It’s a new month, which means a new prospect ranking from MLB.com.
And in the most recent installment, several Guardians players find themselves in the top 100.
In total, the club has six prospects among the 100 players selected.
The highest-ranked player in Cleveland’s system is Daniel Espino, who came in at no. 11.
Espino earned second-best arm honors across all the minors. with top honors going to Grayson Rodriguez of the Baltimore Orioles’ system.
But there were several other names, some who saw a rankings boost and others who saw quite the opposite.
Here are Cleveland’s biggest risers and fallers:
Faller: Gabriel Arias, Shortstop
Back in May, Arias earned the no. 60 slot in MiLB’s prospect list.
But since then, an injury and poor play when healthy has seen his position slide back to no. 83, the farthest tumble on our list.
First Major League at bat: ✅
First Major League hit: ✅
First Major League RBI: ✅Let's go, No!#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/dbMSFTe0gT
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 9, 2022
So far in Triple-A, Arias is slashing a meager .190/.258/.345.
Even worse?
Arias strikes out nearly every third at-bat, with a strikeout rate of 30.1%.
And in Arias’s small taste of major league play, he was somewhere between forgettable and trauma-inducing, going 2-19 with eight Ks.
With all that said, it’s not the end of the world, as MLB.com explained:
“Arias still has decent power, a good glove and a plus-plus arm from the dirt.”
Fully recovering from a fractured hand injury back in May will probably go a long way towards Arias resuming his place around the middle of these rankings.
Riser: Gavin Williams, RHP
In the latest edition of prospect rankings, Williams jumped 12 spots, from no. 93 to no. 81.
It’s a trajectory that should only continue, so long as the former Eastern Carolina Pirate can maintain his incredible form.
While I could go on all day about how promising Williams looks, I’ll let the experts at MLB.com do the talking:
“Last year’s 23rd overall pick already touches the upper-90s and flashes a good curveball and changeup. Those three pitches have been enough to earn him a 1.48 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 61 innings at High-A and Double-A. He doesn’t have an ERA above 1.70 at either spot, entering Tuesday.”
What’s even more exciting about Williams’ come-on is that his timing is not far behind Espino’s.
Espino is projected to enter the majors in 2023 and Williams just a year later in 2024.
In Espino and Williams, the Guardians have two future dependable arms who might hit the professional mound at around the same time.
Faller: Tyler Freeman, INF
Tyler Freeman’s biggest enemy this season is himself.
Or rather, prior versions of himself.
Over five seasons in the minors, Freeman owns a .310 average; unfortunately, Freeman is hitting just .258 this season, his weakest by a significant margin.
And that dip in batting comes with Freeman’s first real taste of AAA ball.
Fortunately, Freeman isn’t plagued with the strikeout bug like Arias.
Franmil's 100th career homer couldn't have come at a better time. 😌#ForTheLand pic.twitter.com/1apfNKPlcw
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 9, 2022
In fact, Freeman strikes out just 9.1% of the time.
It’s an impressive number that suggests elite hit-for-contact talent, precisely what the Guardians are looking for.
Yet Freeman also suffers at the hands of a talented crop of young infield talent already making its way onto the Guardians’ everyday roster.
Andrés Giménez has been a revelation at the plate and at second and shortstop.
Add in the fact that José Ramirez isn’t going anywhere at third base and Josh Naylor/Owen Miller who lockdown first.
That’s a crowded infield.
Perhaps Freeman has chops at second, but by the time he’s ready for the call-up, will the spot be taken by another upstart?
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