Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 7/3/25
Ingle makes BIG return to lineup, Kayfus leaves with injury
Scoreboard
Columbus Clippers 3, Toledo MudHens 1 (Statcast)
Akron RubberDucks 7, Erie SeaWolves 3
Lake County Captains 9, Dayton Dragons 8
Lynchburg Hillcats 7, Salem Red Sox 1
ACL Guardians 8, ACL Rangers 5 (F/11)
DSL Brewers Blue 10, DSL Guardians Mendoza 2
DSL Pirates Gold 5, DSL Guardians Goryl 2
Highlights
Aaron Davenport (SP, Columbus): 6IP, 4H, ER BB, 7K - Despite throwing 88-91, Davenport got six whiffs on his fastball and did a nice job with his cutter and change. He didn’t even use his signature curveball more than four times. A nice outing despite the lower velo. Still seems more like a relief candidate with that velo and lack of size, but the strike throwing this year has taken a nice step forward.
Nic Enright (RP, Columbus): IP, 3K - Enright only needed 12 pitches to strike out the side in this one and was sitting 93-95 with his heater. He needs to finish the season in Cleveland and get reps to help him get ready to be a key bullpen piece for 2026.
Cooper Ingle (C, Akron): 4-5, 2 2B, 2 HR, 2 RBI - Welcome back, Cooper Ingle! After missing a little over a week with a groin contusion, Ingle doubled, homered, homered again, then doubled again. He’s another player that needs a promotion in the second half.
Jorge Burgos (DH, Akron): 2-5, HR, 2 RBI - Burgos continues to get back on a heater with the bat, as his streakiness continues.
Angel Genao (SS, Akron): 2-4, 2B, RBI, BB - Genao continues to acclimate himself well to Double-A, which is really impressive considering his approach. I was a little concerned about how he would adapt based on the transition and then missing the first two months of the season with a shoulder injury. But he’s continued to look as exciting a he did a year ago.
Matt Wilkinson (SP, Lake County): 5.1IP, 6H, 2ER, 3BB, 9K - Three walks is still not Tugboat like and not something he can survive with his stuff, but he did fan nine, which is a good sign to see him rebound from some early season struggles.
Rafe Schlesinger (SP, Lynchburg): 5IP, 5H, ER, 6K - An impressive outing for Schlesinger, who seems to have gotten his footing a little more lately and would be fun to see in Lake County.
Jacob Zibin (SP, Lynchburg): 3IP, H, 3K - Probably the best outing of Zibin’s inexperienced career that had been derailed by injury. It’s also nice to see him get his footing going too.
Manuel Osorio (SP, ACL Guardians): 5.0 IP, 2 H, R, BB, 3 Ks, BK, Disengagement Violation - The veteran southpaw had a shaky start to the game with a first inning run, but retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced to close his outing. Osorio was struggling with walks all ACL season and tied a season-low with just one on Thursday. He kept the ball on the ground effectively with seven groundouts. This was his first start after four games coming out of the bullpen so we’ll have to see what kind of a role he fits into should he continue to advance in the system.
Daniel Gentile (SP, DSL Goryl): 5.0 IP, 4 H, R, 3 BBs, 3 Ks - The 16-year-old has looked sharp in each of his last two outings and he left the game on Thursday with the lead and in line for the pitching win. He had to work around some traffic in the early goings and got out of a bases loaded, one-out situation in the second with no damage and eventually retired five in a row to close the game.
Notable Performances
Christian Cairo (LF, Columbus): 2-4, 2B - Cairo had another nice day at the plate continuing to play around as a utility type.
Franco Aleman (RP, Columbus): IP - Back to back scoreless outings from Aleman is nice to see considering that he was having a rough go of it of awhile there. He didn’t get any whiffs however, but was sitting 96-99. He should make his debut in the second half as well if he stays healthy.
Chase DeLauter (RF, Columbus): 0-3, BB - No hits, but DeLauter kept his on base streak going with a walk. He’s played three days in a row now four times this season. We’ll see today if he gets a fourth day for the first time this year.
CJ Kayfus (1B, Columbus): 1-1, RBI -Kayfus collected one hit and was picked off in his only at bat, collided with a Toledo infielder and left the game with an injury.
Jake Fox (CF, Akron): 2-5, 2B, 2 RBI - It’s been a dismal season for Fox but this was a nice game at least.
Steven Perez (RP, Akron): 3IP, 2H, BB, 4K - Impressive relief outing for Perez, throwing 55 pitches, which is a lot for him and fanning four while getting nine outs and facing 11 batters total.
Wuilfredo Antunez (LF, Lake County): 1-3, HR, RBI, 2BB - Antunez is starting to look a lot like Jorge Burgos last year and some of this year. Really good power but streaky, and he’s on another heater here.
Jacob Cozart (C, Lake County): 1-2, HR, RBI, 3BB - Nice to see this kind of performance by Cozart, who really has to be a three true outcome type hitter to add value that way to his defense behind the plate.
Christian Knapczyk (2B, Lake County): 1-5, 2B, 3 RBI - A nice day driving in runs for Knapczyk, who has cooled off since that hot May.
Nick Mitchell (CF, Lynchburg): 1-3, BB, 2SB - A nice two day on base with two steals for Mitchell.
Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 2-4, 2K - Two hits for Francisca who keeps his streak going with just two singles.
Dauri Fernandez (2B, ACL Guardians): 3-for-5, 2 RBIs, CS - Fernandez sparked the rally with a game-tying two-run single and recorded his fourth game with three or more hits this year for the ACL Guardians.
Yeiferth Castillo (RF, ACL Guardians): 2-for-5, RBI, OF assist - Castillo drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th inning and took an opposing run away with an assist to the plate - the would-be winning run in the ninth!
Estivel Morillo (DH, ACL Guardians): 1-for-4, 2 R, 3B, 2 RBIs, BB - If not for the Morillo two-out two-RBI triple in the 11th, this game might have a different narrative. The team was able to close things out with some breathing room. It was the only extra-base hit of the game for the squad.
Angel Perez (RP, ACL Guardians): BS (1), W (3-0), 2.0 IP, 0 H, R, 0 ER, BB, 3 Ks, WP - Perez entered the game in extra innings and allowed the inherited extra-inning runner to score to blow a save opportunity, however he got out of the 11th with a line drive double play for the rare two batter inning to seal the victory.
Daniel Arias (RF, DSL Mendoza): 1-for-3, R, OF assist - With only three hits and two runs in the game, Arias was responsible for one of each, however the highlight for the 18-year-old came from his outfield defense with his third assist in just 13 games played.
Nomar Velasquez (LF, DSL Mendoza): 1-for-3, OF assist - Velasquez showed off defensively as well with his third outfield assist in ten games as well as a base hit.
Hector Castillo (RP, DSL Goryl): 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 2 Ks, PO - The 18-year-old entered the game in a tough situation with the bases loaded and while he did not allow a run on his statline, two inherited runners scored in the midst of a four-run sixth for the DSL Pirates squad.
Steven Cruz (DH, DSL Goryl): 1-for-3, R, BB - The lone man to reach base twice in the loss was Cruz with a base hit and a walk and he came around to score via a single from Santiago Ustariz.