The Guardians are pushing two of their most promising right-handers up the ladder, and both moves say plenty about how Cleveland keeps feeding its pitching pipeline.
Justin Campbell is headed to Triple-A, while Braylon Doughty is moving up to Double-A after only half a season at High-A. Analyst Justin Lada called it this way: “Some big pitching moves here.
Justin Campbell all the way to Triple-A. Has really made up for lost time starting in High-A.
Braylon Doughty making the jump to Double-A in 1/2 a year at High-A is also a good sign,”
Doughty, Cleveland’s second selection in the 2024 MLB Draft after Travis Bazzana at No. 36 overall, is already getting noticed nationally. MLB Pipeline ranks him 100th in baseball and fourth in the organization, behind Ralphy Velazquez, Angel Genao, and Cooper Ingle.
The numbers in High-A explain why the Guardians are moving him fast. Doughty has a 3.02 ERA across 59.2 innings, with 74 strikeouts and only 11 walks.
He’s also just 20, which only adds to the appeal. The ceiling might not scream ace, but the profile points toward a dependable mid-rotation starter if everything comes together.
Campbell’s climb has been just as encouraging, even if his path has taken a little longer. He’s 21st on the Guardians’ organizational prospect list, was the 37th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, and at 25, he’s at the stage where the organization needs to know what it has. This season, he logged six starts in High-A with a 2.40 ERA, then made nine Double-A appearances and posted a 2.70 ERA.
There’s still a rough edge to Campbell’s game - he can be wild - but the swing-and-miss stuff has carried him. Between those two levels this year, he struck out 31.3 percent of hitters. Triple-A will be a tougher test, and it will tell Cleveland plenty about how close he is to the big leagues.
If things keep moving in the right direction, both pitchers could be in the mix for Cleveland sometime next year, with Campbell looking like the one closest to the finish line.
In Other News...
Josh Naylor's Ugly Guardians History Just Took Another Turn
Kyle Manzardos go-ahead homer on Sept. 16 gave the Guardians a late lift, and Josh Naylor was right there at home plate celebrating the moment with his teammate. It was a reminder of the kind of energy Naylor has brought since arriving in Cleveland in 2020, even as his time with the club has been defined by more than just big swings and loud celebrations.
There has also been no shortage of friction along the way, and a recent on-field exchange with Austin Hedges only added to the sense that the relationship has not always been smooth. The tension traces back through a roster shuffle that sent Aaron Civale away in the deal for Manzardo and included the move of Josh Bell, leaving Naylors place in the organization feeling more complicated than it once did. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Slide Sends A Worrying Message During Jose Ramirez Absence
The Guardians have spent the last stretch trying to keep their footing while key injuries pile up, and the latest reminder of that strain has shown up in the standings and in the national power rankings. With Jose Ramirez sidelined, Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez also working back from injuries, Cleveland has dropped in Bleacher Reports latest rankings and now sits a game behind the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.
It is the kind of slide that feels bigger than one bad week because the division has tightened around them. Cleveland went from holding a half-game edge on June 13 to chasing from behind now, with Minnesota also hanging close, and the Guardians need some stability before the absence of Ramirez starts to define the race for them. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Injury Update Just Raised The Stakes Against Texas
The Guardians and Rangers head into Tuesdays matchup in Texas with the kind of pregame uncertainty that tends to shape a late-June series. Cleveland is still trying to sort through its roster health while preparing for a marquee pitching duel, with Tanner Bibee lined up against Jacob deGrom in a game that already carried plenty of weight before the injury news started to pile up.
For Cleveland, the timing matters because every lineup decision feels amplified when the opposing starter can change the tone of a game by himself. The projections point to a close one and even hint at a higher-scoring finish than you might expect, but for the Guardians the bigger question is whether they can absorb the absences, stay competitive early, and keep themselves within striking distance against a Texas club that has a little more room to lean on its top-end arms. [Read more 🡒]