Cleveland Guardians: 3 pitchers who could provide depth to the 2022 rotation

Tobias Myers: The New Kid in the Organization

For this last slot, I debated between a plethora of lower-level minor leaguers and fast-risers in the system. However, I feel like one name sticks out as a potential option at some point in the year in the case of Cleveland’s rotation depth getting heavily tested.

Tobias Myers was brought to Cleveland in a trade with Tampa Bay in November of 2021. Unlike many of the other starting pitching prospects in the organization, he was drafted out of high school (by Baltimore), and did most of his developing in the Orioles’ and Rays’ systems.

Myers came to the Guardians in a swap for shortstop Junior Caminero, from one of the most loaded farm systems in all of baseball in Tampa Bay. In Cleveland’s prospect rankings by MLB, Myers slots in at #27, with the projection that he will reach the majors at some point in 2022.

In a decent 2021 season between the Double-A Montgomery Biscuits and Tripe-A Durham Bulls, Myers posted a combined ERA of 3.90 across 22 starts (25 total appearances) and 117 2/3 innings. Myers pitched well with Montgomery, but showed some cracks in the armor with Durham once he was called up in late July. In 58 Triple-A innings he produced a 4.50 ERA, surrendering 11 dingers to opposing batters. It is worth noting that even though Myers was hit especially hard after his Triple-A call-up, he settled into a rhythm and was more consistent through August and September.

What Myers could bring to Cleveland in 2022 is good strikeout stuff, decent control, and an overall profile that could be refined in the organizational pitching factory. Myers possesses a decent four-seam fastball that manages some ride in the zone, as well as a 12-6 curve with plus movement (although his ability to locate it outing-to-outing has been inconsistent). He also utilizes a changeup that plays well off the fastball, in addition to the occasional slider.

If Myers can refine his already good delivery to the plate and improve the pitches in his arsenal, there may be chances for him to contribute in Cleveland sooner rather than later. Reliable pitching depth is always at a high premium over the course of the season, and Myers could be an option to help the Guardians over the long haul when the 2022 campaign ultimately gets underway.