2023 Minor League Thread

[CDAV45]

This is going a bit too far at the moment...

Yeah I was laughing until the necrophilia stuff. Then I puked in my mouth. Sick bastards.

 

[CDAV45]

Okay .... did Rafters get a sneak peak at FG Zip article or does FG read our site??????

From FG Zip article dropped today and at 4:15 the oldest comment is 2 hrs old ... but at 9:44 ... Rafters posted the song and by this afternoon FG wrote. Guess I just missed this common reference to Payton before now...

"The rest of the rotation is unexciting, but the projections are generally solid and the computer likes a lot of the depth, from Joey Cantillo to Peyton “Love is a” Battenfield."

Shit, I wonder if they read anything at all regarding the Guardians. They are all kinda slow to come around and all the information they need is at their beckon call. They were slow to come around on Espino. Williams is undervalued and now so is Bibee. It doesn't really matter in the end game as our FO will continue to do things as they see fit, but sometimes it's aggravating to see how some of our prospects are undervalued nationally.

 

[Benway]

Battenfield is the OGonz of '23.

 

[CDAV45]

Let's get back to the rest of the minor leagues...

Who else are we excited/hoping to see in spring training this season?

I'm excited to see if Pilkington reeled in his control and if Brennan can pick up where he left off. Can't discuss prospects without mentioning Bo Naylor, Williams and Bibee. I am curious just how far away Rocchio and Valera are too. Herrin really caught my eye last season and I'm anxious to see if he can help the BP.

I know I can seem like a homer from time to time, but not every top prospect in Cleveland's organization gets that treatment from me. I wasn't a big fan of Jones. Valera is a bit suspect to me. Allen and Noel draw some red flags from me as well. I have no confidence in Benson at all and you guys know how much I like power.

If there are any trades that bring in minor leaguers I hope a couple of them are potent RHH.

 

[CDAV45]

Battenfield is the OGonz of '23.

He could be Benway. That's the hope anyway.

 

[CDAV45]

Just want to let all of you know that I appreciate the hell out of all of ya. Even you CATS. I'd place a hefty bet that there isn't a better MLB team forum than this one. Just wanted to let you turds know what I thought.

 

[Gson]

Interesting list from CBS Sports.. authored by Scott White.. whoever that is.. Four Guardians are honored on this listing..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ml...pc=W069&cvid=7ead3b1a109546db818633ac5c68476d

4. Daniel Espino, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 22

Where he played in 2022: Double-A

Minor-league stats: 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 18 1/3 IP, 4 BB, 35 K

Espino has 14.9 K/9 over his minor-league career, including 17.2 K/9 in his first taste of Double-A last year, and I could almost end the analysis there. But I should probably acknowledge that he lasted only four starts in 2022 because of knee and then shoulder troubles. He's like a prototype for the next generation of power pitcher, offering that classic fastball/slide pairing but at supercharged velocities. Will he hold up physically, though?

7. Gavin Williams, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 23

Where he played in 2022: High-A, Double-A

Minor-league stats: 5-4, 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 115 IP, 40 BB, 149 K

Williams went from trendy sleeper in first-year player drafts to full-fledged breakout in his professional debut, leading all minor-leaguers with a .173 opponent batting average. While he's still fine-tuning his command (not surprising given his 6-foot-6 frame), he's already proven himself at Double-A, making it not unthinkable he could debut in 2023. His high-90s fastball is a swing-and-miss offering in its own right, which generally points to a high ceiling.

16. Tanner Bibee, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 24

Where he played in 2022: High-A, Double-A

Minor-league stats: 8-2, 2.17 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 132 2/3 IP, 27 BB, 167 K

No organization has a better reputation for developing pitching right now than the Guardians, and Bibee's out-of-nowhere ascent has him being compared to some of the best they've ever produced, like Shane Bieber. He's similarly a strike-throwing machine, his already stellar walk rate improving with his move up to Double-A, but it was a spike in velocity that fueled his breakthrough.

27. Cody Morris, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 26

Where he played in 2022: Rookie, Triple-A, majors

Minor-league stats: 0-0, 1.69 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 21 1/3 IP, 6 BB, 39 K

Major-league stats: 1-2, 2.28 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 23 2/3 IP, 12 BB, 23 K

Morris makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills since no one else seems to notice how he's eviscerated the upper levels of the minors with a 1.64 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 14.4 K/9 the past two years. Granted, a shoulder strain cost him the first two-thirds of last season, but the Guardians basically let him rehab at big-league level and he responded with a swinging-strike rate on par with Carlos Rodon.

 

[CATS44]

Last year at this time I was most interested in seeing Kwan and Palacios swing a bat.

Kwan was everything I hoped for and more.

Palacios had a solid, short swing, too...but his total lack of defensive value negates it.

This year there is nobody new that I'm looking forward to. Not that I don't care, just that no new kids fit the profile I look for.

I wonder which young pitchers will get invited.

What I'd really like to see is Arias show up with less swing and miss. I've been hoping for our next Casey Blake, only to meet disappointment.

I've got my Brantley in Kwan. Maybe Arias can be my Blake, but my expectations are very low.

 

[CDAV45]

Interesting list from CBS Sports.. authored by Scott White.. whoever that is.. Four Guardians are honored on this listing..

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ml...pc=W069&cvid=7ead3b1a109546db818633ac5c68476d

4. Daniel Espino, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 22

Where he played in 2022: Double-A

Minor-league stats: 1-0, 2.45 ERA, 0.71 WHIP, 18 1/3 IP, 4 BB, 35 K

Espino has 14.9 K/9 over his minor-league career, including 17.2 K/9 in his first taste of Double-A last year, and I could almost end the analysis there. But I should probably acknowledge that he lasted only four starts in 2022 because of knee and then shoulder troubles. He's like a prototype for the next generation of power pitcher, offering that classic fastball/slide pairing but at supercharged velocities. Will he hold up physically, though?

7. Gavin Williams, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 23

Where he played in 2022: High-A, Double-A

Minor-league stats: 5-4, 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 115 IP, 40 BB, 149 K

Williams went from trendy sleeper in first-year player drafts to full-fledged breakout in his professional debut, leading all minor-leaguers with a .173 opponent batting average. While he's still fine-tuning his command (not surprising given his 6-foot-6 frame), he's already proven himself at Double-A, making it not unthinkable he could debut in 2023. His high-90s fastball is a swing-and-miss offering in its own right, which generally points to a high ceiling.

16. Tanner Bibee, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 24

Where he played in 2022: High-A, Double-A

Minor-league stats: 8-2, 2.17 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 132 2/3 IP, 27 BB, 167 K

No organization has a better reputation for developing pitching right now than the Guardians, and Bibee's out-of-nowhere ascent has him being compared to some of the best they've ever produced, like Shane Bieber. He's similarly a strike-throwing machine, his already stellar walk rate improving with his move up to Double-A, but it was a spike in velocity that fueled his breakthrough.

27. Cody Morris, Guardians​

Age (on opening day): 26

Where he played in 2022: Rookie, Triple-A, majors

Minor-league stats: 0-0, 1.69 ERA, 0.70 WHIP, 21 1/3 IP, 6 BB, 39 K

Major-league stats: 1-2, 2.28 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 23 2/3 IP, 12 BB, 23 K

Morris makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills since no one else seems to notice how he's eviscerated the upper levels of the minors with a 1.64 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 14.4 K/9 the past two years. Granted, a shoulder strain cost him the first two-thirds of last season, but the Guardians basically let him rehab at big-league level and he responded with a swinging-strike rate on par with Carlos Rodon.

Uhhhhhh I noticed how Cody destroyed minor league hitters. I don't know how anyone failed to notice it honestly.

 

[petes999]

Just to bring up Cantillo's speed again ... as guns are not accurate, its hard to find good information.

FG at beginning of last year "if he started throwing harder, which he has not. His fastball velocity was where it was pre-injury, still just 87-91 mph and living off of its carry and angle."

Pipeline -- "Cantillo is throwing a bit harder this year, working at 91-93 mph with his fastball after operating at 87-92 in the past, and he'll occasionally reach 95."

IF Cantillo can put up his May numbers, he will climb quickly .135/.328 BA/OBP but probably unsustainable with .244 BAbip. In mid-June, he was throwing 90-91 at the beginning of the game but by the end was hitting 92 T 93 which he carried into the 5th and his last batter (coincides with working at 91-93 at MLB pipe). For comparison on the gun, Hunter started with 95/94 fastballs, so gun seems reasonable.

I thought Cantillo was hitting 95-97 frequently. There was a sizable uptick in his velo last season if I remember correctly.

So, he is finding more speed and if he can hit 95+ in short stints, he has a bright future with a floor of at least a multi-inning reliever - especially as a lefty. Don't think he will find the bigs this year, but the number and quality of pitchers going to be ready for 2024 gets embarrassing.

 

[petes999]

So what do people think of Leftwich? Is he going to be the fast climber this year? He seems opposite of the pitcher who we try to throw harder type.

Pre-daft
MLB.com - May : "The big and strong right-hander is still more thrower than pitcher, with a power repertoire that does give him the chance to start. He has better pure stuff than Mace, with an explosive fastball that hits 96 mph regularly and sits around 94 mph consistently."
Athlon Sports - Mar. 10th: "Leftwitch is coming off of an up-and-down sophomore season that saw him start and finish in dominating form, but in between he proved quite hittable against the best teams in the SEC."
Carlos Collazo - Baseball America - Jan. 31st : " He’s managed solid strikeout and walk rates over his two seasons and fills up the zone well, but will need to limit the damage batters are able to do against him to ensure his name is called on the first day of the draft."

GBI (10th SP prospect) -- Letfwich’s debut probably goes a little unnoticed due to age and level. But he went from being kind of an everything man in college in 2021 to being a pretty nifty starter in the minors in 2022. He missed bats consistently and thew more strikes than maybe more anticipated. He did end the year with an elbow issue but his three pitch mix seems to be solid and improving and if his control holds, that makes him worth keeping an eye on to start longer when we maybe had him pegged as a quick moving pen arm right away.

He didn't even make FG Top 48 before this year. In watching a game, he looked to be sitting with a 91-92 cut fastball that rode the righty hands and a regular 93-94 MPH fastball. As he is usually 94-95 T 96 even before this year, I assume the gun is slightly off. He may have had a bit of luck this year as his BABip went from .311 to .250 in A+ and thus kept his BA against around .188 in A+ but HR rate went up to .74 per 9 at LC. But, 3 of the 4 HRs came in his 3rd and 4th games in LC and only 1 in his final 28-2/3 innings to end the season. He should start in AA but is there room?

AAA - Gaddis, Curry, Battenfield, Espino, Williams, Allen, Bibee (Pilk and Morris who ever doesn't get 8th pen slot)
AA - Burns, Nikhazy, Cantillo, Carver -- already 12
A+ - Leftwich, Mace, Campbell, Messick, Dion ....

 

[CDAV45]

Just to bring up Cantillo's speed again ... as guns are not accurate, its hard to find good information.

FG at beginning of last year "if he started throwing harder, which he has not. His fastball velocity was where it was pre-injury, still just 87-91 mph and living off of its carry and angle."

Pipeline -- "Cantillo is throwing a bit harder this year, working at 91-93 mph with his fastball after operating at 87-92 in the past, and he'll occasionally reach 95."






So, he is finding more speed and if he can hit 95+ in short stints, he has a bright future with a floor of at least a multi-inning reliever - especially as a lefty. Don't think he will find the bigs this year, but the number and quality of pitchers going to be ready for 2024 gets embarrassing.

The first thing I noticed, and I'm surprised I didn't notice it before, was Cantillo's arm path. So many have been shortened by Cleveland's developers that I'm surprised Joey's hasn't been. Regardless, if they can keep him healthy he has the stuff to move quickly for sure.

 

[CATS44]

You can't fit eight pitchers into one rotation, which would mean one turn every ten days.

But Espino has only 18 IP in Akron, so he won't move to Columbus until there is room.

 

[sportscoach]

You can't fit eight pitchers into one rotation, which would mean one turn every ten days.

But Espino has only 18 IP in Akron, so he won't move to Columbus until there is room.

You could see some piggybacking though with guys, especially with those on limited innings...

 

[petes999]

You can't fit eight pitchers into one rotation, which would mean one turn every ten days.

But Espino has only 18 IP in Akron, so he won't move to Columbus until there is room.

Was just showing where guys deserve to be. Espino is probably AA but he probably got a lot more than 18 innings in back field work in Arz so I wouldn't limit him based on that alone. And, from development he is probably already ahead of Curry as Espino has already 2 good breaking pitches (assume Curry is still a work in process to some degree).