The Cleveland Guardians have made some notable picks in the MLB Draft recently, with many of their top young players having arrived through that process. For an organization as payroll-conscious as they are, it is the only way to ensure on-field success.
With Gavin Williams, Parker Messick, and Chase DeLauter carrying the team in the early going this season, the draft is paying dividends again. So, it is never too early to look ahead to the next one.
In the latest mock draft by Bleacher Report, the Guardians land intriguing left-handed pitching prospect Cole Carton from Arizona State University at No. 19 overall.
“After spending the first two seasons pitching primarily in relief, Carlon has shifted to a starting role this spring and continued to impress with a 4.11 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 46 innings. With a strong 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame and a four-pitch mix, command is the question mark, and he has trimmed his walk rate to a manageable 9.5 percent this season,” Joel Reuter wrote.
Carton should be very happy if this turns out to be the case for him. The Guardians are known as one of the best organizations in the game at developing pitching prospects.
That group includes Williams, who was a first-round pick in 2021, and Tanner Bibee, who was a fifth-round pick that same year. Messick was a second-round pick in 2022, and Daniel Espino, who may have the highest ceiling of them all as he works his way back from multiple injuries, was a first-round pick in 2019.
On the offensive side, recent draft picks include DeLauter, who was a first-round pick in 2022; outfielder Steven Kwan, a fifth-round pick in 2018, and catcher Bo Naylor, who was Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2018. There are more hitters on the way with Jace LaViolette (first round, 2025), Travis Bazzana (first round, 2024), and Ralphy Velazquez (first round, 2023) working their way through the system.
This pipeline of players has resulted in two straight AL Central titles, three playoff appearances in the past four years, and four in the past six. This track record is even more impressive when you consider that the Guardians are rarely picking toward the top of the draft based on that success, with Bazzana as the No. 1 overall choice in 2024 as the exception.
So, if Carton is the pick this summer, he will be facing some high expectations, based on the performance of those who came before him.
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