The Cleveland Guardians have built one of the deepest, most intriguing farm systems in baseball - and it’s not just the top-tier names turning heads. Sure, prospects like Angel Genao and Travis Bazzana are getting the bulk of the buzz, and rightfully so.
But dig a little deeper, and you’ll find a few under-the-radar players making serious noise. One of them?
Tommy Hawke.
Hawke isn’t ranked among the Guardians’ Top 30 prospects, but he’s forcing his way into the conversation with elite speed that’s hard to ignore. The 2023 sixth-round pick out of Wake Forest stole 65 bases in just 67 games this past season - a jaw-dropping stat that puts him in rare company.
To put that into perspective, only nine players in the entire Minor Leagues swiped at least 65 bags in 2025, and Hawke was the only one to do it in fewer than 100 games. That’s not just impressive - that’s electric.
Most of his time came at Single-A, which means there’s still a long road ahead before he’s knocking on the door of Progressive Field. But what Hawke brings to the table is a skill set that’s increasingly valuable in today’s game: the ability to get on base and immediately become a threat. With the way the Guardians have struggled in recent years to consistently bring runners home, a player like Hawke - who can manufacture scoring opportunities with his legs - could eventually be a game-changer.
Now, let’s be clear: speed alone doesn’t punch your ticket to the big leagues. Hawke still has plenty to prove - hitting consistency, defensive reliability, and the ability to adjust as he climbs the ladder.
And the Guardians have a history of being methodical, sometimes overly cautious, when it comes to promoting their young talent. They’re not going to rush a player just because of one standout tool.
But when you steal 65 bags in 70 attempts - a 92.9% success rate - in less than half a season’s worth of games, you’re going to get noticed. That kind of efficiency on the basepaths isn’t just rare, it’s disruptive.
It changes the way pitchers approach at-bats. It forces infielders to cheat in.
It puts pressure on the defense before the ball is even in play.
Hawke may not be a household name yet, and he might not be cracking the Guardians’ roster anytime soon. But if he keeps getting on base and wreaking havoc once he’s there, he’s going to force the issue. And in a farm system as loaded as Cleveland’s, that’s saying something.