10 Guardians Prospects To Watch Beyond The Top 30

The Guardians Top 30 prospects rankings are up now for Baseball America subscribers, with full scouting reports, BA grades and tools grade projections for all 30 players.

Through the process of narrowing the list down to a Top 30, there are other intriguing names who didn’t make the cut but are worth monitoring, with the potential to jump into the Top 30 in the future. Some of those are players who might be in the upper levels and could see big league time this year, though likely in a limited role, while others are lower-level players still in the complex leagues with more upside but plenty of risk.

Beyond the Top 30, these are 10 prospects to watch in Cleveland’s farm system.

Tim Herrin, LHP. Drafted out of Indiana in the 29th round in 2018, Herrin has climbed all the way to the precipice of the major leagues. He was added to the 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft and could be a weapon out of the bullpen. Listed at 6-foot-6, Herrin’s fastball has jumped into the mid 90s and he mixes in a good cutter and slider.

Jaison Chourio, OF. Chourio, the younger brother of Brewers’ top prospect Jackson Chourio, was the Guardians’ top signing in the January 2022 window. He’s an athletic, well-rounded center fielder with plus speed, good instincts and good control of the barrel.

Jacob Zibin, RHP. A Canadian native, Zibin was one of the youngest players in the 2022 draft class. He slipped to the 10th round but signed for $1.2 million and the Guardians ended up with a player with exciting upside. He has a projectable build, a fastball that touches 97 mph and plenty of promise.

Ross Carver, RHP. Carver was the D-backs 20th-round pick in 2021 and he had a strong first full professional season, rising to Double-A. He was traded to the Guardians in exchange for Carlos Vargas. He attacks hitters with a low-90s fastball and two promising breaking balls.

Joe Lampe, OF. Lampe brings an exciting skill set thanks to his well above-average speed, defensive ability and control of the strike zone. He profiles as a top-of-the-order hitter.

Isaiah Greene, OF. Greene was part of the package that the Mets sent to the Guardians in exchange for Francisco Lindor. As a 20-year-old in 2022, he led the organization’s minor leaguers with 39 stolen bases. The lefthanded hitter is still working to smooth out some rough edges at the plate but has upside as a top-of-the-order threat.

Peyton Battenfield, RHP. Traded to the Guardians in the midst of a breakout 2021 season, Battenfield spent his first full season with the organization in Triple-A Columbus. His stuff isn’t overpowering, but he has a strong build, a full four-pitch arsenal and solid control, giving him a chance as a back-of-the-rotation starter.

Milan Tolentino, SS/3B. Drafted out of the California prep ranks in 2020, Tolentino in 2022 advanced to High-A Lake County. He’s a strong defender with a high baseball IQ, and he has a contact-oriented approach at the plate.

Johnathan Rodriguez, OF. Rodriguez was one of the youngest players in the 2017 draft class when Cleveland drafted him in the third round. He had a slow developmental track, but in 2022 broke out and hit 26 home runs as a 22-year-old while reaching Double-A. The switch-hitter has long had power potential and is now capitalizing on it.

Carson Tucker, SS/3B. Tucker was the Guardians’ first-round pick in 2020 but has played just 44 games as a professional due to the pandemic and injuries. He still has exciting overall tools, but needs extended time on the diamond to develop them.