Guardians Prospects: Lynchburg wins title, Josh Hartle named Pitcher of the Year

We’re approaching the end of September, which means the major league postseason is almost here and the minor league season is winding down. 

As such, there have been some new developments around the latter, all of which show how exciting the future is looking for the Guardians. 

On Wednesday, the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats clinched the Carolina League title, marking the franchise’s first title since 2017. 

Lynchburg's Carolina League title showcases the talent in the Guardians' organization

While any kind of affiliate title is always going to be a good sign for the Guardians, the Hillcats title likely means a little more considering their roster was made up of 13 members of the Guardians’ most recent draft class. 

The Hillcats picked up an 8-2 over Columbia in a deciding Game 3, where eight 2025 Guardians draftees drove in all eight runs and combined for 12 hits. Riley Nelson, a fifth-round pick out of Vanderbilt, led the way with a two run home run in the first inning. 

“We knew playoffs were the goal, and to win it all was the ultimate goal,” Lynchburg manager Jordan Smith told MLB Pipeline’s Brendan Samson. “But we just took it one day at a time with a new team, and slowly, those relationships and bonds started to grow, and we started to get the ball rolling.” 

The title also speaks to the team’s ability to adjust on the fly, as all of those members of the recent draft class joined the Hillcats as the second half began.

They also got a contribution from a recent draft pick on the mound when seventh-round pick Will McCausland struck out seven across 3 2/3 innings. 

“I would credit Cleveland, and just how they draft and the background they do on these guys,” Smith told Samson. “They really love guys that care about culture and really want to play for the team first and then themselves second.”

Things also went great at High-A Lake County, as they made it to the Midwest League playoffs and had multiple players win postseason accolades. 

Those accolades start with pitcher Josh Hartle, who was named the High-A Pitcher of the Year after a dominant season.  

Hartle, who was acquired from the Pirates in the offseason in exchange for Spencer Horwitz, posted a 2.35 ERA in 103 1/3 innings at High-A this year before being promoted to Double-A at the end of August. He finished the year with a 2.45 ERA (which was the lowest among all Guardians minor leaguers) alongside 107 strikeouts. 

The 22-year-old has helped salvage what’s otherwise become a horrible trade for the Guardians and Pirates, and is beginning to push his way toward the major leagues. He’s currently ranked as the Guardians’ No. 24 prospect per MLB Pipeline and currently has a major league ETA of 2027. 

Evaluating minor league seasons is always tough given the balance between results and development, but both of these things are proof of the good things happening in the minors for the Guardians.