The Guardians’ rotation has held together with only five starters used all season, but the lack of pitching depth behind them is impossible to ignore. That problem got even sharper with Khal Stephen set to have elbow surgery, and it puts a spotlight on the MLB draft, which arrives in less than two weeks.
With the No. 19 pick, Cleveland has a chance to grab a college arm who could move quickly through the system. Three names stand out.
Cole Carlon of Arizona State looks like a natural fit for what the Guardians tend to value. He began his college career in the bullpen before moving into the rotation last season, and the results were solid: a 3.87 ERA in 16 starts across 83 2/3 innings.
The stuff is what really jumps out. His fastball reaches 98 miles per hour, and he pairs it with a good slider plus a curveball and changeup that are still developing.
There’s some risk in the profile. Carlon gave up 14 home runs last season, a sign he can leave pitches in the middle of the plate.
But he also piled up 113 strikeouts and issued just 31 walks, which speaks to both swing-and-miss ability and growing poise. At 21, he looks like one of the better pitchers in that second group of arms that often land in the No. 18-to-27 range of mock drafts.
If he’s there when Cleveland is on the clock, he figures to get serious consideration.
Tegan Kuhns brings a different kind of appeal. The Tennessee right-hander had draft buzz as a high schooler in 2024, went undrafted, and then made the choice to head to Knoxville.
That decision paid off. After a rocky first season, he turned into a frontline arm last year, posting a 3.56 ERA in 81 innings.
His best outing came in May against Texas, when he struck out 15 over seven innings and threw 113 pitches. Kuhns doesn’t have Carlon’s depth of arsenal, but he does have a plus fastball and only walked 16 batters all season.
That combination gives him the kind of upside the Guardians often like to work with. The question is whether he can remain a starter long term, but Cleveland has shown it’s willing to bet on pitchers with that same kind of uncertainty.
Taylor Rabe is the wild card of the group. The Mississippi right-hander is all over the board in draft rankings, with MLB placing him at No.
90, Keith Law slotting him at No. 29 and Baseball America putting him in its top 50. That range makes sense when you look at his path: he has just one year of college baseball after Tommy John surgery in 2024.
Even so, the year he did put together was strong. Rabe posted a 3.55 ERA in 76 innings for an Ole Miss team that reached the College World Series, and he showed excellent command with only 15 walks. He finished the season with a strong outing against North Carolina in the CWS, striking out seven in 5 2/3 innings.
Rabe may still be unfinished, but he looks like the kind of pitcher who could move fast once a team gets him in the door.
In Other News...
Guardians Rookie Faces More Heat As Rough Lesson Continues
Cooper Ingles growing pains in left field continued against the White Sox, where the Guardians rookie was charged with his second error in two games after dropping a fly ball. The miscue stood out because Ingle is still a catcher by trade and is only beginning to learn the demands of a new position after a recent promotion.
Stephen Vogt has already tried to frame the situation as part of the learning curve, urging Ingle to move past the first mistake and keep playing. For Cleveland, the larger question is how quickly a player with so little outfield experience can settle in while the club keeps asking him to handle a spot that is still very new to him. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Suddenly Have A Breakout Star On The Verge Of Recognition
Parker Messick has gone from an afterthought in spring training to one of the most interesting pitchers in Clevelands season, giving the Guardians a legitimate breakout arm at a time when they needed one. The left-hander has paired steady results with strong underlying metrics, and his 2.85 ERA has put him among the American Leagues better starters while earning attention well beyond the clubhouse.
With All-Star rosters still not finalized, Messick is suddenly in the conversation as a possible first-time selection, which would be a remarkable turn for a pitcher who was not expected to be in the rotation out of camp. He has already turned heads inside the game, and the next step is whether that recognition turns into a trip to the midsummer showcase, something he has made clear would carry real meaning for him. [Read more 🡒]
Guardians Seized Control Of The Central In Unbelievable Fashion
Chicago had spent much of the night looking like the sharper team, jumping on Cleveland early and putting the Guardians in a familiar chase mode at Progressive Field. But the home team kept hanging around, and the game turned into the kind of late-inning grind that can change the feel of a season, especially when first place in the AL Central is sitting there for the taking.
Brayan Rocchio delivered the swing that made it happen, a two-run shot in the ninth that sent Cleveland home with a 6-5 win and its second walk-off victory of his career. The result pushed the Guardians into sole possession of first in the division on a percentage basis, another reminder of how quickly a race can flip when a club keeps finding ways to finish. [Read more 🡒]