5 Cleveland Guardians pitching prospects who could make a significant impact in 2023

Xzavion Curry

24-year-old right-hander Xzavion Curry will almost certainly have an impact at the major-league level in 2023. What remains to be seen is whether his future is in the rotation or out of the bullpen.

Drafted as a starter in the seventh round in 2019, Curry is currently ranked as Cleveland’s #11 prospect by MLB.com. After progressing through Double-A (3.65 ERA with 80 strikeouts in 69 innings) and Triple-A (4.58 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 53 innings), Curry debuted in Cleveland in September, making two starts and pitching nine innings at the end of the season.

Heavily reliant on his fastball and without another plus pitch at this point, Curry’s future in the big leagues may be as a high-leverage reliever. Look for the Guardians to keep him stretched out as a starter and potential depth option early in the 2023 season, and potentially make the transition so he can impact their bullpen later in the year if the need arises.