Top 50 Tuesday: Meet Parker Messick, a crafty lefty who could be called up soon

Welcome back to Top 50 Tuesday, your weekly look into the Cleveland Guardians' future stars.

Last week, we checked in on Travis Bazzana, who recently returned from injury and has continued to look like the No. 1 prospect in Cleveland's system. This week, we're shifting our focus to the mound, and a pitcher who might just be making his big-league debut sooner than you think: Left-hander Parker Messick, who currently ranks as Cleveland's No. 9 prospect.

Parker Messick may be the latest Cleveland Guardians pitcher to make his MLB debut

Messick has carved out an impressive path through the minors, showcasing the kind of pitching-savvy that the Guardians love in their prospects.

He was a standout in college at Florida State where he was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He spent most of the 2022 season transforming his old curveball into a more effective, cutter-like slider in the mid-80s. He ended up posting a 3.38 ERA in 98 2/3 innings with the Seminoles in 2022 before being drafted by the Guardians in the second round of that year's draft.

That selection is looking more and more like a steal. Messick's best season in the minors came last year when he recorded 165 strikeouts (the fifth-highest mark across the minors) in 133 2/3 innings at Double-A Akron. He also earned a Eastern League All-Star nod and finished the year with a sparkling 2.06 ERA

Despite a build that's more sturdy than sleek, Messick's delivery is remarkably consistent, allowing him to pound the strike zone. He's a pitcher who hides the ball well and isn't afraid to attack hitters, even without overpowering velocity.

That's helped him earn comparisons to former Guardian Matthew Boyd, with many suggesting that Messick has a better feel for the strike zone than Boyd.

At this point, it looks like his floor is a reliable back-of-the-rotation starter in the big leagues, which you'll take every day from a homegrown pitching prospect.

Messick earned a call-up to Triple-A Columbus at the start of the season, where he's posted a 3.47 ERA in 80 1/3 innings with 99 strikeouts. He also got a nod to this year's Futures Game, where he started for the American League and tossed a scoreless inning.

At this point, Messick's major league call-up seems like a matter of "when", not "if." While there's still a chance that he could get traded at the deadline as a part of a deal, it seems like the Guardians will have at least one hole in their rotation after the trade deadline, which could provide Messick with a natural opportunity to earn a promotion to the Guardians' roster.

But regardless of when he makes his MLB debut, he's still a prospect to watch in Cleveland's system.