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Guardians To Look For Outfield Upgrades This Winter

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The Guardians managed to make a miracle run to not only squeak into the postseason, but pry the AL Central title away from the Tigers over the final weeks of the season. That wasn’t enough, however, to stop them from falling to their division rivals in the AL Wild Card series, sending them home just a few days into the postseason. Now that the offseason is upon them, Cleveland’s front office has turned its attention to the 2026 campaign. As Zack Meisel of The Athletic discussed earlier this week, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told reporters in the aftermath of the Guardians’ loss that improving production in right and center field would be a priority this offseason.

That’s not necessarily a surprise. GM Mike Chernoff noted to reporters (including Meisel) that the club ranked 28th in runs per game this year, and described the offense as a “clear area” in need of improvement next season. Getting more offense out of the outfield should be the easiest way to do that by far, seeing as the Guardians ranked 29th in the majors with a 77 wRC+ from their outfielders this year. Part of that is due to left fielder Steven Kwan’s down season, although he still posted a 99 wRC+ and seems to be a fairly safe bet to handle left for Cleveland again in 2026, barring a surprise trade.

While there’s little reason to worry about Kwan in left, the same can’t be said for the other two outfield spots. Angel Martinez, Nolan Jones, Lane Thomas, and Jhonkensy Noel handled most of the reps at those positions, and all four turned in negative WAR performances according to Fangraphs this season. Thomas will be hitting free agency after this year’s injury-marred campaign where he appeared in just 39 games. The other three will all remain under club control next year, but none inspires much confidence heading into next year.

Some opportunity for improvement could come from within. Chase DeLauter has not yet made his regular season debut but appeared in the Wild Card series, and Meisel relays that Antonetti expects him to compete for a roster spot in Spring Training next year. Rookie George Valera managed a 113 wRC+ in 16 games this year and could get an opportunity next year, as well. Perhaps an outfield of Kwan in left, DeLauter in center, and Valera in right could work out for the Guardians, but it seems fair to argue that at least one external addition will be necessary to offer some certainty, and perhaps help balance a trio of lefty-swinging outfielders with a right-handed hitter.

Reuniting with Thomas is at least plausible, but he’s hit just .189/.258/.340 in 92 games with the Guardians over the past two seasons and a change of scenery may be what’s best for both sides. Harrison Bader would be perhaps an ideal acquisition for the team, but it’s possible that his excellent work with the Phillies down the stretch (129 wRC+ in 50 games) may have put him out of Cleveland’s price range. Rob Refsnyder and Austin Hays are both also set to be available in free agency this winter. Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia and Astros outfielder Chas McCormick are both possible non-tender candidates who could help improve Cleveland’s outfield mix with a bounce-back season, as well.

Guardians Promote Chase DeLauter For Wild Card Series

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The Guardians are carrying top outfield prospect Chase DeLauter on their Wild Card series roster against the Tigers, the team announced. Zack Meisel of The Athletic first reported yesterday that the Guardians were considering that possibility. Guardians Prospective reported overnight that DeLauter would indeed be on the roster. Cleveland already had an opening on the 40-man roster, so they didn’t need to make another move to select the former first-rounder’s contract.

If he gets into a game, it’ll be the 23-year-old’s first MLB action. It’s rare but not entirely unheard of for top prospects to get a postseason roster spot before making their regular season major league debut. The Twins went that route with Alex Kirilloff in 2020, while the Royals had Adalberto Mondesi make his first appearance during the 2015 World Series. DeLauter is not in the starting lineup for this afternoon’s Game 1. Cleveland is going with Steven Kwan, Angel Martínez and Johnathan Rodriguez in the outfield against Tarik Skubal.

It’s certainly feasible that DeLauter finds his way into a game, of course, be it in the later innings this afternoon or tomorrow, when Detroit sends righty Jack Flaherty or Casey Mize to the mound. The lefty-swinging DeLauter is on the bench at least in part due to the presence of a southpaw on the mound. DeLauter posted much better numbers versus lefies than righties in a small sample during an injury-shortened 2025 season, but he’s historically been better against righties. Beyond that, left-handed batters have slashed a putrid .214/.235/.269 against Skubal in 2025.

DeLauter, the Guardians’ first round pick out of James Madison University in 2022, opened the season on the shelf after undergoing sports hernia surgery and was sidelined for two months later in the season after suffering a hamate fracture when he was hit by a pitch. That pair of health troubles limited him to just 42 games and 177 plate appearances, but the touted young outfielder lived up to his reputation when on the field, slashing .278/.383/.476 in Triple-A. DeLauter is a career .302/.384/.504 hitter in the minors since being selected 16th overall in 2022.

While DeLauter won’t gain any big league service time for days spent on the postseason roster, his ascension to the 40-man roster and the fact that the organization is entrusting him with a spot on the playoff roster is a clear sign that he’ll be in the mix for an Opening Day roster spot next year

Kwan is locked in as Cleveland’s left fielder, but other two outfield spots are far less certain. DeLauter has more than 300 professional innings in center and over 600 innings in right field. He’ll be an option in either spot, depending on other moves the front office makes over the winter. The Guardians can control DeLauter through at least the 2031 season, and assuming he breaks camp with the club in ’26, he can gain the Guardians a future draft pick depending on award voting during his pre-arbitration seasons.

That’s a matter for another day, though. For the time being, the focus for DeLauter and the organization will be on advancing as deep into the playoffs as possible. Cleveland just wrapped up one of the most stunning late-season comebacks in modern baseball history, erasing a 9.5-game deficit over the final two and a half weeks of the season, usurping the Tigers as division champions in the American League Central.

Chase DeLauter To Miss 6-8 Weeks Due To Hamate Surgery

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The Guardians announced today that outfield prospect Chase DeLauter required surgery due to a right hamate fracture. Their announcement noted that the typical return timeline for such a procedure is six to eight weeks.

It’s yet another frustrating injury setback for DeLauter, who has had many of them. Recurring foot injuries limited his workload in both 2023 and 2024. This year, he required core muscle surgery in March, which cost him a couple of months. Now this surgery seems likely to cost him a couple more.

DeLauter, the 16th overall pick of the 2022 draft, has still been productive on a rate basis. He has a .302/.384/.504 batting line and 142 wRC+ in his minor league career overall. That includes a .278/.383/.476 line and 130 wRC+ in Triple-A this year. However, he’s been limited to just 583 plate appearances in the three years since being drafted.

Despite all the setbacks, it seemed possible he would help the Guardians at the big league level this year. He first reached Triple-A late in 2024 then came into camp this year as a non-roster invitee. He was already a long shot to make the Opening Day roster before the core muscle surgery put him out of commission. He returned and got a couple of months on the field and could have been called up to help the Guards, but there’s little chance of that now. With his timeline, he won’t be back until September.

The Guards could give him some big league playing time down the stretch but they may be in a playoff race. Though their outfield hasn’t been strong for a while, they might not want to rely on a prospect who has missed so much time, so perhaps he will finish his season by getting into a few more minor league contests. He’s going to be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter, so the Guards will be adding him to the roster in the next few months regardless. Perhaps that could lead to DeLauter making his major league debut, especially if the club is out of contention later in the year.

Once he’s on the roster, there’s a path to playing time if he’s healthy. Lane Thomas has been hurt most of this year and is an impending free agent. Will Brennan is recovering from Tommy John surgery and has been a subpar hitter in the big leagues. He also has options remaining. Nolan Jones, Ángel Martínez and Johnathan Rodríguez are all struggling at the plate this year. Steven Kwan has been in some trade speculation but seems likely to stay.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Lange, Imagn Images

Chase DeLauter Undergoes Core Muscle Surgery

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The Guardians announced that outfield prospect Chase DeLauter underwent surgery to address a core muscle/sports hernia injury this morning. As part of the announcement, the club relayed that similar cases have required players about eight to twelve weeks to return to play.

DeLauter, 23, is one of the club’s top prospects. The 16th overall pick from the 2022 draft, he has 406 minor league plate appearances under his belt thus far, having hit .317/.387/.517 in those for a 147 wRC+.

He isn’t yet on the club’s 40-man roster but he came into camp as a non-roster invitee. That technically put him in the competition for an Opening Day job, though that was always going to be a bit of a long shot. While he’s had strong results in terms of quality, injuries have stood in the way of quantity.

He was once projected as a potential top ten pick in the draft but a foot injury created some concern and caused him to fall to 16th. Recurring foot injuries have held him back since then, with DeLauter getting into just 57 minor league games in 2023 and 39 games in 2024.

Though his numbers have been good and he does have six Triple-A games on his track record already, the Guardians were likely planning to have him get more reps in a minor league environment to start 2025. That plan will now have to be delayed, as DeLauter should be on the shelf into May or June.

Given that injuries have already prevented him from building a notable workload, it’s less than ideal that this season is starting with yet another setback. Though if DeLauter is able to return in eight to twelve weeks, he would still have time to set a new career high in terms of games played in a professional season.

Once he gets healthy and into form, there could be a path to big league playing time in the Cleveland outfield. Steven Kwan and Lane Thomas should have left and center field spoken for, respectively, though Thomas is an impending free agent after 2025. Right field, DeLauter’s likely future position, will be handled by some combination of Will Brennan, Jhonkensy Noel and Johnathan Rodríguez. Both Noel and Rodríguez just debuted in the majors last year. Brennan has a bit more experience but with subpar offense and questionable defense.

In the long run, the Guards are surely still hoping for DeLauter to take up a job in that outfield mix, though he will ideally show some extended health at some point. For now, it’s yet another roadblock but hopefully one he can overcome in a few weeks/months. Even if he doesn’t push for a major league debut during the 2025 season, he’ll need to be added to the 40-man in December to be protected from the Rule 5 draft.

Guardians Notes: Kwan, DeLauter, Williams

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Guardians fans received a positive update today regarding the status of injured outfielder Steven Kwan. President of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told reporters (including Mandy Bell of MLB.com) this morning that the club is hoping that Kwan can begin a rehab assignment within the next seven to ten days. The 26-year-old was placed on the 10-day IL earlier this month due to what was described as an “acute” hamstring strain and was initially expected to miss around a month of action.

Now two weeks out from his initial diagnosis, it appears that Kwan remains on pace to meet that timeline. It’s an encouraging update, particularly given the fact that manager Steven Vogt indicated to reporters (per the Associated Press) on Friday that while Kwan had resumed baseball activities and was running “relatively pain-free,” there was still no clear timetable for his return to the majors. Today’s addendum provides a bit more clarity regarding the status of the third-year outfielder.

Cleveland figures to be particularly antsy for Kwan to return to action given the incredible start he was off to at the time of his injury. In 145 trips to the plate with the Guardians this season, Kwan has slashed an incredible .353/.407/.496 with three home runs, six doubles, and two triples. That home run total is particularly impressive given the fact that Kwan’s career high homer total is just six, a figure he achieved over the course of 638 plate appearances during his rookie season. Estevan Florial has handled left field in Kwan’s absence but is hitting a mediocre .189/.263/.400 in 32 games this season.

Kwan isn’t the only outfielder making progress in his recovery from injury, as Bell also notes that top outfield prospect Chase DeLauter has resumed baseball activities. The club’s first-round pick in the 2022 draft, DeLauter entered the 2024 season as a consensus top-30 prospect in the game but suffered a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot earlier this month. There was some initial concern at the time of the injury that surgery would be required, as it was when DeLauter previously suffered a fractured foot during the 2022-23 offseason.

Fortunately, that did not come to pass and it appears that DeLauter is already making excellent progress towards a return to action as Bell notes that he’s currently hitting on the field, though he hasn’t yet begun a running progression. DeLauter was off to a tough start at Double-A this year prior to this injury, having slashed just .197/.296/.295 in 16 games. Even so, it’s not hard to imagine the youngster taking off and reaching Triple-A before the end of the year in the event that he hits the ground running upon his return to action, a timeline that could potentially put him on the big league radar for 2025 or perhaps even a September call-up.

Also making progress towards a return is right-hander Gavin Williams, who according to MLB.com’s Injury Tracker threw a 50-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday and was scheduled to throw again on Friday. The 24-year-old has not yet pitched in the majors this season after opening the season on the 60-day IL due to discomfort in his right elbow, but appears to be making good progress in his rehab and could be an option for Cleveland sometime next month. Williams’s return would provide a major boost to the Guardians, who have seen both Logan Allen and Carlos Carrasco struggle during their time in the rotation this year. Williams, meanwhile, pitched to a sterling 3.29 ERA with a 4.09 FIP in sixteen starts for the club during his rookie season last year.

Steven Kwan Expected To Miss Around Four Weeks

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The Guardians placed American League batting leader Steven Kwan on the injured list this afternoon. Testing revealed the underrated left fielder suffered an “acute” strain of his left hamstring, tweets Zack Meisel of the Athletic. Kwan is expected to be sidelined for about a month.

It is tough news given Kwan’s scorching start to the season. The left-handed hitter has turned in a .353/.407/.496 batting line over 145 plate appearances. Kwan has walked as often as he’s gone down on strikes (11 times apiece). It looked to be a massive rebound after he had a league average .268/.340/.370 slash in his second big league campaign. Paired with his characteristically elite left field defense, Kwan has been one of the sport’s most valuable players through six weeks.

The silver lining is that Cleveland has a high-upside replacement stepping into the lineup. The Guards promoted top prospect Kyle Manzardo as the corresponding move for Kwan’s IL placement. Manzardo should get everyday run at designated hitter after hitting .303/.375/.642 to start the season at Triple-A Columbus. Estevan Florial, who has been Cleveland’s primary DH, should see the majority of the left field work in Kwan’s absence. That was the arrangement Stephen Vogt ran in this evening’s 2-1 win over the Tigers. (Manzardo struck out in his first three big league at-bats.)

Cleveland’s outfield injuries aren’t exclusive to the major league level. Top prospect Chase DeLauter has been diagnosed with a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot, the team announced over the weekend (link via Mandy Bell of MLB.com). The 22-year-old is going to see a specialist to weigh his treatment options.

This is unfortunately not unfamiliar territory for DeLauter, whom the Guardians selected 16th overall two years ago.. He also suffered a fracture in that foot over the 2022-23 offseason. That required surgery and prevented him from making his season debut until early June. DeLauter tore through High-A pitching when he returned, hitting .366/.403/.549 in 42 games. He earned a late-season bump to Double-A and was widely regarded as a Top 50 minor league talent going into this year.

DeLauter continued to rake in Spring Training, connecting on four homers while hitting .520 in 13 exhibition games. That didn’t carry over into his first few weeks at Double-A Akron, as he was off to a .197/.296/.295 start over 71 plate appearances. That’s a small sample in a cold early-season setting, so it likely wasn’t of much concern to the organization. The potential for another extended injury absence — particularly with a second foot injury — is more worrisome, though it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to rehab without surgery this time around.

Guardians Outright Myles Straw

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TODAY: Straw cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

MARCH 22: The Guardians have placed center fielder Myles Straw on waivers, reports Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Any team will have the opportunity to claim him, although doing so would require taking on the entirety of the three years and $19.25MM still remaining on his contract. That appears quite unlikely. Straw figures to clear waivers, at which point the Guardians could assign him outright to a minor league affiliate.

While Straw’s 4.112 years of MLB service time give him the right to reject that outright assignment, he’s still short of the five years necessary to reject an outright and retain the money he’s owed. There’s no chance he’d forfeit that $19.25MM to go into free agency, so the likely outcome seems to be Straw clearing and heading to Triple-A Columbus while no longer occupying a spot on the 40-man roster. It’s also feasible that the Guardians could simply be gauging whether there’s a taker for Straw and, if not, could simply plug him back into their center field spot. He can be optioned to Triple-A if the club keeps him on the 40-man roster. A player does not have to be assigned outright to a minor league affiliate after clearing waivers (though that’s obviously the most common outcome).

With Straw in limbo for the time being, that leaves Steven Kwan and Ramon Laureano as locks in the Cleveland outfield. The former will see regular reps in left field. The latter had been slated for right field work but can handle center. It’s also possible the Guards will go with Will Brennan and/or Estevan Florial to fill outfield roles. Infielder Tyler Freeman has also gotten looks in center this spring. Brennan has all three minor league option years remaining, while Florial is out of minor league options. Top outfield prospect Chase DeLauter could be an option eventually, but he was never a full-time member of big league camp and was only called up on occasion to fill at-bats as needed, Meisel notes. He was never a consideration to make the Opening Day roster.

Cleveland originally acquired Straw in a now-regrettable 2021 deadline swap sending right-hander Phil Maton and catcher Yainer Diaz to the Astros. He made a strong first impression, hitting .285/.362/.377 with plus defense and baserunning down the stretch. That brought his season-long line to a solid .271/.349/.348 — just shy of league-average production (98 wRC+). Paired with Straw’s speed and glovework, it was a strong effort that served as a catalyst for the Guards to sign him to a five-year, $25MM extension with a pair of club options for two additional seasons.

Unfortunately, Straw’s bat has cratered since putting pen to paper on that deal. Over the past two seasons, he’s turned in just a .229/.296/.284 in 1114 trips to the plate. That’s about 32% worse than average, by measure of wRC+. Straw is a light-out defender in center (23 Defensive Runs Saved, 17 Outs Above Average over the past two seasons) and offers blazing speed (41-for-48 in steals since 2022), but his lack of offensive ability has severely capped his overall value. For an immensely cost-conscious Guardians club, his contract has apparently reached a point where they’ll see if another club is willing to take him on for no return other than salary relief.

Big Hype Prospects: Manzardo, Tiedemann, Jobe, Scott, DeLauter

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The Arizona Fall League has concluded, putting a final wrap on the 2023 season. The Surprise Saguaros took home the hardware – not that that means anything to most readers. Jakob Marsee managed to sneak by Offensive Player of the Year James Triantos for the top OPS and MVP honors. Liam Hicks took home the batting title. Twin sluggers Kala’i Rosario and Aaron Sabato shared the home run title. Ricky Tiedemann won the AFL Pitcher of the Year award over Davis Daniel. Additional awards can be viewed here.

Listed stats are from the AFL.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Kyle Manzardo, 23, 1B, CLE
101 PA, 6 HR, .272/.340/.565

Manzardo finished the campaign on a strong note. He reached base three times in the championship game and homered twice in the semi-final while leading a nine-run comeback. The 2023 season represented a small step back in Manzardo’s prospect status. Due to an extreme fly ball approach, he struggled to reach base on balls in play. While no slouch in the power department, his exit velocities hovered around league average. His peripherals show evidence of a post-trade adjustment, although I do not know the specifics of that adjustment. We might be looking at a small sample quirk.

Ricky Tiedemann, 21, SP, TOR
18 IP, 12 H, 8 BB, 23 K, 2.50 ERA

After missing a large chunk of the 2023 season, Tiedemann was on hand in Arizona for just four starts. He made the most of them, showing enough to take home a closely-contested award. Tiedemann spent most of his active time at Double-A where he made 11 starts totaling just 32 innings. He missed bats with ease but struggled at times with command – an issue which followed him to the Fall League. He features a repertoire of three plus offerings including a mid-90s fastball, a sweeper, and a changeup.

Jackson Jobe, 21, P, DET
15.2 IP, 14 H, 5 BB, 19 K, 2.87 ERA

The next-highest profile pitching prospect in fall ball, Jobe nearly matched Tiedemann over his four-start run. Jobe works with a deep repertoire of at least five average or better offerings. He’s credited with a head for pitching including a professional-level feel for incorporating analytic analysis into his development. After tasting one start at Double-A this season, he’s on track for a Major League promotion sometime in 2024.

Victor Scott, 22, OF, STL
96 PA, 3 HR, 18 SB, .286/.388/.417

A speedy left-handed hitter, Scott turned heads in the AFL via an advanced feel for contact. He was one of only a handful of hitters who recorded more walks than strikeouts. Thought he has posted above average batting lines throughout his brief minor league tenure, scouts complain of a low-impact swing that might prove exploitable against upper-level pitching. Scott’s path to the Majors likely looks something like Johan Rojas – a defense-first profile with the speed and contact chops necessary to post an empty batting average.

Chase DeLauter, 22, OF, CLE
101 PA, 5 HR, 5 SB, .299/.385/.529

DeLauter is my pick for most intriguing player to participate in the AFL. His swing is an acquired taste – at first visually disturbing, but then it grows on you. Like Scott, DeLauter recorded more walks than strikeouts, a feat that fits right in with the Guardians hitting ethos. He also led the league in RBI. He will have an opportunity to approach the Majors next season, but he needs to prove he can get to power outcomes more consistently in order to get the call.

Three More

Oliver Dunn, PHI (26): A non-prospect coming off a strong Double-A campaign, Dunn likely played his way onto a 40-man roster this fall. He’s Rule 5 eligible so the Phillies will have to roster him or prepare to watch him be drafted. Dunn posted a 1.071 OPS – fourth-best in the league to go with 12 extra-base hits and 12 steals in 88 plate appearances.

Caleb Durbin, NYY (23): An Altuve-scale second baseman, Durbin led the AFL with 21 steals in 23 attempts. He also posted a 1.044 OPS, good for sixth-best in the league. He even delivered a trio of home runs to go with nine doubles and a triple in 99 plate appearances. He recorded twice as many walks as strikeouts. Durbin was arguably the most dynamic offensive performer in the AFL.

Damiano Palmegiani, TOR (23): Palmegiani was already ticketed for a role with the 2024 Blue Jays. With six home runs and 21 RBI in 92 plate appearances, he was one of the top-performing power hitters in the league. Pending offseason activity, he’s primed to compete for an Opening Day assignment.

Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.

Big Hype Prospects: DeLauter, Rosario, Locklear, Dodd, Williams

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Big Hype Prospects remains focused on the Arizona Fall League where a number of future Major Leaguers are making their case. After falling behind James Triantos last week, Jakob Marsee has reclaimed his spot as the top-performing hitter in the AFL. The pitching leader isn’t as clear cut, though I believe Davis Daniel currently has the strongest case.

This week, the listed stats are from the AFL.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Chase DeLauter, 22, OF, CLE
73 PA, 4 HR, 5 SB, .270/.358/.492

Arguably the top hitting prospect in the league, DeLauter went on a tear recently. The oft-injured lefty owns an unusual swing. Scouts believe he’ll feature plus contact and power at maturity. Presently, the contact plays more consistently than his power. He also shows the plate discipline typical of many Guardians prospects – as evidenced by 10 walks and six strikeouts. DeLauter has the potential to move quickly once he gets out from under the shadow of his past injuries. His batting profile pairs well with lefty-friendly Progressive Field.

Kala’i Rosario, 21, OF, MIN
73 PA, 6 HR, 1 SB, .185/.284/.477

In my AFL preview, I described Rosario as “one of the most accomplished power hitters in the AFL.” This week, he moved into sole ownership of the home run lead with six dingers. I also noted Rosario’s improving strikeout rate throughout the season. That has backed up in the desert. His 34 percent strikeout rate is one of the worst in the league among regulars. Rosario might be showing fatigue – this has been his longest season by around 200 plate appearances.

Tyler Locklear, 22, 1B, SEA
71 PA, 3 HR, 1 SB, .302/.395/.524

Locklear is a powerful right-handed first baseman with double-plus strike zone instincts. He lays off pitches outside of the zone without any evidence of passivity in the zone. His prospect status suffers from a perceived weakness against velocity in on his hands. Since it’s in vogue to attack a hitter’s hands with triple-digit velocity, it makes sense Locklear’s comparative weakness is seen as a limiting flaw. Teams tend to ask right-handed first basemen to doubly prove themselves before they’re given a chance.

I do have optimism. Locklear’s mechanics aren’t flagged as the issue – he just doesn’t pull the ball with authority. I see this as a symptom of his plate discipline – one that might self-correct in time. Though he isn’t passive in the zone, he’s probably delaying his swing decision just long enough to spoil his outcomes on the inner edge.

Dylan Dodd, 25, SP, ATL
15 IP, 3 BB, 16 K, 3.60 ERA

A Spring Training standout, Dodd performed well in his first start then promptly unraveled. A command-and-control southpaw who relies on disrupting timing, Dodd’s struggles followed him back to the minors. He pitched much better after a month-long absence in July. His final eight appearances combined for 38.1 innings of 3.29 ERA ball. His AFL has served as a continuation of that rebound. Ultimately, Dodd resembles the latest incarnation of “The Soft-Tossing Southpaw” – a profile which plays best in low-stress, regular season settings. Like a Wade Miley, he could help round out a rotation for the next decade or more.

Carson Williams, 20, SS, TBR
69 PA, 5 SB, .271/.386/.305

Upon learning of the allegations against Wander Franco, the Rays immediately challenged Williams with a promotion to Triple-A. He was visibly overmatched. Once returned to High-A, he resumed his dominance of that league and even finished the year with a heady week in Double-A. The level hopping might have taken its toll as Williams has struggled to spark in the AFL. He should be among the league leaders. Among the ugliest signs is his 36 percent strikeout rate. He’s also managed just two extra-base hits – a pair of doubles.

Three More

Damiano Palmegiani, TOR (23): Another of the players I highlighted in the AFL preview, Palmegiani has quietly hung around the top of the offensive stats. He has nine extra base hits including four home runs. He likely has a role with the Blue Jays next season.

Caleb Durbin, NYY (23): An Altuve-sized second baseman for whom I have no scouting reports, Durbin has followed a successful stint at Double-A with an impressive AFL performance. In 69 plate appearances, he has 12 walks and six strikeouts along with a .351/.486/.596 triple-slash.

Kevin Alcantara, CHC (21): A powerful slugger with questionable contact skills, Alcantara is holding his own without truly impressing. He’s already used one service year and doesn’t appear to be a lock to debut in 2024.

Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.

Top Guardians Prospect Daniel Espino Shut Down Eight Weeks With Shoulder Tear

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Guardians right-hander Daniel Espino, ranked as one of top overall prospects in all of baseball, will be shut down from throwing for at least the next eight weeks after being diagnosed with a strain of his subscapularis in his right shoulder and a tear of the anterior capsule in that same shoulder, per the team. Cleveland also announced that 2022 first-round pick Chase DeLauter will miss at least four months due to a fracture in his left foot that required surgery last month. The outfielder suffered a different foot fracture last April while still playing at James Madison University.

Espino’s injury is the latest developmental setback for the 22-year-old righty, who ranks among the sport’s top 25 prospects at each of Baseball America, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus. That’s due largely to an electric arsenal, headlined by an upper-90s heater that can reach triple digits, a plus slider and a pair of potentially average or better offerings in his changeup and curveball. Espino got out to a particularly brilliant start in 2022, posting a 2.45 ERA and striking out 35 of his 68 opponents in 18 1/3 innings through four starts.

Unfortunately for Espino, those four outings would be his only appearances of the season. He missed a couple months due to tendinitis in his knee, and he also battled shoulder troubles later in the summer. That same balky shoulder will now require a shutdown of roughly two months. A best-case scenario will see Espino resume throwing in late April, but even then, he’d need a fair bit of work before he was ready to pitch in a game setting. One would imagine he’ll be in line for a lengthier look in Double-A once he’s reached that point.

Espino was the No. 24 overall pick in the 2019 draft, but he’s managed only 156 1/3 professional innings to date thanks to last year’s injuries and the canceled 2020 minor league season. There’s still time for him to compile a fair number of innings in 2023, but it’s nevertheless discouraging for the organization and its fans that he’ll again begin the year sidelined due to health troubles.

As for DeLauter, he’s yet to even play in a professional game, thanks to that fractured foot last year, and he’ll now miss a substantial portion of the upcoming season after sustaining a new break. In a total of 66 NCAA games, DeLauter posted a comical .402/.520/.715 batting line with 15 home runs, 27 doubles, four triples, 24 steals (in 30 tries) and more walks (62) than strikeouts (45). Baseball America ranks him as the ninth-best prospect in a deep Guardians farm system.

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