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3 Cleveland Guardians prospects to be on the lookout for

By Cade Cracas |
Cleveland Guardians Photo Day
Cleveland Guardians Photo Day / Carmen Mandato/GettyImages
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At the start of the 2023 season, the Cleveland Guardians were ranked as the fourth-best farm system in baseball. That ranking has been no surprise to many as the influx of talent that has appeared at the major league level has been impressive.

In the 2023 season, the Guardians have showcased countless bullpen members in the likes of Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee, and Konnor Pilkington. Outside of their pitching core they've also had solid play from outfielder Will Brennan and infielders Gabriel Arias and Tyler Freeman.

Each one of those players has had to work their way out of the farm system in order to have a shot in the majors. However, in the near future there may be more, three players in particular, making their way up to the major league roster.

1. Jake Fox: High-A Lake County Captains

Fox is currently ranked 10th in the Cleveland Guardians farm system after joining them in the 2021 MLB draft. The then Cleveland Indians took him in the third round with the 95th overall pick. Many evaluators have deemed him as a highly adaptable player, being able to shift through most of the outfield positions. Most recently, he has been utilized as a center-fielder, which gives him a path to him finding his way to the majors in due time.

MLB Pipeline states that "He recognizes pitches well and controls the strike zone, and he could be an on-base machine who fits near the top of the lineup".

At the plate, he's often regarded as a consistent batter that can make contact at any time. With the Low-A Lynchburg Hillcats in 2022, Fox recorded 94 hits, 25 doubles, 44 RBIs, and five home runs.

In the current season he has seen some slight troubles at the plate knocking just 17 hits through 81 at-bats but has been able to bring in 12 RBIs. Although his strength has been a concern at the plate, if he can increase that, he may be able to add an exponential amount of power to his arsenal.

When current centerfielder Myles Straw starts to fizzle his way out of the organization, Fox could fill his void. They have the same style of hitting, with Fox being slightly more consistent and both are impressive in the field. Fox has been said to have a standout baseball IQ that seperates himselves from others and that could mean that it is only a matter of time until he makes his way up to the higher levels of the Guardians farm system.

2. Joey Cantillo: Triple-A Columbus Clippers

Cantillo actually started his career with the San Diego Padres in the 2017 MLB Draft where he was taken in the 16th round with the 468th pick. While he fell an awfully long way, his production since joining the Guardians has drastically helped his level of worth grow.

After being involved in the Josh Naylor trade in 2021, Cantillo was placed on the Double-A roster with the Akron RubberDucks. That season he would make five appearances, one start, for an overall record of 0-2. Cantillo's ERA sat at a fairly average 4.50 while allowing eight hits and walking 10. However, he was able to counteract those walks by recording 12 strikeouts. While 2021 showed some struggles with a new team, he drastically improved his game in 2022 as the organization elected to keep him in Double-A.

For most of his career, his fastball sat in the high 80's, but in the 2022 season, he boosted it to 91-93, even touching 95 on occasions. That improvement alone helped him strikeout batters at a more consistent rate, recording 87 through 13 starts and also dropped his ERA to 1.93 to go alongside a 4-3 record.

After an impressive 2022 season, the Guardians orgainzation added him to the 40-man roster this past November signaling that the 23-year-old may have the ability to receive time in the majors in the near future. Unfortunately, the impressive play of Bibee and Allen will hinder that timeframe, but if injuries were to hit the major league roster, he will most certianly be towards the top of that list to be called up. 

3. Chase DeLauter: High-A Lake County Captains

Now, Chase DeLauter may be one of the most enticing prospects the Guardians have brought to the organization in recent years. The team selected DeLauter with their 1st-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, meaning the team has high expectations for the 21-year-old.

Coming out of James Madison University, he batted a stellar .402/.520/.715 over the course of three seasons en route to being the school's only first-round selection in history. He entered his 2022 college season as a top prospect for that year's draft, but in early April he ended up breaking his foot which caused him to miss the remainder of the season. However, before the injury occurred he batted .437 with 35 RBIs and eight home runs through 24 games.

His plate stats come from his 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame that makes pitchers fear what he has to offer. Not only does he have incredible power, but unlike most his size, he offers an extremely disciplined approach to his at-bats. Fortunately, the Guardians will not have to work on avoiding strikeouts with him, but instead crafting and harnessing the raw talent he provides.

Unfortunately, that broken foot hindered the beginning of his professional career. After being drafted by the Guardians he reinjured his foot which led to him needing surgery. At the moment, his timeline to play again is unknown but he is rumored to play towards the middle half of the 2023 season for the Captains. When he does return, only then will the team be able to see what he can truly offer at the higher level of baseball.

Expect to see him make his way through the ranks in no time, with the ability to be on the Triple-A squad within the next few seasons. Delauter will be one to stay on the lookout for.

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