to Kayfus, the 19-year-old third baseman for Lynchburg Mijares had the only two-hit performance for the Hillcats. He has now reached base safely in eight straight contests and raised his batting average from .157 to .206 in that span. On Sunday, he provided a key insurance run with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.
Notable Performances
Joey Cantillo (SP, Columbus): 3.0 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 5 Ks – Cantillo was solid in his three innings of work with only one ball registered as hard hit via Statcast (a second inning groundout). He allowed his lone run to score with a two-out rally in the first, but he was able to finish his outing strong with three consecutive strikeouts.
Nick Mikolajchak (RP, Columbus): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – The 27-year-old was efficient with a 1-2-3 ninth inning that he needed just seven pitches to complete (groundout, flyout, flyout).
Alex Mooney (SS, Akron): 2-for-3, SB – The Duke University alum notched two hits in three plate appearances on Sunday, his first multi-hit game since April 27. He is thankful for the turning of the calendar to June after a .138 batting average in May.
Joe Lampe (LF, Akron): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI – Lampe broke up the Somerset shutout with an RBI double in the ninth – just one of two hits recorded with runners in scoring position for the RubberDucks on the day.
Ralphy Velasquez (1B, Lake County): 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB, DP – Velasquez has now reached base at least twice in his last three games with a 2-for-4 outing in the series finale at Cedar Rapids. The highlight for the new 20-year-old was an RBI single in the fifth.
Wuilfredo Antunez (RF, Lake County): 2-for-4 – A pair of singles for Antunez made him the third player on the Lake County roster with multiple hits on Sunday. He extended his hit streak to nine in a row.
Sean Matson (SP, Lynchburg): 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, K – This was the shortest of Matson’s three starts in the last two weeks, however it was his second in a row without allowing a run. Matson surrendered a two-out baserunner in each of his first two frames, but got out of the inning with no damage on both instances.
Jesus Luna (RP, Lynchburg): H (3), 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K, HBP – The newly acquired right-handed pitcher extends his shutout streak with Lynchburg to 9.1 innings by adding three to his ledger on Sunday. He was able to get three outs in the sixth with a runner in scoring position to keep the streak alive.
Nick Mitchell (LF, Lynchburg): 1-for-4, RBI, SB – Mitchell was able to get the game started on a high note with an RBI single in the first inning and he stole second to put himself into scoring position with two outs in the frame, but was left stranded.
Next Year in Cleveland - Guardians Farm System Coverage
To: me · Mon, Jun 2 at 7:39 AM
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 6/1/25
Jacob Cozart is finding a groove; If you don't know the name Jake Miller yet, you might want to get familiar
Matthew Kennell
Jun 2
READ IN APP
Scoreboard
Rochester Red Wings 4, Columbus Clippers 3 - Statcast
Somerset Patriots 3, Akron RubberDucks 1
Cedar Rapids Kernels 7, Lake County Captains 6
Lynchburg Hillcats 3, Fredericksburg Nationals 1
Highlights
CJ Kayfus (LF, Columbus): 2-for-4, R, 2 2Bs, RBI – Two of the five doubles for the Clippers on the day belonged to Kayfus and he was the only man with multiple hits. His two-base hits were both recorded at over 103 mph off the bat and it was his second straight game with multiple hits as he improves his batting average to .330 with a .955 OPS. He played left field for a game – just his fourth time in left this year.
Next Year in Cleveland is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Subscribed
Jake Miller (RP, Akron): 2.1 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 4 Ks – Miller continues to dominate the Double-A Eastern League with his fourth straight scoreless appearances (7.2 innings). He threw 32 pitches with 22 of them over for strikes and four of his seven outs were on strikes. What made Miller’s appearance so impressive was three straight strikeouts on the rehabbing Jazz Chisholm Jr. and top Yankee prospects George Lombard Jr and Spencer Jones.
Jacob Cozart (C, Lake County): 2-for-3, R, 2B, 2 RBIs, BB, PB – Cozart recorded the lone extra-base hit for the Captains with his RBI double in the third inning. He also singled through the right side of the infield in the midst of a three-run top of the fifth to plate a second run on the day and reached base a third time on a walk. He now has three multi-hit games in his last five.
Yaikel Mijares (3B, Lynchburg): 2-for-4, R, RBI, DP – Similar to Kayfus, the 19-year-old third baseman for Lynchburg Mijares had the only two-hit performance for the Hillcats. He has now reached base safely in eight straight contests and raised his batting average from .157 to .206 in that span. On Sunday, he provided a key insurance run with an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.
Notable Performances
Joey Cantillo (SP, Columbus): 3.0 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 5 Ks – Cantillo was solid in his three innings of work with only one ball registered as hard hit via Statcast (a second inning groundout). He allowed his lone run to score with a two-out rally in the first, but he was able to finish his outing strong with three consecutive strikeouts.
Nick Mikolajchak (RP, Columbus): 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 0 Ks – The 27-year-old was efficient with a 1-2-3 ninth inning that he needed just seven pitches to complete (groundout, flyout, flyout).
Alex Mooney (SS, Akron): 2-for-3, SB – The Duke University alum notched two hits in three plate appearances on Sunday, his first multi-hit game since April 27. He is thankful for the turning of the calendar to June after a .138 batting average in May.
Joe Lampe (LF, Akron): 1-for-4, 2B, RBI – Lampe broke up the Somerset shutout with an RBI double in the ninth – just one of two hits recorded with runners in scoring position for the RubberDucks on the day.
Ralphy Velasquez (1B, Lake County): 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB, SB, DP – Velasquez has now reached base at least twice in his last three games with a 2-for-4 outing in the series finale at Cedar Rapids. The highlight for the new 20-year-old was an RBI single in the fifth.
Wuilfredo Antunez (RF, Lake County): 2-for-4 – A pair of singles for Antunez made him the third player on the Lake County roster with multiple hits on Sunday. He extended his hit streak to nine in a row.
Sean Matson (SP, Lynchburg): 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, BB, K – This was the shortest of Matson’s three starts in the last two weeks, however it was his second in a row without allowing a run. Matson surrendered a two-out baserunner in each of his first two frames, but got out of the inning with no damage on both instances.
Jesus Luna (RP, Lynchburg): H (3), 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K, HBP – The newly acquired right-handed pitcher extends his shutout streak with Lynchburg to 9.1 innings by adding three to his ledger on Sunday. He was able to get three outs in the sixth with a runner in scoring position to keep the streak alive.
Nick Mitchell (LF, Lynchburg): 1-for-4, RBI, SB – Mitchell was able to get the game started on a high note with an RBI single in the first inning and he stole second to put himself into scoring position with two outs in the frame, but was left stranded.
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain
Re: Minor Matters
13716Guardians’ executive outlines contrasting paths to the majors for two top prospects
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A prospect’s path to the major leagues is rarely a straight line, and few understand this better than Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti. On Sunday, Antonetti gave reporters a glimpse of the club’s development strategies for two of its most promising prospects – CJ Kayfus and Chase DeLauter.
Kayfus, the team’s No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipleline, and DeLauter, the No. 2 prospect and top draft pick from 2022, are both currently playing at Triple-A Columbus and could soon be in the conversation to join Cleveland’s roster at some point this season.
Antonetti said Kayfus, hitting .339 in 165 at-bats between Columbus and Double-A Akron, has been on an accelerated path since spring training.
“He’s moved quickly through our system, and it’s a credit to his consistent approach offensively and the work that he’s done on that front,” Antonetti said.
What’s particularly interesting is how the Guardians aren’t content with Kayfus’ already impressive offensive development. They are also adding to his defensive repertoire to give him even more paths to the majors.
“We’re now trying to add is some defensive versatility to his game where he’s now getting some time in the outfield,” Antonetti said. “The more positions guys can play capably, the more opportunities they’ll have to potentially impact the major league team.”
This emphasis on versatility has been an organizational philosophy for a while, but it’s also goes hand-in-hand with good player development. Antonetti pointed out how José Ramírez’s willingness to play multiple positions created his first shot at the major leagues.
“If Hosey said, ‘Hey, I played second base in the minor leagues, that’s what I am, I’m a second baseman,’ he may not have gotten that major league opportunity,” Antonetti admitted.
By giving Kayfus time at Triple-A, the Guardians are also deliberately exposing him to significantly improved competition.
“There’s a big jump in competition between Triple-A and Double-A,” Antonetti said. “Once you get to Triple-A, you’re seeing much better pitching guys that have major league opportunities, service guys that are on the cusp of getting to the major leagues.”
DeLauter’s path stands in stark contrast to Kayfus, as the 2022 first-round pick requires a more measured approach, despite his obvious talent. Due to a laundry list of injuries and setbacks, DeLauter still has a limited number of pro at-bats above Class-A.
“We want to challenge him against better competition and continue to help him build his baseball skills,” Antonetti said. “Equally, if not more important, is building up his volume to help him stay healthy.”
The contrasting paths of Kayfus and DeLatuer highlight the Guardians’ individualized approach to prospect development. While they’ve created a systematic philosophy centered around versatility and challenging players, they’re flexible enough to adapt to each prospect’s specific needs.
DeLauter joined Columbus in late May after recovering from sports hernia surgery in March. He is hitting .186 with three home runs and five RBI in 43 at-bats for the Clippers. But despite Cleveland’s urgent need for offense in the outfield at the major league level, do not expect the Guardians to rush things. Their health-focused approach means a careful workload management plan.
“This week he’ll have completed three games in the outfield with one game at DH,” Antonetti said. “Next week he has a similar progression. Hopefully we can build on that foundation from there and just continue to elevate the floor of his activity in volume.”
CLEVELAND, Ohio — A prospect’s path to the major leagues is rarely a straight line, and few understand this better than Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti. On Sunday, Antonetti gave reporters a glimpse of the club’s development strategies for two of its most promising prospects – CJ Kayfus and Chase DeLauter.
Kayfus, the team’s No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipleline, and DeLauter, the No. 2 prospect and top draft pick from 2022, are both currently playing at Triple-A Columbus and could soon be in the conversation to join Cleveland’s roster at some point this season.
Antonetti said Kayfus, hitting .339 in 165 at-bats between Columbus and Double-A Akron, has been on an accelerated path since spring training.
“He’s moved quickly through our system, and it’s a credit to his consistent approach offensively and the work that he’s done on that front,” Antonetti said.
What’s particularly interesting is how the Guardians aren’t content with Kayfus’ already impressive offensive development. They are also adding to his defensive repertoire to give him even more paths to the majors.
“We’re now trying to add is some defensive versatility to his game where he’s now getting some time in the outfield,” Antonetti said. “The more positions guys can play capably, the more opportunities they’ll have to potentially impact the major league team.”
This emphasis on versatility has been an organizational philosophy for a while, but it’s also goes hand-in-hand with good player development. Antonetti pointed out how José Ramírez’s willingness to play multiple positions created his first shot at the major leagues.
“If Hosey said, ‘Hey, I played second base in the minor leagues, that’s what I am, I’m a second baseman,’ he may not have gotten that major league opportunity,” Antonetti admitted.
By giving Kayfus time at Triple-A, the Guardians are also deliberately exposing him to significantly improved competition.
“There’s a big jump in competition between Triple-A and Double-A,” Antonetti said. “Once you get to Triple-A, you’re seeing much better pitching guys that have major league opportunities, service guys that are on the cusp of getting to the major leagues.”
DeLauter’s path stands in stark contrast to Kayfus, as the 2022 first-round pick requires a more measured approach, despite his obvious talent. Due to a laundry list of injuries and setbacks, DeLauter still has a limited number of pro at-bats above Class-A.
“We want to challenge him against better competition and continue to help him build his baseball skills,” Antonetti said. “Equally, if not more important, is building up his volume to help him stay healthy.”
The contrasting paths of Kayfus and DeLatuer highlight the Guardians’ individualized approach to prospect development. While they’ve created a systematic philosophy centered around versatility and challenging players, they’re flexible enough to adapt to each prospect’s specific needs.
DeLauter joined Columbus in late May after recovering from sports hernia surgery in March. He is hitting .186 with three home runs and five RBI in 43 at-bats for the Clippers. But despite Cleveland’s urgent need for offense in the outfield at the major league level, do not expect the Guardians to rush things. Their health-focused approach means a careful workload management plan.
“This week he’ll have completed three games in the outfield with one game at DH,” Antonetti said. “Next week he has a similar progression. Hopefully we can build on that foundation from there and just continue to elevate the floor of his activity in volume.”
Re: Minor Matters
13717While we were away, BA posted an updated list of RoboScout ratings based on some measurements I don't understand
Our guys on their lists of leaders included:
Rookie Ball
No. 3 hitter Juniker Caceras
No. 4 hitter Dario Fernandez
Low A
No 7 pitcher Jogly Garcia [43% strikeout rate; 46.3% ground ball rate] Unfortunately now on the IL
No. 9 pitcher Braylon Doughty
AA
Bazzana No 18 hitter
Kahlil Watson No. 20 hitter
Our guys on their lists of leaders included:
Rookie Ball
No. 3 hitter Juniker Caceras
No. 4 hitter Dario Fernandez
Low A
No 7 pitcher Jogly Garcia [43% strikeout rate; 46.3% ground ball rate] Unfortunately now on the IL
No. 9 pitcher Braylon Doughty
AA
Bazzana No 18 hitter
Kahlil Watson No. 20 hitter
Re: Minor Matters
13718Even bigger day than usual for Cooper Ingle 4 hits one a homer and a walk. [and 3 steals against him; so far he's played exclusively behind the plate]
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 6/3/25
Cooper Ingle goes OFF, Doughty reaches a new career milestone
REHAB
Jack Leftwich (SP, ACL): IP, K - Leftwich pitched his first game since April and did a good job getting through one inning.
Angel Genao (SS, ACL): 0-3, 2BB, E - Not a player that walks a ton, Genao drew some in a game that features 17 (yes, 17!) walks, 10 by the Padres ACL team. Genao did play a full game here but didn’t play the 10th. But he should be close to getting to Lake County or Akron here soon.
Erik Sabrowksi (RP, ACL): 0.1IP, R, BB, K - Sabrowski made his first official appearance of 2025 and it was a bit of a rough one. Hopefully it’s just rust and not a sign of still dealing with an elbow issue for his sake and the Guardians sake, because they could use the 2024 version of him in their bullpen sometime later this month
[actually his second; last week he pitched to 5 batters, walked 3 of them]
[also note: George Valera made his 2025 Columus debut as DH and went hitless]
HIGHLIGHTS
Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Columbus): 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB - Rodriguez was the clear star of the Clippers’ series-opening Dime-A-Dog victory with a pair of 100+ MPH extra-base hits including his third homer in his last four games - a two-run blast (103.5 MPH, 404 feet) that actually landed in the bleachers in left (for those who don’t know, Huntington Park has netting in front of ALL seats - yes, including the LF bleachers - and most homers to left hit net and not the seats) and broke the scoreless deadlock that marked the first third of the contest. His hardest hit - actually, anyone’s hardest hit - of the night, however, was his 109 MPH double in the eighth.
C.J. Kayfus (1B, Columbus): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K - Kayfus immediately followed with a home run of his own - a 105.8 MPH, 392 foot solo shot off of the scoreboard in right center - continuing a streak of 3+ total base games that now stands at three contests.
Brayan Rocchio (SS, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SF - Rocchio brought his on-base streak into double digits with a 103.1 MPH, 404 foot two-run homer to right that landed outside of ballpark property on Nationwide Blvd. The Sac Fly that gave him the edge on the night’s RBI leaderboard was no bloop either, clocking in at a 102.3 MPH exit velo.
Vince Velasquez (SP, Columbus): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K - Velasquez’s second-longest start of the 2025 campaign was also easily his best, with his season-best eight strikeouts making it five straight starts and six of his last seven with 5+ Ks. Unsurprisingly, his twelve whiffs were tied for third on the night in the International League with Gwinnett (Braves) starter Hurston Waldrep.
Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 4-4, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, Picked Off 1 time - Ingle bounced back from an uncharacteristic 0-for-4 finale to last week’s road trip to Somerset, N.J. in grand fashion with a perfect night at the plate that included his first homer in exactly two weeks. Fun Fact: His last four home runs have all come at the Corner of State and Main with his last road homer coming on April 18 in Erie.
Joe Lampe (LF, Akron): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB - Lampe’s season RBI total now stands at 25 after he drove in half of the RubberDucks’ runs in last night’s series opener, including two on a third-inning blast to right field - his third round-tripper of the season.
Tommy Hawke (LF, Lynchburg): 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 1 SB, 1 Outfield Assist - The Hillcats game as a whole may have been a disaster last night, but Hawke shone brightly amid the ugliness. He extended his team-leading on-base and hitting streak to twelve and seven games, respectively, as well as stealing yet another base to bring his North American pro baseball-leading total to 48. (He may very well be leading the entire world right now, but I hesitate to make that statement until I can find some up-to-date Japanese farm leagues stats.)
Robert Arias (LF-CF, ACL): 4-7, 3B - Seven at bats in a game? That’s player development. Especially in the ACL. Arias is by far the most notable ACL prospect on the Guardians roster and he’s had a nice start two his stateside debut and has more walks than strikeouts in addition to hitting so far.
[questionable assessment; he's well regarded but so are Cacares and Rodriguez and Fernandez is making a quite of show for himself too]
Israel Alvarez (2B, DSL Goryl): 1-4, 3B, 3 RBI - Alvarez has 6 RBI in two games so far in the DSL season.
Estivel Morillo (CF, DSL Mendoza): 3-6, 2B, 3 RBI - The 18, soon to be 19 year old outfielder didn’t seem too good in 2024 in his first year but is off to a good start in 2025.
Jose Riera (2B, DSL Mendoza): 2-5, 2B, RBI - Riera is a small 17 year old with two hits each in his first two pro games.
Sebastian Cadiz (1B-C, DSL Mendoza): 2-2, RBI, 2 BB - This is Cadiz’s third stint in the DSL A 19 year old left handed catcher from Venezuela.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Petey Halpin (CF, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB - Halpin, who stole his fifth base of the season, was the team’s lone non-home run hitter to reach twice in last night’s victory.
Christian Cairo (2B, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 K - Cairo opened his 2025 triple account with a 100.8 MPH fifth-inning three-bagger from which he later scored on Rocchio’s sac fly.
Jorge Burgos (1B, Akron): 0-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K - Even on a hitless night, Burgos keeps driving runs in - in this case extending his Eastern League-leading total to 44 on an eighth-inning bases-loaded walk.
Guy Lipscomb (DH, Akron): 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB,1 K - Lipscomb reached thrice (both times on a pair of hits and a walk) for the second time in four days (three games) in an effort that included his first extra-base hit in a week and a half.
Khalil Watson (RF, Akron): 2-4, 1 HBP, 1 K, 1 CS - Not his flashiest performance, but Watson just keeps getting on base.
Tommy Mace (SP, Akron): W (6-2), 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 1 K - All you need to know about how hot Mace has been since the start of May is that this is in the running for his second-worst outing of said stretch.
Magnus Ellerts (RP, Akron): S (4), 1 IP, 1 H - Ellerts’ 2025 save record remains unblemished in four opportunities so far this season.
Maick Collado (3B, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB - Collado, the only Captain to reach safely twice on an ugly night in suburban Grand Rapids, got the Captains' scoring started with his first homer of the 2025 campaign.
Esteban Gonzalez (starting LF, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI - Gonzalez provided the other Lake County run, also on a solo shot.
Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 2B,1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB - Francisca had the Hillcats’ other double of the night, driving in Hawke for his second run of the game with Lynchburg’s only RBI hit of the contest.
Braylon Doughty (SP, Lynchburg): L (0-4), IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 earned), 1 BB, 1 K - While not an elite performance, Doughty’s first shot at an individual victory (first time completing the fifth inning as a professional) was largely torpedoed by a lack of run support and Luis Flores’ rough eighth frame.
Gabriel Rodriguez (DH, ACL): 1-5, BB, SB - The ‘other’ Gabriel Rodriguez that the Guardians added in international free agency (this one cost a little less than the last player with the same namesake) was the DH in this one and this was only his second game of the year so far.
Angel Abreu (SS, DSL Goryl): 2-4, 2 RBI, SB, BB - The 16 year old infielder had five hits in two games to start his pro career.
Freilyn Rodriguez (CF, DSL Goryl): 2-5, 4 R, RBI, SB - A 17 year old outfielder, Rodriguez has four hits over the first two games of the season, also his debut.
Gustavo Baptista (C, DSL Goryl): 3-4, 3 RBI - Five hits in the first two games for Baptista, a 5-10 left handed hitting Venezuelan catcher, a demographic the Guardians absolutely seem to love.
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 6/3/25
Cooper Ingle goes OFF, Doughty reaches a new career milestone
REHAB
Jack Leftwich (SP, ACL): IP, K - Leftwich pitched his first game since April and did a good job getting through one inning.
Angel Genao (SS, ACL): 0-3, 2BB, E - Not a player that walks a ton, Genao drew some in a game that features 17 (yes, 17!) walks, 10 by the Padres ACL team. Genao did play a full game here but didn’t play the 10th. But he should be close to getting to Lake County or Akron here soon.
Erik Sabrowksi (RP, ACL): 0.1IP, R, BB, K - Sabrowski made his first official appearance of 2025 and it was a bit of a rough one. Hopefully it’s just rust and not a sign of still dealing with an elbow issue for his sake and the Guardians sake, because they could use the 2024 version of him in their bullpen sometime later this month
[actually his second; last week he pitched to 5 batters, walked 3 of them]
[also note: George Valera made his 2025 Columus debut as DH and went hitless]
HIGHLIGHTS
Johnathan Rodriguez (LF, Columbus): 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB - Rodriguez was the clear star of the Clippers’ series-opening Dime-A-Dog victory with a pair of 100+ MPH extra-base hits including his third homer in his last four games - a two-run blast (103.5 MPH, 404 feet) that actually landed in the bleachers in left (for those who don’t know, Huntington Park has netting in front of ALL seats - yes, including the LF bleachers - and most homers to left hit net and not the seats) and broke the scoreless deadlock that marked the first third of the contest. His hardest hit - actually, anyone’s hardest hit - of the night, however, was his 109 MPH double in the eighth.
C.J. Kayfus (1B, Columbus): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K - Kayfus immediately followed with a home run of his own - a 105.8 MPH, 392 foot solo shot off of the scoreboard in right center - continuing a streak of 3+ total base games that now stands at three contests.
Brayan Rocchio (SS, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SF - Rocchio brought his on-base streak into double digits with a 103.1 MPH, 404 foot two-run homer to right that landed outside of ballpark property on Nationwide Blvd. The Sac Fly that gave him the edge on the night’s RBI leaderboard was no bloop either, clocking in at a 102.3 MPH exit velo.
Vince Velasquez (SP, Columbus): 5.2 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 8 K - Velasquez’s second-longest start of the 2025 campaign was also easily his best, with his season-best eight strikeouts making it five straight starts and six of his last seven with 5+ Ks. Unsurprisingly, his twelve whiffs were tied for third on the night in the International League with Gwinnett (Braves) starter Hurston Waldrep.
Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 4-4, 3 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, Picked Off 1 time - Ingle bounced back from an uncharacteristic 0-for-4 finale to last week’s road trip to Somerset, N.J. in grand fashion with a perfect night at the plate that included his first homer in exactly two weeks. Fun Fact: His last four home runs have all come at the Corner of State and Main with his last road homer coming on April 18 in Erie.
Joe Lampe (LF, Akron): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB - Lampe’s season RBI total now stands at 25 after he drove in half of the RubberDucks’ runs in last night’s series opener, including two on a third-inning blast to right field - his third round-tripper of the season.
Tommy Hawke (LF, Lynchburg): 2-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 1 SB, 1 Outfield Assist - The Hillcats game as a whole may have been a disaster last night, but Hawke shone brightly amid the ugliness. He extended his team-leading on-base and hitting streak to twelve and seven games, respectively, as well as stealing yet another base to bring his North American pro baseball-leading total to 48. (He may very well be leading the entire world right now, but I hesitate to make that statement until I can find some up-to-date Japanese farm leagues stats.)
Robert Arias (LF-CF, ACL): 4-7, 3B - Seven at bats in a game? That’s player development. Especially in the ACL. Arias is by far the most notable ACL prospect on the Guardians roster and he’s had a nice start two his stateside debut and has more walks than strikeouts in addition to hitting so far.
[questionable assessment; he's well regarded but so are Cacares and Rodriguez and Fernandez is making a quite of show for himself too]
Israel Alvarez (2B, DSL Goryl): 1-4, 3B, 3 RBI - Alvarez has 6 RBI in two games so far in the DSL season.
Estivel Morillo (CF, DSL Mendoza): 3-6, 2B, 3 RBI - The 18, soon to be 19 year old outfielder didn’t seem too good in 2024 in his first year but is off to a good start in 2025.
Jose Riera (2B, DSL Mendoza): 2-5, 2B, RBI - Riera is a small 17 year old with two hits each in his first two pro games.
Sebastian Cadiz (1B-C, DSL Mendoza): 2-2, RBI, 2 BB - This is Cadiz’s third stint in the DSL A 19 year old left handed catcher from Venezuela.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Petey Halpin (CF, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 SB - Halpin, who stole his fifth base of the season, was the team’s lone non-home run hitter to reach twice in last night’s victory.
Christian Cairo (2B, Columbus): 1-3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 K - Cairo opened his 2025 triple account with a 100.8 MPH fifth-inning three-bagger from which he later scored on Rocchio’s sac fly.
Jorge Burgos (1B, Akron): 0-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 K - Even on a hitless night, Burgos keeps driving runs in - in this case extending his Eastern League-leading total to 44 on an eighth-inning bases-loaded walk.
Guy Lipscomb (DH, Akron): 2-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB,1 K - Lipscomb reached thrice (both times on a pair of hits and a walk) for the second time in four days (three games) in an effort that included his first extra-base hit in a week and a half.
Khalil Watson (RF, Akron): 2-4, 1 HBP, 1 K, 1 CS - Not his flashiest performance, but Watson just keeps getting on base.
Tommy Mace (SP, Akron): W (6-2), 5 IP, 5 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 1 K - All you need to know about how hot Mace has been since the start of May is that this is in the running for his second-worst outing of said stretch.
Magnus Ellerts (RP, Akron): S (4), 1 IP, 1 H - Ellerts’ 2025 save record remains unblemished in four opportunities so far this season.
Maick Collado (3B, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB - Collado, the only Captain to reach safely twice on an ugly night in suburban Grand Rapids, got the Captains' scoring started with his first homer of the 2025 campaign.
Esteban Gonzalez (starting LF, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI - Gonzalez provided the other Lake County run, also on a solo shot.
Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 2B,1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SB - Francisca had the Hillcats’ other double of the night, driving in Hawke for his second run of the game with Lynchburg’s only RBI hit of the contest.
Braylon Doughty (SP, Lynchburg): L (0-4), IP, 7 H, 3 R (2 earned), 1 BB, 1 K - While not an elite performance, Doughty’s first shot at an individual victory (first time completing the fifth inning as a professional) was largely torpedoed by a lack of run support and Luis Flores’ rough eighth frame.
Gabriel Rodriguez (DH, ACL): 1-5, BB, SB - The ‘other’ Gabriel Rodriguez that the Guardians added in international free agency (this one cost a little less than the last player with the same namesake) was the DH in this one and this was only his second game of the year so far.
Angel Abreu (SS, DSL Goryl): 2-4, 2 RBI, SB, BB - The 16 year old infielder had five hits in two games to start his pro career.
Freilyn Rodriguez (CF, DSL Goryl): 2-5, 4 R, RBI, SB - A 17 year old outfielder, Rodriguez has four hits over the first two games of the season, also his debut.
Gustavo Baptista (C, DSL Goryl): 3-4, 3 RBI - Five hits in the first two games for Baptista, a 5-10 left handed hitting Venezuelan catcher, a demographic the Guardians absolutely seem to love.
Re: Minor Matters
13719They'll also just published a two-months-in update of their top 100 list. Before looking at it, I don't assume any upward moves for our guys who appeared there pre-season since none has done anything notable and four have been hurt. Not surprised if Kayfus cracks the list.
Re: Minor Matters
13720BA top 10 hitters to start the Complex league seasons include the same 2 of Cleveland's
Dauri Fernandez, SS, Guardians
Arguably the biggest pop-up prospect in either domestic complex league to begin the season, Fernandez has hit .390/.461/.597 over his first 21 games stateside.
After a strong season in the DSL in 2024, everything is ticking up for Fernandez in 2025. His advanced data points to an excellent contact hitter with a low chase rate and a willingness to attack pitches in the zone. Fernandez’s underlying power data is still below-average, as his max exit velocity is just 99 mph, but he displays strong launch angles and a knack for making flush contact.
Added strength in the coming years could see Fernandez grow [he just turned 18 in March] into more game power due to his barrel control and good angles on contact.
Juneiker Caceres, OF, Guardians
The Guardians’ ACL affiliate is as talented as any team at complex level. They have a mix of rehabbing stars and talented young players making their stateside debut.
Caceres falls into the latter category, and he’s hit .327/.449/.436 over 18 games. He is showing pristine plate skills with a miss rate of just 15% and strong swing decisions to support it. His power is limited by a linear swing that leads to lots of groundball contact, but his max exit velocity of 105.7 mph is above-average for age and level and hints at more power lurking underneath the surface.
Dauri Fernandez, SS, Guardians
Arguably the biggest pop-up prospect in either domestic complex league to begin the season, Fernandez has hit .390/.461/.597 over his first 21 games stateside.
After a strong season in the DSL in 2024, everything is ticking up for Fernandez in 2025. His advanced data points to an excellent contact hitter with a low chase rate and a willingness to attack pitches in the zone. Fernandez’s underlying power data is still below-average, as his max exit velocity is just 99 mph, but he displays strong launch angles and a knack for making flush contact.
Added strength in the coming years could see Fernandez grow [he just turned 18 in March] into more game power due to his barrel control and good angles on contact.
Juneiker Caceres, OF, Guardians
The Guardians’ ACL affiliate is as talented as any team at complex level. They have a mix of rehabbing stars and talented young players making their stateside debut.
Caceres falls into the latter category, and he’s hit .327/.449/.436 over 18 games. He is showing pristine plate skills with a miss rate of just 15% and strong swing decisions to support it. His power is limited by a linear swing that leads to lots of groundball contact, but his max exit velocity of 105.7 mph is above-average for age and level and hints at more power lurking underneath the surface.
Re: Minor Matters
13721Kayfus must have been in the previous list; he's not listed as "new" and he's here; see below
Last edited by civ ollilavad on Wed Jun 04, 2025 4:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Minor Matters
1372226. Travis Bazzana
Cleveland Guardians
2B
Ht: 5'9" | Wt: 170 | B-T: L-R
Age: 22
BA Grade: 60/High.
The Skinny: The No. 1 overall pick from last summer has been up and down in the early portion of the season. His draft pedigree points to plenty of potential, but he has taken a few lumps against the toughest competition of his career so far, and now he’s out until the second half of the season with a right oblique strain.
34. Angel Genao
Cleveland Guardians
SS
Ht: 5'9" | Wt: 150 | B-T: S-R
Age: 20
BA Grade: 55/High.
The Skinny: Genao is aggressive at the dish for good reason. His elite hand-eye coordination and advanced approach suggest plus hitting potential. He’s also a strong thrower. Genao was one of the most productive hitters in the lower minors in 2024. He’s ready for Double-A, and he’s closing in on his debut at the level as he ramps up from a shoulder injury suffered toward the end of spring training.
44. Jaison Chourio
Cleveland Guardians
OF
Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 162 | B-T: S-R
Age: 19
BA Grade: 55/High.
The Skinny: Even Chourio’s older brother, Jackson, envies his keen eye at the plate and elite barrel control. The younger Chourio also displays some of the best contact ability in Cleveland’s system and is a speedy, plus defender in the outfield. He missed a couple weeks in May with a shoulder injury.
61. C.J. Kayfus
Cleveland Guardians
1B
Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 188 | B-T: L-L
Age: 23
BA Grade: 50/Medium.
The Skinny: Despite his undersized frame for a first baseman, Kayfus has emerged as a breakout contact-oriented hitter for the Guardians. A bit more power could make him an everyday player.
72. Chase DeLauter
Cleveland Guardians
OF
Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 235 | B-T: L-L
Age: 23
BA Grade: 55/High.
The Skinny: Injuries have been the story with DeLauter throughout his professional career. When he’s on the field, he’s a dynamic performer who’s done nothing but hit at every level. But he has once again missed time in 2025 with a sports hernia, although he returned to Triple-A Columbus in late May.
Cleveland Guardians
2B
Ht: 5'9" | Wt: 170 | B-T: L-R
Age: 22
BA Grade: 60/High.
The Skinny: The No. 1 overall pick from last summer has been up and down in the early portion of the season. His draft pedigree points to plenty of potential, but he has taken a few lumps against the toughest competition of his career so far, and now he’s out until the second half of the season with a right oblique strain.
34. Angel Genao
Cleveland Guardians
SS
Ht: 5'9" | Wt: 150 | B-T: S-R
Age: 20
BA Grade: 55/High.
The Skinny: Genao is aggressive at the dish for good reason. His elite hand-eye coordination and advanced approach suggest plus hitting potential. He’s also a strong thrower. Genao was one of the most productive hitters in the lower minors in 2024. He’s ready for Double-A, and he’s closing in on his debut at the level as he ramps up from a shoulder injury suffered toward the end of spring training.
44. Jaison Chourio
Cleveland Guardians
OF
Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 162 | B-T: S-R
Age: 19
BA Grade: 55/High.
The Skinny: Even Chourio’s older brother, Jackson, envies his keen eye at the plate and elite barrel control. The younger Chourio also displays some of the best contact ability in Cleveland’s system and is a speedy, plus defender in the outfield. He missed a couple weeks in May with a shoulder injury.
61. C.J. Kayfus
Cleveland Guardians
1B
Ht: 6'0" | Wt: 188 | B-T: L-L
Age: 23
BA Grade: 50/Medium.
The Skinny: Despite his undersized frame for a first baseman, Kayfus has emerged as a breakout contact-oriented hitter for the Guardians. A bit more power could make him an everyday player.
72. Chase DeLauter
Cleveland Guardians
OF
Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 235 | B-T: L-L
Age: 23
BA Grade: 55/High.
The Skinny: Injuries have been the story with DeLauter throughout his professional career. When he’s on the field, he’s a dynamic performer who’s done nothing but hit at every level. But he has once again missed time in 2025 with a sports hernia, although he returned to Triple-A Columbus in late May.
Re: Minor Matters
13723Return to work day in the Guardians' organization yesterday:
Chourio back in Lake County
Genao season debut with Akron
Valera's 2nd game with the Clippers.
Sabrowski debut with Akron
Chourio back in Lake County
Genao season debut with Akron
Valera's 2nd game with the Clippers.
Sabrowski debut with Akron
Re: Minor Matters
13724and more details in the daily report; I'm deleting the DSL guys
REHAB
Erik Sabrowski (RP, Akron): 1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K - Sabrowski completed a full inning for the first time in 2025 in an impressive first non-complex outing of his season-opening rehab stint.
Jack Leftwich (RP, ACL Guardians): S (1), 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 3 Ks - The second rehab appearance for Leftwich looked just as good, if not better than the first with five consecutive outs, three of those on strikes. He faced the tying run in the sixth when he entered with one man on and then retired the side in order in the seventh and final frame.
HIGHLIGHTS ALL BY PLAYERS OF PROBABLE INSIGNIFANCE, but you never know
Caden Favors (SP, Lake County): W (2-4), 5 IP, 6 H, 7 K - Last night’s start was Favors’ first scoreless outing as a professional (He had previously kept his statline clean of earned runs thrice before, but each of this e games saw him allow one or more unearned runs.) as well as his fourth outing of 5+ innings out of his last five starts.
Adam Tulloch (RP, Lake County): S (2), 4 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K - Tulloch continued the mound dominance in his longest outing since he was a starter on the 2023 Hillcats. While this game was not officially announced as a piggyback night, it certainly ended up as one.
Robert Lopez (1B, Lynchburg): 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 K - Lopez was raking in his first game in nearly a week as he extended his double streak to three games in an effort highlighted by a bases-clearing third-inning single that kicked off the scoring in a big way, giving the Hillcats a 3-0 lead.
Yaikel Mijares (3B , Lynchburg): 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Mijares’ on-base streak reached eleven games with his third multi-hit performance in the first four games of what has been an extremely hot June for Yaikel so far.
Jeffrey Merecedes (2B, Lynchburg): 2-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SF - Mercedes broke out of an 0-for- start to the series with a pair of hits, including his first non-complex triple - bringing his domestic total in 2+ stateside seasons to three (one per year), equaling his tally from his lone DSL campaign in 2022.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Petey Halpin (CF, Columbus): 2-4, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 K - Halpin probably wishes the Clippers could play the Mud Hens every week. Through four games of this week’s series, he is 5-for-15 with a double triple, and three runs scored.
Brayan Rocchio (2B, Columbus): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI - Rocchio continues to make his case for a return trip north up I-71 as his eighth-inning two-run homer (98.6 MPH, 354 feet) extended his team-leading hit and on-base streaks to eight and 13 games, respectively.
Khalil Watson (CF, Akron): 2-4 - Watson’s second two-hit game of the week accounted for half of the RubberDucks’ trips to the basepaths on a rough Friday night at the Corner of State and Main.
Alex Mooney (2B, Akron): 1-3, 1 2B, 2 K - Mooney’s first double since May 4 in Altoona provided the other hit and the only of the extra-base variety for the ‘Ducks last night.
Joe Lampe (DH, Akron): 0-2, 1 BB - Lampe picked up the only free pass that the Mallards of Main Street could muster to extend his on-base streak to eight games - best among currently healthy RubberDucks.
Trenton Denholm (SP, Akron): L (6-2), 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 3 K - Denholm gets stuck with the tough-luck loss for the second time in four starts, both against the Baysox (The other was on May 18 in Bowie, Md.).
Jaison Chourio (CF, Lake County): 1-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E - Chourio wasted little time getting back into the swing of things (pun intended) in High-A, doubling in his second plate appearance off of the IL.
Maick Collado (3B, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Collado played a significant role in the Captains’ pair of ninth-inning insurance runs, driving in the former and scoring the latter.
Jonah Advincula (LF, Lake County): 0-1, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 SB, Picked Off 1 time - Advincula extended his team-leading stolen base total to 18 on a night when he matched his season high with three walks.
Tommy Hawke (DH, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 Sac Bunt - Hawke has reached safely in 14 of his last 15 games with a plate appearance.
Nick Mitchell (CF, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS - Mitchell’s productive plate appearance streak reached double digits last night. Including his rehab stint in Goodyear, Nick has a productive plate appearance in 18 of his 19 2025 games.
Robert Arias (DH, ACL Guardians): 1-for-3, R, 2 SBs - Arias put himself in position to score on a passed ball when he singled, then stole second and third base. He has a .429 batting average in the month of June and extended his organization-long hit streak to 12 games.
Erigaldi Perez (SP, ACL Guardians): 4.0 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 4 Ks - A solo homerun did not deter Perez from a decent outing where he went four innings and gave up no further damage.
Renil Ramos (RP, ACL Guardians): W (1-0), 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 Ks - The ACL Guardians bullpen kept the ACL Brewers out of the hit column with just over an inning from the 19-year-old Ramos.
REHAB
Erik Sabrowski (RP, Akron): 1 IP, 1 BB, 2 K - Sabrowski completed a full inning for the first time in 2025 in an impressive first non-complex outing of his season-opening rehab stint.
Jack Leftwich (RP, ACL Guardians): S (1), 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 3 Ks - The second rehab appearance for Leftwich looked just as good, if not better than the first with five consecutive outs, three of those on strikes. He faced the tying run in the sixth when he entered with one man on and then retired the side in order in the seventh and final frame.
HIGHLIGHTS ALL BY PLAYERS OF PROBABLE INSIGNIFANCE, but you never know
Caden Favors (SP, Lake County): W (2-4), 5 IP, 6 H, 7 K - Last night’s start was Favors’ first scoreless outing as a professional (He had previously kept his statline clean of earned runs thrice before, but each of this e games saw him allow one or more unearned runs.) as well as his fourth outing of 5+ innings out of his last five starts.
Adam Tulloch (RP, Lake County): S (2), 4 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 5 K - Tulloch continued the mound dominance in his longest outing since he was a starter on the 2023 Hillcats. While this game was not officially announced as a piggyback night, it certainly ended up as one.
Robert Lopez (1B, Lynchburg): 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 K - Lopez was raking in his first game in nearly a week as he extended his double streak to three games in an effort highlighted by a bases-clearing third-inning single that kicked off the scoring in a big way, giving the Hillcats a 3-0 lead.
Yaikel Mijares (3B , Lynchburg): 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Mijares’ on-base streak reached eleven games with his third multi-hit performance in the first four games of what has been an extremely hot June for Yaikel so far.
Jeffrey Merecedes (2B, Lynchburg): 2-3, 2 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 SF - Mercedes broke out of an 0-for- start to the series with a pair of hits, including his first non-complex triple - bringing his domestic total in 2+ stateside seasons to three (one per year), equaling his tally from his lone DSL campaign in 2022.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Petey Halpin (CF, Columbus): 2-4, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 K - Halpin probably wishes the Clippers could play the Mud Hens every week. Through four games of this week’s series, he is 5-for-15 with a double triple, and three runs scored.
Brayan Rocchio (2B, Columbus): 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI - Rocchio continues to make his case for a return trip north up I-71 as his eighth-inning two-run homer (98.6 MPH, 354 feet) extended his team-leading hit and on-base streaks to eight and 13 games, respectively.
Khalil Watson (CF, Akron): 2-4 - Watson’s second two-hit game of the week accounted for half of the RubberDucks’ trips to the basepaths on a rough Friday night at the Corner of State and Main.
Alex Mooney (2B, Akron): 1-3, 1 2B, 2 K - Mooney’s first double since May 4 in Altoona provided the other hit and the only of the extra-base variety for the ‘Ducks last night.
Joe Lampe (DH, Akron): 0-2, 1 BB - Lampe picked up the only free pass that the Mallards of Main Street could muster to extend his on-base streak to eight games - best among currently healthy RubberDucks.
Trenton Denholm (SP, Akron): L (6-2), 6 IP, 2 H, 2 R (both earned), 1 BB, 3 K - Denholm gets stuck with the tough-luck loss for the second time in four starts, both against the Baysox (The other was on May 18 in Bowie, Md.).
Jaison Chourio (CF, Lake County): 1-3, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E - Chourio wasted little time getting back into the swing of things (pun intended) in High-A, doubling in his second plate appearance off of the IL.
Maick Collado (3B, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - Collado played a significant role in the Captains’ pair of ninth-inning insurance runs, driving in the former and scoring the latter.
Jonah Advincula (LF, Lake County): 0-1, 1 R, 3 BB, 1 SB, Picked Off 1 time - Advincula extended his team-leading stolen base total to 18 on a night when he matched his season high with three walks.
Tommy Hawke (DH, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 Sac Bunt - Hawke has reached safely in 14 of his last 15 games with a plate appearance.
Nick Mitchell (CF, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS - Mitchell’s productive plate appearance streak reached double digits last night. Including his rehab stint in Goodyear, Nick has a productive plate appearance in 18 of his 19 2025 games.
Robert Arias (DH, ACL Guardians): 1-for-3, R, 2 SBs - Arias put himself in position to score on a passed ball when he singled, then stole second and third base. He has a .429 batting average in the month of June and extended his organization-long hit streak to 12 games.
Erigaldi Perez (SP, ACL Guardians): 4.0 IP, 3 H, R, BB, 4 Ks - A solo homerun did not deter Perez from a decent outing where he went four innings and gave up no further damage.
Renil Ramos (RP, ACL Guardians): W (1-0), 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 2 Ks - The ACL Guardians bullpen kept the ACL Brewers out of the hit column with just over an inning from the 19-year-old Ramos.
Re: Minor Matters
13725BA has also published updated top 30 lists for each team. Since most of our top players have been out of action for all or most of the spring there's little adjustment at least at the upper levels.
The Tigers may have supplanted them as the AL Central team to beat, but as they are almost every year, the Guardians find themselves in a relatively good place heading into the heat of the summer, with enough starting pitching to get to a still potent bullpen. Offensively, the team could use some help. The outfield remains a weak spot, as has often been the case in recent years.
If Cleveland does want to get aggressive at the trade deadline, the farm system has the talent to help, although the depth of the system is now spread around rather than bundled in a massive surplus of middle infielders the team had a few years ago.
Baseball America subscribers can see the complete updated Guardians Top 30 here.
Read on below for prospect graduates, risers, fallers, new additions and injury updates below. Top 30 updates for all 30 teams can be found here.
Graduates
Joey Cantillo, LHP: Cantillo started for the Guardians last year, but this season, he’s been a useful addition to the big league bullpen.
Risers
C.J. Kayfus, 1B: With every level he conquers, the questions about Kayfus’ impact slide a little further into the background. He doesn’t have profile power for first base, but his ability to make consistent hard contact should clear a path to being a useful big leaguer.
Kahlil Watson, SS: When the Guardians acquired Watson, they were acquiring a first-rounder who too often seemed lost at the plate. Watson struggled with pitch recognition which led to a 35% strikeout rate in 2022. Cleveland sent him back to Double-A to begin his third season in its system, and he responded by making more and better contact. His 23% strikeout rate has been paired with improved power, giving the Guardians another intriguing middle infield prospect.
Braylon Doughty, RHP: While many teams now slow-play their high school pitchers in their first full season, Doughty was on the mound for Low-A Opening Day in Lynchburg. His underlying numbers are better than his solid surface-level stats indicate, and his excellent fastball control and command will serve him well as he moves up.
Fallers
Jackson Humphries, LHP: Humphries surface-level stats like his ERA show improvement compared to last year, but the lefty’s struggles with strike-throwing are an underlying issue. His bottom-of-the-scale 54% strike percentage this year (down from last year’s 61%) is a long-term issue.
Matt Wilkinson, LHP: Wilkinson hasn’t been awful at High-A Lake County, but he has been worse in his return to the Midwest League compared to 2024 when he dominated both Class A levels. Wilkinson is nibbling more, falling behind more in counts, walking more batters and getting hit harder. Last year, Wilkinson generally pitched ahead in the count. This year, he’s been behind in counts more often than he is ahead.
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B: Velasquez drew plenty of positive reviews from scouts last year, but since his promotion to High-A Lake County late last season, he’s struggled to show the same hitting ability. Velazquez has big power, but he has gotten quite pull happy. He needs to show he can handle balls on the outer third of the plate.
Injuries
Jaison Chourio, OF: Chourio has just returned to action after rehabbing a shoulder injury in the Arizona Complex League.
Daniel Espino, RHP: Espino has spent the entire year on the 60-day injured list as he rehabs from shoulder surgery. As of the Guardians’ last medical update, he was throwing bullpens. Espino has not thrown in an official game since April 2022.
Juan Brito, INF: Brito has missed the past month and is expected to miss another month or two recovering after thumb surgery. He injured his thumb on a slide on April 17.
Travis Bazzana, 2B: Bazzana is expected to miss up to two months as he recovers from an oblique strain he suffered in the middle of May.
Angel Genao, SS: Genao has just return to action after completing a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League as he comes back from a shoulder injury.
George Valera, OF: Valera has been dominating the Arizona Complex League while rehabbing from a patellar tendon injury. Valera was hitting .441 with three home runs in his first 10 games in the ACL.
Erik Sabrowski, LHP: Sabrowski has been rehabbing in the Arizona Complex League as he returns from elbow inflammation.
New Additions
Jogly Garcia, RHP: Garcia has posted one of the best strikeout rates in the minors this year. It’s largely thanks to his ability to get ahead and finish off hitters with his 81-83 mph slider that gets swings and misses in the zone and gets plenty of chases when he runs it down and away out of the zone.
The Tigers may have supplanted them as the AL Central team to beat, but as they are almost every year, the Guardians find themselves in a relatively good place heading into the heat of the summer, with enough starting pitching to get to a still potent bullpen. Offensively, the team could use some help. The outfield remains a weak spot, as has often been the case in recent years.
If Cleveland does want to get aggressive at the trade deadline, the farm system has the talent to help, although the depth of the system is now spread around rather than bundled in a massive surplus of middle infielders the team had a few years ago.
Baseball America subscribers can see the complete updated Guardians Top 30 here.
Read on below for prospect graduates, risers, fallers, new additions and injury updates below. Top 30 updates for all 30 teams can be found here.
Graduates
Joey Cantillo, LHP: Cantillo started for the Guardians last year, but this season, he’s been a useful addition to the big league bullpen.
Risers
C.J. Kayfus, 1B: With every level he conquers, the questions about Kayfus’ impact slide a little further into the background. He doesn’t have profile power for first base, but his ability to make consistent hard contact should clear a path to being a useful big leaguer.
Kahlil Watson, SS: When the Guardians acquired Watson, they were acquiring a first-rounder who too often seemed lost at the plate. Watson struggled with pitch recognition which led to a 35% strikeout rate in 2022. Cleveland sent him back to Double-A to begin his third season in its system, and he responded by making more and better contact. His 23% strikeout rate has been paired with improved power, giving the Guardians another intriguing middle infield prospect.
Braylon Doughty, RHP: While many teams now slow-play their high school pitchers in their first full season, Doughty was on the mound for Low-A Opening Day in Lynchburg. His underlying numbers are better than his solid surface-level stats indicate, and his excellent fastball control and command will serve him well as he moves up.
Fallers
Jackson Humphries, LHP: Humphries surface-level stats like his ERA show improvement compared to last year, but the lefty’s struggles with strike-throwing are an underlying issue. His bottom-of-the-scale 54% strike percentage this year (down from last year’s 61%) is a long-term issue.
Matt Wilkinson, LHP: Wilkinson hasn’t been awful at High-A Lake County, but he has been worse in his return to the Midwest League compared to 2024 when he dominated both Class A levels. Wilkinson is nibbling more, falling behind more in counts, walking more batters and getting hit harder. Last year, Wilkinson generally pitched ahead in the count. This year, he’s been behind in counts more often than he is ahead.
Ralphy Velazquez, 1B: Velasquez drew plenty of positive reviews from scouts last year, but since his promotion to High-A Lake County late last season, he’s struggled to show the same hitting ability. Velazquez has big power, but he has gotten quite pull happy. He needs to show he can handle balls on the outer third of the plate.
Injuries
Jaison Chourio, OF: Chourio has just returned to action after rehabbing a shoulder injury in the Arizona Complex League.
Daniel Espino, RHP: Espino has spent the entire year on the 60-day injured list as he rehabs from shoulder surgery. As of the Guardians’ last medical update, he was throwing bullpens. Espino has not thrown in an official game since April 2022.
Juan Brito, INF: Brito has missed the past month and is expected to miss another month or two recovering after thumb surgery. He injured his thumb on a slide on April 17.
Travis Bazzana, 2B: Bazzana is expected to miss up to two months as he recovers from an oblique strain he suffered in the middle of May.
Angel Genao, SS: Genao has just return to action after completing a rehab assignment in the Arizona Complex League as he comes back from a shoulder injury.
George Valera, OF: Valera has been dominating the Arizona Complex League while rehabbing from a patellar tendon injury. Valera was hitting .441 with three home runs in his first 10 games in the ACL.
Erik Sabrowski, LHP: Sabrowski has been rehabbing in the Arizona Complex League as he returns from elbow inflammation.
New Additions
Jogly Garcia, RHP: Garcia has posted one of the best strikeout rates in the minors this year. It’s largely thanks to his ability to get ahead and finish off hitters with his 81-83 mph slider that gets swings and misses in the zone and gets plenty of chases when he runs it down and away out of the zone.