The Cleveland Guardians are not known for being big spenders.
Elite free agents are a rare occurrence, and if they develop a young, talented player, they try to extend him early.
On many occasions, they have traded stars on the verge of being paid because they could not or simply did not want to pay up.
But there is no denying that the organization knows a thing or two about scouting and player development.
Those are necessary skills for a team that wants to be successful without spending too much money.
The Guardians might not hand out exorbitant contracts, but they do care about having a forward-thinking baseball executive in Chris Antonetti, excellent coaches, researchers, scouts, and experts in player development.
That’s why they have been so successful in the draft.
According to Codify Baseball, no team in the league has sent more draft picks to MLB over the last 20 years.
Draft picks from the last 20 years
to make the big leagues
(via Baseball Savant):144 CLE
136 NYY TOR BOS
134 SD
133 TEX
131 MIN
129 LAD
125 PIT ARI
124 STL
120 COL
119 MIL TB DET
118 SEA
117 SF CIN
115 WSH
114 KC
112 PHI
110 MIA HOU LAA
108 ATL NYM
106 OAK CHC
103 CWS
100 BAL— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) February 26, 2024
144 draft picks of the Guardians have gone on to debut in the majors over the past two decades, which is eight more than the second-placed teams: the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
It’s a solid number for a franchise that has remained competitive for a long time.
The Guardians draft well and usually get at least a few years of solid performance from players they take.
In 2024, they will be presented with a unique opportunity: they hold the No. 1 overall draft pick and get the chance to take a franchise-altering player.
With their scouting skills, they will surely make the best of it and bring in a blue-chip prospect to an already strong system.
NEXT: Guardians Feature Potential Shortstop Of The Future In Tuesday's Lineup
