Guardians chose a pitcher we never expected with top 2026 MLB Draft pick

The MLB Draft officially began on Saturday afternoon, and for a front office that treats player development like an art form, this is massive day. The Cleveland Guardians are sitting on the clock with the 19th overall pick in the first round, and the draft community entered the day completely split on what direction they are going to pivot.

Bucking conventional wisdom, the Guardians chose Florida right-hander Liam Peterson. Prior to the draft, we had our eyes on a number of different candidates.

If you look at the board as a whole, this year’s class presents a challenge. The first round is flooded with high-end, position players, but it drastically lacks deep, pitching talent. The Guardians pride themselves on being a "pitching factory." While some national experts mocked bats to Cleveland, my money was on the trend continuing - but I targeted the wrong arms.

These three pitchers firmly under the microscope for the 19th pick, along with one dark horse.

3 pitchers we thought Cleveland Guardians would select over Liam Peterson

Mason Edwards: The Southpaw (LHP, USC)

Mason Edwards out of USC is a name to watch as a potential fast-rising college arm.

The big left-hander possesses exactly the kind of profile our pitching staff loves. He isn't going to blow anyone away with his velo, but he throws a sneaky four-seam fastball that carries high ride and performs way better than its raw velocity suggests.

What makes Edwards an impressive prospect is his secondary stuff, specifically a heavy curveball that features great depth. He knows how to miss bats, he controls the running game, and he looks like a pitcher who could be standing on the mound at Progressive Field sooner rather than later.

Cameron Flukey: The Power Righty (RHP, Coastal Carolina)

Flukey went three picks later to the Detroit Tigers, but if the Guardians had wanted to shop for raw upside on the right side of the rubber, he would've been a fun option.

Flukey is a massive 6-foot-6 tower on the mound who features a high heat fastball and a proven history of hitting the strike zone. But there's strategy with this choice here, too. Flukey missed a chunk of the spring with a rib cage stress reaction before returning late in the year, his draft stock is in a unique spot.

This selection could've been a prime candidate for an under-slot deal. If the front office could've secured Flukey for slightly under the 19th pick slot value, it would have freed up a massive pool of cash to aggressively over-slot and hunt for premium high school bats later in the second and third rounds.

Cole Carlon: The High-Whiff (LHP, Arizona State)

On pure talent alone, Cole Carlon has top-10 stuff. The Arizona State lefty was an absolute nightmare for opposing hitters this spring, sporting a crazy whiff percentage on both his high-90s fastball and a devastating slider that might be the best breaking ball in the entire draft class.

Carlon dealt with some injury fatigue right at the tail end of the college season, and scouts have noted he occasionally struggles to maintain his velocity when he gets deep into games. But if there is any franchise in baseball that can take a pitcher with elite raw metrics, clean up his mechanical efficiency, and build up his durability, it's Cleveland. He represents the highest ceiling of the pitching group.

The Dark Horse, and My Favorite Prospect: Daniel Jackson (C, Georgia)

If the front office had decided to go "best player available," it might've been Jackson.

Jackson is incredibly strong, puts up insane exit velocities, and couples that raw power with a highly disciplined eye at the plate. But what really separates him from the traditional catcher profile is his athleticism; Jackson flashes legit plus speed on the basepaths, making him a dynamic threat you rarely see at the position.

Yes, we have a healthy collection of catchers floating through the upper levels of the minors right now. But with the trade deadline right around the corner, our depth puts us in a position of power. The front office could easily package one of our current minor-league catchers to net a win-now outfielder or reliever, seamlessly slotting Jackson into the pipeline as the long-term catcher of the future.

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