2023 MLB Draft Coverage: Guardians-Type Hitters
The following is an extensive list of hitters with traits (contact, zone awareness, versatility, Cape/"famous" experience, underdeveloped, cold weather, etc) in the Cleveland Guardians draft.
These hitters dubbed "Guardians draft types" possess some of the particular traits mentioned above. Over the last two seasons, these pieces have identified 22 of 42 draft selections. Two additional players (Justin Boyd '22 and Steven Hajjar '21) were later acquired via trade.
Matt Shaw- SS Maryland
21yo, advanced contact skills and zone awareness, 55-speed, 3b/2b? Rd 1
Jacob Wilson- SS GCU
21yo, 60-hit, contact and zone skills, 55-arm. 3b/2b? Rd 1
Tommy Troy- 3b Stanford
21.3yo, advanced contact skills, plenty of walks, sound defender, versatile, Rd 1
Arjun Nimmala- SS Strawberry HS, FL
17.7yo, advanced for his age, 60-raw power, 55-arm, will stick at SS, Rd 1
Brayden Taylor- 3b TCU
21yo, advanced hit tool with plenty of walks, 55 power, solid defender, slender frame, Cape performer, Rd 1
Brice Eldridge- 1b/OF/RHSP HS, VA
18yo, unique (unicorn?) two-way talent, 60-plus power, contact skills, legit SP prospect too, Rd 1
Enrique Bradfield- OF Vandy
21yo, 80-speed, swing adjustments needed, 60-glove, Rd 1
Yohandy Morales- 3b Miami
21.7yo, advanced bat with contact skills and swing-and-miss issues. 55-power w/big EVs, strong arm, solid defender, Rd 1-CBA
Colt Emerson- SS John Glenn HS, OH
18yo, 55/60-hit, contact, zone awareness, 50 power, and speed, Rd 1-CBA
George Lombard Jr- SS/3b HS, FL
18yo, good contact skills, 55 power, probable 3b, Rd 1-CBA
Brock Wilken- 3b Wake Forest
21.1yo, contact skills and zone awareness, 70-raw power. Solid defender. Rd 1-CBA
Nolan Schanuel- 1b/OF Florida
21yo, contact skills, zone awareness, 55-power, solid defense. 2022 Cape performer, Gets HBP. Rd 1-CBA
Kevin McGonigle- SS HS, PA
18.9yo, advanced hit tool with zone awareness, projects to 2b, Rd 1-2
Dillon Head- OF HS, IL
18.7yo, advanced contact and zone awareness, 70-speed, solid defender, Rd 1-2
Sammy Stafura- SS NY, HS
18.7yo, advance hit and zone skills, solid defender, High IQ player, Rd 1-2
Raffaele Velazquez- C/1b Huntington Beach HS, CA
18yo, advanced hit tool, 55-arm, might stick at C. Rd 1-2
Colton Ledbetter- OF Mississippi State
21yo, advanced hitter with zone awareness, 50-pop, arm, & speed. Rd CBA-2
Brice Matthews- SS Nebraska
21yo, advanced athlete, with hit and zone skills, a quality defender with a good glove, exciting tools, Rd CBA-2
Adrian Santana- SS HS, FL
18yo, good contact skills, 55 arm, and 55 defense will stick at SS, CBA-2
Jake Gelof- 3b Virginia
21yo, bloodlines, advanced contact and takes walks, 55-raw power, solid 3b. Rd CBA-2
Mitch Jebb- SS Michigan State
21yo, advanced contact and zone awareness, avg arm, 2b/LF? Rd 2-3
Nazzan Zanetello- SS/OF Christian Brothers HS, MO
18yo, advanced hit tool with 50 power, 60-speed, projectable frame, 3b/CF, Rd 2-3
LuJames Groover- 2b/1b North Carolina State
21yo, advanced hit tool, average pop, limited 45 defender, versatile 2b/3b/LF. Rd 2-3
Myles Naylor- 3b St Joan of Arc HS, CAN
18yo, bloodlines, 50-hit, power, and arm. Rd 2-4
Antonio Anderson- SS North Atlanta HS, GA
18yo, advanced hit tool, 55-raw power, 55-arm, Rd 2-4
Luke Keaschall- 2b/OF Arizona State
20.9yo, advanced contact skills and zone awareness, 55-speed, San Francisco transfer, Rd 2-4
Mike Boeve- 3b Nebraska-Omaha
21yo, advanced contact, and takes walks. Solid a 3b. Rd 2-4
Max Anderson- 3b/2b Nebraska
21yo, advanced contact and zone skills. Fringe defender. Rd 2-4
Spencer Nivens- OF Missouri State
21.7yo, advanced contact and zone awareness, LHH, Rd 2-4
Josh Rivera- SS Florida
22.7yo, advanced defender with 55 arm and glove, solid advanced approach, takes walks, Rd 2-4
Ryan Lasko- OF Rutgers
21.1yo, contact and zone awareness, 50- power, Rd 2-4
Travis Honeyman- OF Boston College
21yo, advanced contact ability, a sound defender with 55-speed, shoulder injury, Rd 2-4
Michael Carico- C Davidson
21.3yo, 50-hit, athletic C, 50-arm, Rd 3-5
Tre' Morgan- 1b/OF LSU
21.3yo, advanced hit tool and zone awareness, 55-defender, athletic, Rd 3-5
Alex Mooney- SS Duke
21yo, soph eligible, advanced hit tool, and contact skills, solid SS defensively, Rd 3-5
Tommy Hawke- OF Wake Forest
21.1yo, advanced hit tool and zone awareness, minimal power, 70-speed. Rd 3-5
Alex Sosa- C Viera HS, FL
18yo, Advanced contact skills, solid average or better defender with an above-average arm. NC State commit. Rd 3-5
Brandon Winokour- SS/OF HS, CA
18.1yo SS/OF Good contact skills, emerging power, solid-average arm. UCLA commit. Rd 3-5
Camden Kozeal- SS Millard South, NE
18yo, advanced hit tool/zone awareness, probable 2b, Vandy commit. Rd 3-5
Brock Rodden- 2b Wichita State
22.9yo, advanced contact skills/zone awareness, 55- speed. Senior sign. Rd 3-5
Cam Fisher- OF Charlotte
21.9yo, 50-hit, 55-power, 55-arm, takes plenty of walks, 20/20% BB/K. Rd 3-5
Ethan O'Donnell- OF Virginia
21.3yo, 50-hit, tweener OF/4th OF, 55-speed, good contact, Northwestern transfer, Rd 3-5
Roc Riggio- 2b Oklahoma State
21.1yo, advanced hit & zone awareness, more walks than strikeouts, 2022 Cape performer. Soph eligible. Rd 3-5
Cole Carigg- C/SS/OF
21yo, advanced contact skills, limited walks bc of contact. UTL profile. 60-speed, 70-arm. 2022 excellent Cape performance. Rd 3-5
George Wolkow- OF Downer's Grove-North, IL
17.7yo, 6'7 advanced approach, 55/60-raw power, 2024 reclassification. Rd 3-5
CJ Kayfus- 1b/OF Miami
21.7yo, smaller 1b, 55-speed, advanced contact, zone skills, 2022 Cape performer, Rd 3-5
Sabin Ceballos- 3b Oregon
20.9yo, excellent defender, 55-glove and arm. Advanced approach, plenty of walks, experienced at C, 2022 MLB Draft League performer, Juco transfer. Rd 3-5
Luke Shliger- C Maryland
21.1yo, 55-arm, good defender, advanced approach, plenty of walks, small frame. Rd 3-5
Caden Sorrell- OF Marcus HS, TX
18.3yo, tooled up prep OF with 55 speed improved pop and contact. Bloodlines. Rd 3-5
Alberto Rios- OF/C Stanford
21.4yo, advanced approach with good contact skills, 50-power, 50-arm. Experienced as OF/C. Rd 3-5
Christian Knapczyk- 2b Louisville
21.5yo, Contact skills, 60-speed, 90th% EV, undersized Rd 3-5
Jack Payton- C Louisville
21.9yo, Contact skills, gets HBP, 45 defender & arm, Rd 3-5
Connor Burns- C Long Beach State
21.5yo, plus defender, double plus arm, lightweight hitter, Rd 3-5
Hunter Haas- SS Texas A&M
21.3yo, excellent contact skills, 55-hit, UTL profile (SS, 2b, 3b), 50-arm. More BBs than Ks, Arizona State transfer. Rd 5-7
Dylan Campbell- OF Texas
21yo, athletic OF, with good contact skills, and speed, takes plenty of walks. Rd 5-7
Ben Williamson-3b William & Mary
22.7yo senior sign. 50-arm, 50/55 defender. 87% contact rate in 2023 with track record. 15+% BB/8+% K. Rd 5-7
Treyson Hughes- OF Mercer
21.1yo soph eligible. Good contact skills, with zone awareness, and above-average EVs. Rd 5-7
Drew Burress- OF Houston County, GA
18.9yo, advanced hit tool and zone awareness, 55-speed, 60-arm, smaller stature Rd 5-7
Cooper Ingle- C/OF Clemson
21.3yo advanced contact, zone awareness, average defender and arm. Rd 5-7
Kristian Campbell- SS Georgia Tech
21.1yo, advanced approach, good contact skills. Rd 5-7
Justin Riemer- 2b Wright State
21.5yo, advanced hit tool & zone awareness, 55- speed, injured (knee). Rd 5-7
Homer Bush Jr.- OF GCU
21.7yo, advanced contact & zone awareness, bloodlines, 55-speed, Rd 5-7
Kevin Sim- 3b/1b San Diego
21.5yo, advanced zone awareness, 45-hit, 55- raw power, 55- arm. 2022 Cape performer. Rd 5-7
Devin Burkes- C Kentucky
21.1yo 45 hit, takes walks & gets HBP. 55-arm. CS 33%. Rd 8-10
Avery Ortiz-SS Union HS, OK
18.1yo, premium natural athlete. Impressed at Prep Baseball Report's Super 60. Oklahoma State commit. Rd 8-10
Bryan Gonzalez- SS Beltran Baseball Academy, PR
18yo, 5'10,160 underdeveloped/raw prospect. Quality ABs, high-quality defender. Illinois State commit. Rd 8-10
Colby Halter- 2b Florida
21.9yo Improved discipline this yr. 2022 Cape performer. Former high-level prospect. Rd 8-10
Jandaniel Gonzalez-C No school, PR
17.8yo, 60-defender, 70-arm, contact-oriented swing, Indiana State commit, Rd 8-10
Joe Redfield- OF Sam Houston State
21.7yo, CF type good contact skills, 45 power, 55 speed, plenty of walks. Cape performer. Rd 8-10
Cole Fontenelle- 3b/LF TCU
21.3yo, Washington transfer to JUCO to TCU. 6'3, 205 frame, SHH, advanced contact, zone awareness, takes plenty of walks, versatile. Rd 8-10
Sam Shaw- 2b TXNL Academy, FL
18.4yo, solid contact skills, average speed, Xavier commit. Rd 8-10
Julian Brock- C Louisiana-Lafayette
22yo, above-average arm & defender, fringe hit tool, takes walks, w/ some pop. Rd 8-10
Eddie Park- OF Stanford
21.9, 55-speed, advanced zone awareness, good contact skills, average arm, fourth outfielder type. Rd 8-10
Austin Green- 2b Texas Tech
21yo, SHH w/ contact skills w/ 55 speed, and an advanced approach. Rd 8-10
Quinn McDaniel- 2b Maine
20.9yo, RHH w/55 speed, advanced approach. Rd 8-10
Jarren Purify- SS HS, MI
17.9yo advanced contact skills, middle infielder, Clemson commit. Rd 8-10
Jonah Advincula- OF Washington State
22.5yo Redlands, CA transfer, 55 hit, 60 runner elite contact skills, senior, Rd 11-15
Pierce Bennett- 2b Wake Forest
22yo, more career walks than gets, gets OB via HBP, versatile can play LF, 1b, and more experience. Senior sign. Rd 11-15
Brett Bateman- OF Minnesota
21.4yo Speedy CF with bottom-of-the-scale type power. Fourth outfielder type. Cape performer. Rd 11-15
Bennett Lee- C Wake Forest
21.1yo plenty of walks, average all-around game. Excellent framer, and a solid defender. Rd 11-15
Brett Callahan- OF St. Joesph's
21.7yo, plenty of walks- almost 1-to-1 BB/K. Gets HBP, all 3 OF spots, 55-runner. Rd 11-15
Jim Jarvis- SS Alabama
22.7yo, walks & strikeouts 1 to 1, good defender, athletic bloodlines, UTL profile, Rd 11-15
Jared Thomas- C Loyola Marymount
22.6yo, 50-defender, 1-to-1 Ks-to-BBs in 2023.Senior sign LHH C, Miami transfer. Rd 11-15
Jace Grady- OF Dallas Baptist
22.1 Sr. 50 speed, 45 arm, 50 hit, SHH takes BBs.
Rd 11-15
Rikuu Nishida- 2b Oregon
22.2yo excellent contact skills, no power. Slash and dash app. 60 speed. 5'6, 150, Rd 11-15
Sam Brown- 1b Washington State
21.8yo. 1-to-1 BB to Ks, 50-power, LHH 1b/RF. Portland transfer. Rd 11-15
Mikey Kane- 3b/UTL Oregon State
21.1yo Juco transfer, zone awareness & plate discipline, versatile, Rd 11-15
Jackson Van De Brake- 3b/UTL North Carolina
21.3yo Juco transfer, zone awareness & plate discipline, versatile, Rd 11-15
Brennan Orf- 1b/LF Southern Illinois
21yo, 45-hit, 50-power, plate discipline & zone awareness, Rd 11-15
Khi Holiday- OF/2b NE Miss CC
20.9yo advanced approach, plenty of walks, 80-grade speed, Rd 11-15
Cole Urman- C Cal State Fullerton
1.9 pop, plus defender, backup potential 22yo Rd 16-20
Trevor Martin- 2b Missouri
21yo, 55-runner, advanced plate discipline. Rd 16-20
Anthony Sherwin- 2b Bucknell
21.1yo, advanced bat-to-ball skills, plate discipline, Rd 16-20