The Guardians’ first-base mix has been a mess, and the numbers have only made that uglier. Kyle Manzardo hit .215 with a 94 wRC+ before getting sent down after Cleveland added Nathaniel Lowe in early August.
Lowe gave the club a solid burst at first, but he’s fallen off hard lately and now sits at .217 with a 67 wRC+. Rhys Hoskins has also been part of the rotation, but his .179 average and below-average 94 wRC+ haven’t solved anything either.
So while Cleveland keeps searching for production at the cold corner, one of its top prospects is lighting up Triple-A.
Ralphy Velazquez was named the International League Player of the Month on Thursday after an absurd August at the plate. He crushed 15 home runs during the month.
Velazquez slashed .356/.433/.867, led all of professional baseball - Major Leagues and Minor Leagues - with those 15 homers, and tied for the league lead with 34 RBI. He also paced the International League in slugging percentage (.867) and OPS (1.300), while his .356 batting average ranked third.
On top of that, he had eight multi-hit games and launched his first career three-homer game on August 23 against St. Paul.
“Ralphy Velazquez is Minor League Baseball’s International League Player of the Month! Velazquez slashed .356/.433/.867, and led all of professional baseball (Major Leagues AND Minor Leagues 🤯) with 15 home runs and was tied for the league lead with 34 RBI.
He led the International League in slugging percentage (.867) and OPS (1.300) while his .356 batting average finished third. Velazquez also posted eight multi-hit games in August, including his first career three-homer game on August 23 against St.
Paul,” Guards Insider wrote.
The obvious question is why Cleveland hasn’t brought him up. One thought is that the Guardians don’t want to risk having to add him to the 40-man roster and losing the flexibility to send him back down if a lockout hits next year. But this week, manager Stephen Vogt said the bigger issue is whether the team can guarantee him everyday at-bats.
Given the way the other options are performing, that hesitation looks hard to defend. Velazquez was Cleveland’s 2023 first-round pick, and the case for giving him the bulk of the playing time at first base is getting stronger by the day.
In Other News...
Brayan Rocchio's Early Exit Just Raised A Big Guardians Concern
Brayan Rocchios night ended early against the Athletics after the Guardians pulled him for left leg tightness, treating it as a precaution. Stephen Vogt said the soreness had been there already and flared up during the game, which is never the kind of update a club wants to hear when a player has been giving it both at the plate and in the field for a stretch.
The Guardians planned to take a closer look the next day, and that is where the concern really starts to settle in. Rocchio has become the type of contributor Cleveland leans on for timely hits and steady defense, so even a short-term issue could carry some weight if it lingers. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Are Back In A Brutal Trade Debate Fans Hate
Every front office has a trade regret or two, but the latest round of roster remorse has been especially rough for clubs that like to pride themselves on identifying talent early. The Mets, Dodgers and Guardians all moved on from players who have since blossomed into major MVP-level threats, a reminder that even good process can look a whole lot worse in hindsight.
For Cleveland, the sting is familiar because the Guardians have spent years trying to maximize value through deals and development, only to watch a former piece turn into the kind of impact bat every contender wants. Junior Caminero has become a notable power threat in his new home, and his rise only adds fuel to the debate over how much patience clubs should show before cutting bait on young talent. The larger question hanging over all three teams is simple: when a trade looks fine in the moment, how much pain should a fan base be expected to absorb later? [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Youth Push Is Putting 3 Familiar Names On Notice
The Guardians are in the middle of a youth push, and it is starting to put some familiar names in an uncomfortable spot. David Fry, Foster Griffin and Kyle Manzardo are all part of the conversation now because each has given the club something different, but none has fully locked down a future place on the roster as Cleveland looks ahead and keeps turning over the depth chart.
Fry has battled offensive struggles and was recently demoted, Griffin has not matched his previous success after a rough run with the Guardians, and Manzardo is facing both a demotion and real competition from a prospect at his position. None of that means a decision is immediate, but it does leave all three vulnerable if the organization keeps leaning harder into younger options and decides these are the kinds of roster spots it can afford to reshape. [Read more 🡒]