Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 6/18/25

DeLauter goes DEEP; Watson breaks out with TWO dingers

SCOREBOARD

Columbus Clippers 4, Indianapolis Indians 3 - SUSP. (Top 4)
Akron RubberDucks 6, Portland Sea Dogs 3
South Bend Cubs 4, Lake County Captains 2
Augusta GreenJackets 9, Lynchburg Hillcats 6

HIGHLIGHTS

Chase DeLauter (LF, Columbus): 1-for-1, R, HR, 3 RBIs, BB - DeLauter deposited a two-run homerun off the videoboard in right field prior to the contest being suspended due to inclement weather. A lefty-lefty moonshot hit at 107.4 mph off the bat with an estimated distance of 428 feet. He also drove in a third run with a bases loaded walk.

Trenton Denholm (SP, Akron): W (7-2), 6.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 5 Ks, PO - Make it back-to-back starts for the right-hander Denholm where he went six shutout innings, but this one was his best start of the season when he allowed just one hit. That base knock did not come until two outs in the sixth inning and he would erase the baserunner himself with a pickoff move. Denholm has had 14 appearances this season where he allowed one or fewer runs, including a string of seven of the last nine outings.

Khalil Watson (DH, Akron): 3-for-5, 2 R, 2 HRs, 3 RBIs - For the first time in his professional career, the former first round selection Khalil Watson had a pair of homeruns and drove in three in the midst of the 6-3 victory for the RubberDucks. Both of his longballs were solo shots and he delivered an RBI with his single in the seventh as well. Watson has struggled of late, and these are his first extra-base hits and RBIs of the month of June.

Tommy Hawke (CF, Lynchburg): 1-for-2, 3 BBs, 3 SBs - No base is safe when it comes to Tommy Hawke’s speed. He added three more to his already league-leading total of 63, but sometimes it has gotten him into trouble - such as a lineout double play while at third on Wednesday. Nonetheless, he was given some free bases and always looks to claim more.

Logan McGuire (RP, Lynchburg): 3.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, 7 Ks, HBP - McGuire more than doubled his previous professional career-high on Wednesday with seven punchouts and got through three innings of shutout baseball, just the second time that has happened for him in 2025. The Georgia Tech alum has settled in of late with six consecutive appearances where he has given up one or fewer runs (two earned runs in 13.0 innings).

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BBs - Ingle was able to reach base three times in total thanks to a single and a pair of walks. His seventh inning single led to a three-spot in the frame, much-needed insurance with a late rally by the Sea Dogs.

Dayan Frias (3B, Akron): 2-for-5, RBI, E5F - Frias was one of two players with multiple hits for Akron on Wednesday and he tallied his sixth RBI in the month of June with a single in the seventh.

Jake Fox (CF, Akron): 0-for-1, 2 R, 3 BBs, 2 SBs - Fox was able to use his speed with his fourth and fifth stolen bases of the year to help put himself in position to score on two of his three walks.

Christian Knapczyk (2B, Lake County): 1-for-3, R, 2B - Knapczyk put a ball in play for a double in the third and with the help of two errors, a run came across to score on the play. Knapczyk would cross the dish himself on a wild pitch later in the third inning.

Johnny Tincher (C, Lake County): 1-for-3, 2B, DP - The only other hit of the day for the Captains was a double off the bat of Tincher. He has now reached base safely in seven of the last eight games.

Esteban Gonzalez (RF, Lake County): 0-for-4, 2 OF assists - South Bend tried testing the arm of Gonzalez in right to no avail as he had a pair of assists. A diving catch set up the 22-year-old for a back pick at second base and then he also threw someone out in the fifth trying to tag up from third.

Christopher Espinola (LF, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, R, RBI, BB, HBP - Espinola was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate a run and he led off the seventh with a single. He reached base four times in total on Wednesday and has reached base multiple times in each of his last four.

Bennett Thompson (DH, Lynchburg): 1-for-5, 2 R, 2B, RBI - Thompson recorded the lone extra-base hit of the day for the Hillcats with an RBI double in the top of the ninth. He now has three doubles in his last six games.

Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 1-for-4, RBI, BB, 2 SBs - Francisca recorded one of the two hits with runners in scoring position - a feat that was few and far between for the squad at 2-for-15 on the day. The 19-year-old also swiped bases 27 and 28 on Wednesday.