5 Stars The Cleveland Guardians Had And Lost In The MLB Draft

The Cleveland Guardians have a proven track record in the MLB Draft and will make the first selection in the 2024 MLB Draft in June. For Cleveland, the plethora of picks that have made their way through the organization is impressive, but in some cases, the list of names that were almost added is just as accomplished.

The MLB Draft works differently than sports fans are used to who follow the NFL and NBA. Players can be drafted multiple times, and it's not exactly a rare occurrence. Some players will be taken following their high school career, opt for college, and be drafted at least once from that point on. There aren't draft rights that carry over or anything like that. If they don't sign, they go back in the pool the following year. 

Money is tied to the various selections, and that dictates who is signed. Taking a college junior higher in the draft gives more reason for them to sign then, whereas taking a college senior later in the draft saves money because they are out of options other than to sign anyway. It's not the most ethical system, but what do you expect from a league without a salary cap?

For a team like the Cleveland Guardians, the MLB Draft is key. Cleveland doesn't have the luxury of signing any player they won't, so drafting and developing players is their path to success. For example, over the last 10 years, Cleveland has drafted and then debuted in a Cleveland uniform 19 pitchers. For a team that only rosters about 13 at one time, that's an impressive achievement. However, the list of names that could have been added to the rotation, as well as the playing field, is just as impressive. Putting on full display the drafting IQ that the Cleveland Guardians organization possesses. 

1. Spencer Strider, 2017 MLB Draft

The first name on this list is especially intriguing given the Cleveland Pitching Factory, Spencer Strider. The flame-thrower for the Atlanta Braves was nearly a member of Cleveland's organization but instead opted to go to Clemson, drastically improving his draft stock.

Born in Columbus, Ohio, there are pictures out there of Strider in a Cleveland jersey at Progressive Field as a fan, and that nearly became his professional reality. During the 2017 MLB Draft, Cleveland took a shot in the dark in the 35th round and drafted Strider out of Christian Academy of Knoxville in Tennessee. That far down in the process, Cleveland wasn't able to convince Strider to join the club, and he instead went to Clemson University.

Due to COVID, Strider only made 10 starts for Clemson, going 5-2 with a 4.71 ERA and 89 strikeouts over 63.0 innings of work. The shortened performance was enough to get drafted for a second time, this one being a much higher selection. Even with the shortened 2020 MLB Draft, Strider still went in the fourth round to the Atlanta Braves.

It was a quick climb for Strider, making his debut on Oct. 1, 2021. Now, the 25-year-old starter has an All-Star appearance under his belt and led the majors in 2023 in wins (20) and strikeouts (281). No doubt that Atlanta turns out pitchers pretty well too, but it's hard not to imagine what could have been had he signed with Cleveland in 2017.

3. Nick Madrigal, 2015 MLB Draft

The production of Nick Madrigal has been short of expectations, but that doesn't take away from the fact that he almost landed himself in Cleveland. Aside from pitchers, middle infielders have proven to be another strength of the Cleveland organization, stretching all the way from Jhonny Peralta to Gabriel Arias and Brayan Rocchio. Had Madrigal signed with Cleveland, it could have been a different result for him.

The 2015 MLB Draft was when Cleveland tried to land Madrigal. Moving up the rounds that we've talked about so far, Cleveland took Madrigal in the 17th round out of Elk Grove High School. Like Steer, I can't blame someone from California for turning down Ohio for a chance to improve their stock. Instead, Madrigal went to Oregon State, and like most players, spent three years in the college ranks.

Madrigal is the first player on this list to not appear in the Cape Cod, but his stats at Oregon State were enough. He slashed an impressive .361/.422/.502 with the Beavers while stealing 39 bases and driving in 103 RBI. The speed remained impressive, with 30 doubles and 11 triples. The collegiate career earned him a fourth overall pick selection in the 2018 MLB Draft to the Chicago White Sox with high expectations.

Madrigal made his debut with the Southside Sox on July 31, 2020, but only played in 83 games for them before making the move across town. On July 30, 2021, the White Sox sent Madrigal and Codi Heuer to the Cubs for Craig Kimbrel. After a strong start with the White Sox, Madrigal has slumped a bit with the Cubs, watching his batting average dip from .317 on the southside to .254 with the Cubbies.

Despite the fall in production, it's hard to ignore what could have been with Madrigal in Cleveland. The middle infield pairing of him and Andres Gimenez could have been intriguing. However, it could be a cautionary tale for another top Oregon State middle infield prospect who is tearing through the season as we speak.

4. Max Muncy, 2009 MLB Draft

In terms of offensive production,Max Muncy is probably the most accomplished player on the list. However, few expected the rise that came with his career, finishing inside the top 15 for MVP voting three times, earning two All-Star appearances, and winning a World Series ring. 

In the 2009 MLB Draft, the Cleveland Guardians organization took Max Muncy in a round that doesn't even exist anymore, the 41st. A prospect out of Keller High School in Texas, Muncy turned down the draft selection and stayed close to home at Baylor University.

The years at Baylor helped Muncy but didn't shoot him up the draft boards the way other names on this list did. Muncy didn't see the field at Baylor until 2011 but appeared in 125 games over two seasons. He slashed an impressive .322/.432/.502 with 100 RBI and 16 home runs. He worked his way up to the fifth round, going to the Oakland A's in the 2012 MLB Draft. 

It didn't exactly get smoother for Muncy from there. He played two seasons with Oakland, hitting just five home runs with an average below the Mendoza line. He was cut by Oakland before the 2017 season on March 31 and found his way onto the Los Angeles Dodgers roster on April 28, 2017, spending the whole 2017 campaign with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

The 2018 season is when things started to change for Muncy. He hit 35 home runs and earned MVP votes. He followed it up in 2019 with an All-Star appearance and another 35 home runs. He upped the ante to 36 home runs in 2021 with another All-Star appearance and then did it again in 2023. 

The road for Muncy was quite different, and it's hard to tell if the same development would have happened in Cleveland. However, the thought that he could have been part of the organization is a headscratcher for the opportunities that could have come with it. 

5. Tim Lincecum, 2005 MLB Draft

Perhaps the most well-known question mark in recent history for the Cleveland organization is the mystery of Tim Lincecum. His time predated what we now view as the Pitching Factory, but a pair of Cy Young Awards, four All-Star appearances, and three World Series rings prove that it might not have been needed at the time.

Cleveland actually isn't the only organization to ask these questions. Lincecum was first taken by the Chicago Cubs during the 48th round of the 2003 MLB Draft out of high school. Like others, he went the college route, going to Washington. However, after his sophomore year, Cleveland tried to jump the gun and took him in the 42nd round, but Lincecum stayed at Washington another year, and it paid off.

After turning down Cleveland, Lincecum went on to be the 10th overall pick the following year, going to San Francisco in the 2006 MLB Draft. It was a quick rise for Lincecum, making his debut less than a year later on May 6, 2007, and then winning his first of back-to-back Cy Young Awards in 2008.

Lincecum was the pinnacle of pitching in the MLB at just the age of 24. In his second and first Cy Young season, he led the MLB in strikeouts with 265, among other stats as well. It was the beginning of four-straight All-Star appearances, a streak of three years of leading the National League in strikeouts, and a span of seven years of double-digits.

One flaw of Lincecum's was his erratic style. He led the MLB in wild pitches twice, including the first time being his 2008 Cy Young season, but he managed to produce results nonetheless. Obviously, his decision was the right one, but kudos to Cleveland for trying to get him a year early.