The Cleveland Guardians are always planning for the future. They know they can’t compete with other MLB powerhouses, so they must figure out the best way to find and keep young talent.
With that in mind, the Guardians are expected to make some “important” roster decisions very soon.
“The Guardians have some important decisions to make this week regarding their 40-man roster in anticipation of the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 10 at the Winter Meetings. All MLB teams must have their 40-man roster set by 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Guardians have three open spots on the roster that must be filled. Among the Cleveland players who are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft are position players Angel Genao, Wuilfredo Antunez, Kahil Watson, Kody Huff and Milan Tolentino, and pitchers Yorman Gomez, Dylan DeLucia, Austin Peterson, Trenton Denholm, Ryan Webb and Steve Perez,” Paul Hoynes wrote.
For those who aren’t aware of the Rule 5 Draft, it’s essentially held to prevent teams from hoarding too many players in their farm system. Other teams can draft those players to give them a chance to play in the majors.
That’s obviously an issue for a team that has usually built its roster with and around young players. Considering that, the Guardians must be extremely careful with the decisions they make in the coming days.
Cleveland isn’t likely to spend a lot of money on free agents. As such, chances are that most of the reinforcements will come from within.
Of course, that might not be the most aggressive way to make sure the team is contending for a playoff spot. But after the way they’ve fared in the two seasons under manager Stephen Vogt, it’s safe to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Young stars Chase DeLauter, C.J. Kayfus, Parker Messick, George Valera, and maybe Travis Bazzana will help the Guardians next season. As for those on the fringes of the roster, the team will have to make some decisions.
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