The Cleveland Guardians keep adding talent to their ranks.
This time, they took a southpaw standout from the Texas A&M Aggies.
As pointed out by Ryan Brauninger on X, the Guardians got great value when they took LHP Ryan Prager in the ninth round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Per Brauninger, his “demeanor, feel, intelligence, and unique analytical outliers” will help him make his way to the Majors.
The Cleveland Guardians select Ryan Prager with the 282nd pick of the MLB Draft.
Prager’s demeanor, feel, intelligence, and unique analytical outliers will provide the groundwork to allow him to pitch a while at the professional level.
pic.twitter.com/YqJ2NTwbSf— Ryan Brauninger (@R_Brauninger) July 14, 2025
The Guardians took him with the No. 282 pick.
The Los Angeles Angels had already selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft, but he chose to go back to college.
He still has another year of college eligibility left, but his draft stock has already taken a big hit.
Prager made 52 appearances (50 starts) in college, logging a 14-9 record with a 3.93 ERA.
He tossed 250 strikeouts with 66 walks, holding opposing hitters to a .250 batting average through 240.1 innings of work.
He missed the 2023 season after undergoing surgery on his throwing elbow, but he bounced back in the next campaign with a 9-1 record and a 2.95 ERA, striking out 124 hitters while issuing just 20 walks.
That granted him All-American honors.
It’s also worth noting that he’s coming off a down year, regressing with a 4-4 record and a 4.21 ERA with just 73 strikeouts and a .264 opposing batting average.
Still, he’s shown big flashes of potential throughout the course of his collegiate career, and he’s more than worth the gamble in the ninth round.
He’ll join fellow Aggie Jace LaViolette in Cleveland, as the Guardians took his star teammate in the first round with the No. 27 selection.
NEXT: Guardians Star Prospect Completes Important Rehab Step
