Cleveland Guardians Spring Training Prospect Report 3/15/24
Game 21 - Cleveland Guardians 6, Kansas City Royals 1
STARTERS
Deyvison De Los Santos (RF-1B): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 K - De Los Santos, the only Guardians fielder to play the entire game, hit his first double of the spring to extend his hit streak to five games. During this renaissance, Deyvison is slashing .429/.429/.714. Yes, it’s a small sample size in absolute terms, but a gigantic one in the context of the small window the Guards’ brass has to make a decision that is suddenly looking a lot tougher than it did a week ago.
Chase DeLauter (CF): 1-2, 1 R, 1 BB - Speaking of tough decisions, DeLauter is doing everything in his power to make the Front Office question just how committed they are to getting him some Triple-A reps. While the Corner of Neil and Nationwide is almost certainly his initial 2024 destination, his 1.387 spring OPS suggests that it may very well be a brief stopover on his road to The Show.
Kyle Manzardo (1B): 1-3, 1 K - The other prospect to start Friday’s rain-delayed contest continued his stellar spring (.934 OPS) with another base hit.
RESERVES
Raynel Delgado (2B-3B): 1-2, 1 R, 2 RBI - Delgado got the scoring started in the Guards’ four-run seventh with a grounder to center that scored DeLauter and De Los Santos. Fun Fact: His pair of at-bats yesterday brought him to 15 for the spring, exceeding the total from his previous three major league preseasons combined (14).
Daniel Schneemann (3B-SS): 1-1, 1 R, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 BB - Schneemann followed with a blast to center that netted him first major league spring triple, got his OPS back into four figures (1.111), and drove in Delgado and Micah Pries (more on him later).
Petey Halpin (PH-CF): 1-2, 1 RBI, 1 K - Halpin’s ninth-inning single drove in Schneemann for Petey’s first RBI of the spring.
Christian Cairo (2B): 1-2, 1 RBI - In the very next at-bat, Cairo drove in veteran invitee C Dom Nunez for not only his first big league RBI of this spring, but also of his preseason career.
Micah Pries (LF): 0-1, 1 R, 1 BB - Pries’ walk and subsequent run broke a three-game (four if you count a defensive-only appearance), seven-plate appearance on-base drought. Hits, however, have still proven elusive since his lone base knock of the spring on Opening Day.
Jake Fox (RF): 0-1, 1 K - Fox struck out in his first major league camp at-bat in two years.
RELIEVERS
Tim Herrin: 1 IP, perfect, 2 K - Herrin was dominant in the seventh, setting down the side in order including swinging strikeouts of veterans Hunter Renfroe and Sandy “Wait, he’s NOT on the Guardians?” Leon.
Cade Smith: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R (earned). 3 K - Smith was impressive in the eighth, working around a leadoff single by striking out the next three hitters.He struggled a bit in the ninth, allowing a run on a fielder’s choice after starting the inning with two base hits. However, he still minimized the damage by inducing a game-ending 4-6-3 double play. To be honest, the second-frame struggles are not a major concern as he won’t be going multiple innings much if he fulfills his high-leverage potential.
DRESSED BUT DID NOT PLAY
C Wilmer Hernandez
IF Juan Benjamin
OF Jonah Advincula
Ps Alaska Abney, Trey Benton, John Doxakis, Randy Labaut, Lenny Torres Jr.