Monday, March 10

Welcome back to the Guardians Beat newsletter. My name is Tim Stebbins, and this is my first season covering Cleveland for MLB.com.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The future will be on display at Goodyear Ballpark on Friday, when the Guardians and Mariners square off in their Spring Breakout game. The prospect showcase is back this year after the inaugural series last March, and Cleveland’s roster is full of promising talent.

First pitch on Friday is set for 8:05 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on the new CLEGUARDIANS.TV, but until then, here are a few of the players to look out for in the showcase for the Guardians.

Travis Bazzana

It all starts with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Bazzana headlines the Guardians’ Spring Breakout roster, and the showcase game will offer fans an up-close look at the organization’s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 10 overall.

As he takes part in his first Spring Training, Bazzana (who’s part of Cleveland’s depth camp roster) has made a strong impression.

“The intensity and the work ethic that he brings every single day to get better is off the charts,” Guardians VP of player development Stephen Osterer said. “It’s not just himself getting better and thinking about what he can do. It's with his teammates, having conversations with the pitchers in live BP and giving his insights.”

Top 100 talent

Three Guardians prospects who are ranked on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list will take the field for Spring Breakout in Bazzana, Jaison Chourio (the Guardians’ No. 3 prospect, No. 59 overall) and Angel Genao (No. 4, No. 61). Chase DeLauter, Cleveland’s No. 2 prospect and No. 36 overall, is sidelined after undergoing core muscle surgery on Tuesday.

Chourio and Genao are promising young hitters who have built up impressive track records progressing through the lower levels of the Minor Leagues.

Chourio, who played in the inaugural Spring Breakout last year, slashed .269/.414/.398 in 98 games with Single-A Lynchburg last season. The 19-year-old, switch-hitting outfielder stole 44 stolen bases and has impressive command of the strike zone; he drew 86 walks compared to 69 strikeouts.

Genao, 20, slashed .330/.379/.499 in 110 games between Lynchburg and High-A Lake County last season. It continued a noteworthy trend from his first four professional seasons: No matter the level he’s played at, Genao’s hit tool has traveled.

In 274 career games since starting in the Dominican Summer League in ‘21, Genao holds a career .298/.377/.430 slash line. 

“He’s a good hitter,” Osterer said. “The exposure to the higher quality arms, he’s adapted and found a way to rise to that a little bit. … It’s been really cool to see him hit at every level.”

2023 Draft class battery

Starter Matt Wilkinson and catcher Cooper Ingle have a few things in common. They were each part of the Guardians’ 2023 Draft class and had impressive first full seasons in the Minor Leagues.

Wilkinson (10th-round pick) recorded a 1.90 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 118 2/3 innings over 24 starts between Lynchburg and Lake County last season. Ingle slashed .305/.419/.478 with 24 doubles, 11 homers, 67 RBIs and 65 walks compared to 56 strikeouts in 93 games between Lake County and Double-A Akron, and was named the Midwest League MVP.

Ingle was the highest riser on the Guardians’ Top 30 Prospects list from 2024 (not ranked) to ’25 (No. 7). The backstop began to use a leg kick with his swing last season as he worked to drive the ball in the air more frequently, and it helped him hit for more power.
 

“I didn’t lift the ball enough in college,” Ingle said. “Being able to do more damage in pro ball has helped me a lot.

“In college [I used] more of a toe tap, and I probably hit 80 percent of my balls backside. But to be a more productive hitter, I had to learn last offseason how to pull the baseball in the air consistently.”

New faces in the pipeline

The Spring Breakout roster features new prospects who joined the Guardians pipeline over the offseason. Cleveland acquired lefties Michael Kennedy (No. 19 prospect) and Josh Hartle (No. 23) from the Pirates in the Dec. 10 trade for Luis L. Ortiz. Outfielder Alfonsin Rosario (No. 26) came over on Nov. 20 from the Cubs in the Eli Morgan trade.

• Here’s everything you need to know about the Spring Breakout game. Read more >>

• Tyler Freeman has experience plugging in at just about every spot in the field -- and has the glove collection to prove it. Read more >>

• Tyler Naquin is back in the Cleveland organization, but he’s transitioning to a new role: pitcher. He discussed how he came to make the surprising late-career move. Read more >>

• One of the biggest aspects of Tanner Bibee’s growth last season was the work he put in on the mental side of the game. Read more >>

• Bazzana’s unique side hustle as a kid helped him fund his first trip to the U.S.  Read more >>

“He can pitch. It’s fun to watch him go out there and work. He's a competitor. The thing with me is that he just throws a ton of strikes. He's just relentless in the strike zone. He doesn't care if he gets hit, which is great to see. It’s just a testament to this organization, the [player development] staff on the pitching side of things -- even position players -- but especially the pitching side. We just have, I wouldn't say a turnstile, but there’s a lot of great work that goes on behind the scenes.” -- Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz on lefty Doug Nikhazy (Cleveland’s No. 22 prospect), who’s made a big impression this spring

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