Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 7/7-8/25

Bazzana continues rehab, Ingle keeps hitting, Antunez keeps popping

SCOREBOARD

Louisville Bats 11, Columbus Clippers 6 - Statcast
Richmond Flying Squirrels 4, Akron RubberDucks 2
West Michigan Whitecaps 5, Lake County Captains 4
Hickory Crawdads 6, Lynchburg Hillcats 4 (F/10)
ACL Guardians 11, ACL White Sox 2 (F/7 - scheduled)
DSL Brewers Gold 8, DSL Guardians Mendoza 1 (Tuesday)
DSL Guardians Goryl 11, DSL Cubs Blue 10 (F/10 - Tuesday)
ACL Dodgers 7, ACL Guardians 6 (Monday)
DSL Guardians Mendoza 4, DSL Rays 3 (F/7* - Monday)
DSL Pirates Gold 4, DSL Guardians Goryl 0 (Monday)

*I have no idea why this game was shortened. It appears to have been scheduled for the full 9 and it did not rain at all in Boca Chica on Monday.

REHAB

Trevor Stephan (RP, Columbus): 0 IP, 5 H, 5 R (all earned), 1 HBP, 2 HR allowed - Normally, rehab outings are about the process, not the results - but better results than this against Triple-A hitters are necessary before seriously considering Stephan Big Club-ready. All of the runs scored on a pair of homers, both of them the result of Trevor throwing sliders.

Travis Bazzana (starting 2B, ACL - Monday): 0-1, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K - Bazzana, who again played five frames at second base, had a solid day at the plate thanks to his plate discipline despite remaining hitless on his rehab stint.

Travis Bazzana (DH, ACL - Tuesday): 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, K - Bazzana played a “full” seven inning game as a DH, his first back to back coming off his oblique muscle rehab, although not two straight position player games and not full games. Not really concerned about results overall here but not surprised to see an extra base hits, drawing the walks against rookie league pitching.

Cam Schuelke (RP, ACL - Tuesday): IP, H, 3K - Schuelke’s rehab this time around is going much better and with a game like this, it might be getting close to seeing him back in Lynchburg.

HIGHLIGHTS

Dayan Frias (3B, Columbus): 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB,1 SF - Much as he did in his Opening Day Triple-A debut as one of the many stopgap players on a highly provisional opening roadtrip roster for the Clip Show, Frias impressed in his first game after being called up to fill the vacancy left by Will Wilson’s call-up to the Show. While Frias may not be a full-time Clipper yet, that day is coming soon.

Chase DeLauter (DH, Columbus): 1-4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K - Speaking of guys who are nearing a long-term promotion, DeLauter just keeps rolling in Columbus, extending his Triple-A on-base streak to 36 games going back to last season. Fun Fact: Chase has reached safely in 37 of his 38 games with the Clip Show. In fact, if you count reaching on a fielder’s choice, he has been a baserunner in every Triple-A game he has played so far.

C.J. Kayfus (RF, Columbus): 1-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K - Kayfus also continues to make a case for a trip up I-71, in his case with a steady barrage of RBI. C.J. now has now driven in at least one run in four of his six July games so far and eight of his last twelve games played.

Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 2-2, 1 RBI, 2 BB - Ingle bounded back from a rare 0-fer with this perfect series opener at the plate. For those wondering how rare hitless games have been for Cooper recently, he has only been held hitless in five of his last nineteen games (three of them in a row) - a stretch dating back to the mid-June roadtrip to Hartford.

Wuilfredo Antunez (DH, Lake County): 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K - With Tigers’ catching phenom Josue Briceno now an Erie SeaWolf, Antunez’s 14 round-trippers now lead the Midwest League among players currently active in the circuit (and he’s only one home from equaling Briceno’s total). Furthermore, three other Captains are high on the leaderboard in said category, with Alfonsin Rosario second with 13, Ralphy Velazquez tied for fourth with eleven, and Jose Devers part of a huge tie for sixth with 10 dingers.

Yorman Gomez (RP, Lake County): 5 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 5 K - Gomez avenged his one bad outing in his last five (4 ER in 4.2 IP against the Whitecaps on June 26 in Eastlake) with this stellar piggyback outing that was unfortunately not enough for the team victory after starter Michael Kennedy struggled mightily (5 ER in 2.1 IP) in his third, and by far worst, start since returning from the IL.

Bennett Thompson (C, Lynchburg): 2-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 K - Thompson continued his hot July with the Hillcats’ only multi-hit performance and only extra-base hit of Tuesday’s series opener. In 16 at-bats this month, Bennett has eight hits including last night’s double and a homer. These five games are part of an active 13-game hit streak and 19 of 20 games with at least one hit. He has also reached safely in 27 of 28 games dating back to May 23. Needless to say, it would be interesting to see what he could do in the Midwest League.

Sean Matson (SP, Lynchburg): ND, 4 IP, 4 H, 3 K - Matson has allowed one or less run in each of his last eight outings (ranging from three to five innings in length), dating back to May 28. The result has been a summer statline of a 0.53 ERA, 0.45 WHIP, and 33:7 K:BB ratio. Like Thompson, Matson could benefit from some time at the corner of SOM Center and Vine.

Robert Arias (CF, ACL): 4-5, 2B, 3 SB - Arias hasn’t been much for extra base hits in the ACL but he’s hitting a ton and then stole three bases, for what that’s worth in the rookie league. But hard to not be at least pleased with how it’s going for him.

Joey Oakie (SP, ACL - Tuesday): 4IP, H, 2BB, 7K - Really refreshing and reassuring to see Joey Oakie finally have some great results in the ACL. It’s been a tough go of it for him in the ACL. And results aren’t everything in rookie leagues, but you’d like to see more games like this regardless than the results he has been having that has led to an ERA over 8.00.

Dauri Fernandez (3B, ACL - Monday): 3-5, 2 R, 1 2B, 2 SB - Fernandez’s second three-hit game and third 3+ total base game of July had his slash line at .444/.450/.667 through the month’s first five contests.

Wuinder Torres (C, DSL Goryl - Tuesday): 2-6, 2B - Another Venezuelan catcher for the Guardians - except he’s right handed. Weird. The 18 year old is in his second year in the DSL.

Jose Marcano (DH, DSL Goryl - Tuesday): 2-3, 3B, 2 RBI, BB - The 19 year old infielder is in his third DSL season. Good performance, good season, but three years in the DSL isn’t usually a great sign.

NOTABLE PERFORMANCES

Petey Halpin (CF, Columbus): 2-5, 2 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K - After his first two-double game since last June 14 (as a RubberDuck), Halpin now has five extra base hits (three doubles and two homers) in July, giving him a .346 ISO for the month.

Dom Nunez (1B Columbus): 2-5, 1 RBI - While his season stats remain unspectacular (still below the Mendoza Line), his July has been impressive so far (6-for-18 with a double, two RBI, and three walks).

Jonah Advincula (LF, Akron): 2:-4, 1 RBI - After starting his Double-A career 0-for-14, Advincula is 4-for-11 with a double and RBI in his last three games combined.

Juan Benjamin (3B, Lake County): 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 K - Benjamin’s third multi-hit performance of July (five games) was the only one the Captains would get on Tuesday night.

Jacob Cozart (C, Lake County): 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K - Cozart entered July with one professional home run in 190 at-bats. Since the calendar flipped, he has hit three in 17 AB. His solo shot last night is even more notable as it gave Jacob his 25th professional RBI.

Garrett Howe (2B, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SF, 2 K - Howe’s July has been an impressive one: 6-for-17 with a double and four RBI.

Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 0-4, 1 RBI, 1 HBP, 2 K - Francisca tied Ryan Cesarini for the team lead in RBI with 37 after getting plunked in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded.

Luis Merejo (1B, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K - Later in the ninth, Merejo would make it a three-way atop the RBI leaderboard after being walked with the bases loaded by the improbably wild Jesus Gamez to tie the game. When I say “improbably wild”, Gamez threw 23 balls in 42 pitches and issued free passes to half of the ten batters he faced (four walks and the HBP of Francisca).

Yeiferth Castillo (LF. ACL - Monday): 1-4, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K - After Monday’s game, Castillo had an eight-game on-base streak that included a five-game hit streak. Fun Fact: Yeiferth’s round-tripper was his first extra-base hit since the first game of the on-base streak (June 25 at the Royals).

Gabriel Rodriguez (SS, ACL - Tuesday): 2-4, 2 SB, RBI - The “other” Gabriel Rodriguez, the left handed hitting shortstop is having a solid year in the ACL, though not spectacular.

Reiner Herrera (C, ACL - Tuesday): 3-3, 4 RBI, PB - Herrera is a 19 year old catcher - a left handed hitting catcher from Venezuela, one of Cleveland’s favorite demographics. He’s not having a great year overall but this was a good game.

Luis Galan (3B, DSL Mendoza - Monday): 2-3, 1 RBI, Picked Off 1 time - Galan’s two-hit day included a go-ahead (and ultimately game-winning) sixth-inning single.

Luis Garcia (2B, DSL Mendoza - Monday): 1-2, 2 r, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB,1 E - Earlier in the sixth, Garcia tied the game up on a double that continued his recent trend of doubling every other game and gave him the other Mendoza RBI of Monday’s contest (the first two tallies were the result of errors.).

Alexander Garcia (SP, DSL Goryl- Monday): L (0-1), 5 IP, 1 H, 1 R (earned), 2 WP, 7 K - Garcia was dominant in his longest outing as a pro, with the seven strikeouts bringing his 2025 K:BB ratio to 31:12.

Nomar Velasquez (LF, DSL Goryl - Tuesday): 2-3 - The 20 year old outfielder is getting on base decently enough although isn’t having the best year.

Heins Brito (SS, DSL Goryl - Tuesday): 1-3, 2B, 3RBI, 2BB - I just like the name Heins and he’s a 17 year old switch hitter having a nice DSL/org debut.