Guardians’ Young Talent Could Make The Difference Down The Stretch

When discussing potential American League Rookie of the Year candidates, two names stand out: Detroit Tigers infielder Kevin McGonigle and Cleveland Guardians ace Parker Messick.

There is a second tier of potential winners, such as the Chicago White Sox’s pair Tristan Peters and Munetaka Murakami. People appear to be sleeping on Guardians outfielder Chase DeLauter because he missed several weeks of action in June and because he has ‘only’ 13 home runs, but in reality, he has been, quite likely, the best rookie hitter in the junior circuit.

Perhaps it’s time we pay more attention to what DeLauter and Messick are doing. They could both be in the top five in the AL ROY vote, or perhaps even the top three. The left-hander even has a solid chance of winning the award with a strong finish.

The best thing is that they aren’t alone among impactful Guardians rookies and young players. The organization is brimming with young, controllable talent that should help them stay relevant for years.

“Chase DeLauter should get some love in AL Rookie of the Year Award voting. Travis Bazzana has had a learning curve since his MLB debut on April 28, from logging an .874 OPS in May (28 games) to a .566 OPS in August (22 games). Angel Martínez has cemented himself in the Guardians’ outfield mix, and Brayan Rocchio as Cleveland’s starting shortstop. With infielder Angel Genao and outfielder Petey Halpin, homegrown young players make up nearly a quarter of the Guardians’ active roster,” MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins wrote.

Genao hit a two-run homer in Tuesday’s win and also impressed on defense. Martinez reached 14 home runs and a 101 wRC+, while 27-year-old ace Gavin Williams struck out 13 hitters and allowed a single run that was actually unearned. All of that happened in a single game.

Throughout the season, the Guardians’ youth has contributed heavily to give the team its current status: a fringe contender with the potential for much more. Many MLB organizations would love to have Cleveland’s current core and farm system.

Granted, Bazzana, Brayan Rocchio, and other young players still learning the nuances of playing every day aren’t exactly lighting the world on fire these days, but others have picked up the slack, such as DeLauter, Messick, Williams, Martinez, and Genao. All of them are 27 or younger.

The future is definitely bright in Cleveland.