13796
by TFIR
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 8/12/25
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Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 8/12/25
Big pro debut for Riley Nelson, Bazzana, Ralphy, Schlesinger all make splashes in new level debuts
Arthur Kinney and Matthew Kennell
Aug 13
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Scoreboard:
Toledo Mud Hens 10, Columbus Clippers 6
Reading Fightin’ Phils 11, Akron RubberDucks 9
Lake County Captains 8, Peoria Chiefs 0
Lynchburg Hillcats 7, Delmarva Shorebirds 5
DSL Guardians Mendoza 4, DSL Tampa Bay 3
DSL Guardians Goryl 12, DSL Brewers Blue 4
DSL Guardians Mendoza 7, DSL Red Sox Red 5 (F/7 - Scheduled - Monday)
DSL Guardians Goryl 7, DSL Reds 5 (July 18 game completed Monday)
DSL Guardians Goryl 6, DSL Reds 3 (F/7 - Monday’s scheduled game)
Highlights
Johnathan Rodriguez (RF, Columbus): 3-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI - Rodriguez led the way for the Clippers offense in the series opener with his first multi-hit game and first home run since being optioned early in the month.
Kahlil Watson (CF, Columbus): 3-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K - The change of scenery from Central Ohio to the state's northwest corner didn't slow down Watson, who hit his third homer in his last four games.
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Travis Bazzana (2B, Columbus): 0-2, 1 R, 3 BB, 2 K - While Bazzana went hitless in his Triple-A debut, he was still successful thanks to solid plate discipline, with his trio of walks bringing his season total to forty.
Will Dion (SP, Columbus): ND, 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB, 5 K - Dion's return to the rotation has been a stellar one, to say the least. He has allowed only nine baserunners (six hits and three walks) while striking out twelve in 9.2 combined shutout innings across his two starts this month. Not bad for a swingman.
Christian Knapczyk (2B, Akron): 2-5, 1 R, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E - The RubberDucks may not have Bazzana, but his replacement has hit the ground running with this stellar Double-A debut.
Angel Genao (SS, Akron): 2-5, 1 2B, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 2 K - Knapczyk’s middle infield-mate put a 2-for-19 series against the Baysox behind him with a pair of extra-base hits to open the road trip in Reading, PA.
Ralphy Velazquez (1B, Akron): 1-4, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 BB, 1 E - Much like Knapczyk, Velazquez didn't let the biggest jump within the minor leagues stop him from raking. Ralphy opened his Double-A extra-base hit account with a triple that was his third in as many days as he wrapped up his A-ball career with a pair of blasts last Sunday.
Nick Mitchell (LF, Lake County): 3-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 1 BB - Mitchell reached thrice or more for the third time in his last four games, this time doing it with a three-hit game rather than the three-walk efforts that he used in Dayton. In fact, his entire week in Southwest Ohio was marked primarily by free passes, which outnumbered his hits seven to two last week.
Esteban Gonzalez (DH, Lake County): 2-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 SB - Gonzalez broke out of a four-game 0-for-13 stretch (albeit with a quartet of walks making said stretch not entirely fruitless) in grand fashion with an effort brought to you by the number 2.
Matt Wilkinson (SP, Lake County): W (4-9), 5 IP, 5 H, 7 K - While Tugboat's 2025 has been a maddening mix of glimpses of his incredible potential and frustratingly mediocre outings, his August so far has been comprised entirely of the former. In 10.1 innings across two starts this month, Wilkinson has allowed only one earned run while striking out ten. Hopefully, this is him finally getting adjusted to High-A for good as a fully armed and operational Tugboat would be a huge asset for the Big Club's rotation in the latter part of this decade.
Rafe Schlesinger (RP, Lake County): S (1), 4 IP, 1 H, 3 BB, 4 K - The impressive level debits weren't only in Double-A last night as Schlesinger completed the combined shutout and picked up the four-inning save as the back half of the Captain piggyback at the Corner of SOM Center and Vine on Tuesday night.
Juan Benjamin (2B, Lake County): 1-4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K - Benjamin's double extended his extra-base hit streak to three games and made it five multi-base games out of seven played this month, unsurprisingly resulting in a .370/.433/.556 August slash line.
Riley Nelson (1B, Lynchburg): 4-5, 1 R, 3 2B, 1 SB - There's pro debuts and then there's PRO DEBUTS. Nelson clearly announced his presence on the professional diamond with the latter. The Guardians’ fifth-round selection may have signed under slot, but he is clearly not flying under the radar.
Nolan Schubart (LF, Lynchburg): 2-5, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 3 K - Another underslot early Day 2 selection. Another stellar professional debit. Yes, it's the ultimate small sample size at the lowest level of non-complex ball, but the early returns on the Guards’ 2025 Draft are uniformly positive.
Welbyn Francisca (SS, Lynchburg): 2-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB - It wasn't just the rookies having big nights for the Hillcats in their series opener on Tuesday night as Francisca extended his on-base streak to nine games with this three-RBI effort.
Luis Merejo (RF, Lynchburg): 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 2 K - Merejo's timing for his first extra-base hit in twenty days was impeccable as his three-run homer walked off the game for the Hillcats.
Alejandro Blasco (starting LF, Mendoza): 2-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 HBP, 1 K, 1 SB, 1 Outfield Assist - Blasco provided nearly half of the Mendoza offense on a third-inning line drive homer to right that opened their scoring with the team’s first three runs and later tied the game on a bases-loaded hit by pitch in the fifth. Throw in an outfield assist and Alejandro had a huge Monday.
Angel Abreu (PH-backup CF - Suspended Game/DH - Scheduled Game, Goryl): combined 4-7, 3 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB - After entering the game as one of many substitutes on Monday morning when the game restarted, Abreu played a big role in Goryl’s comeback with a pair of RBI singles. He was similarly impressive in the originally planned contest with another two-hit effort, this one seeing him score a pair of runs throughout the team;s early-game offensive outburst.
Heins Brito (2B - Suspended Game/starting SS - Scheduled Game, Goryl): combined 2-6, 1 R, 3 RBI on Monday* - Brito was an RBI machine on Monday, driving in a pair on an eighth-inning single that gave Goryl the lead for good in the Suspended Game and starting the scoring in the Scheduled Game in the 3rd with the team’s only RBI hit of the game - the other five runs scored on two sac flies, a groundout, a throwing error, and a bases-loaded hit by pitch. (*statline does not include a first-inning strikeout in the Suspended Game on July 18)
Jefferson Vargas (SS, DSL Mendoza): 2-for-3, R, 3B, RBI, BB, DP - An RBI triple by the 17-year-old was the difference when he tied the game up in the top of the eighth and later scored to take a 4-3 lead late in Tuesday’s win. He has struggled in his first professional season with the DSL Mendoza squad, however Vargas has now reached base in nine consecutive games dating back to July 25. His batting average was as low as .153 at that time, but is now approaching .200 at .197.
Gustavo Baptista (C, DSL Goryl): 2-for-2, 4 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBIs, 3 BBs - The 17-year-old backstop in the Guardians system was able to reach base in all five plate appearances and had a pair of extra-base hits in the team’s blowout win on Tuesday. A bases loaded walk and a two-run homerun provided him with three RBIs, a mark that ties his career-high. It is also just the second game where he has had multiple extra-base hits, but a career-high six total bases.
Randy Martinez (RF, DSL Goryl): 2-for-3, 4 RBIs, 2 BBs - Martinez was responsible for two hits and two walks and drove in a team-high four runs. He drove in runs in three of his plate appearances, including both singles and a bases loaded walk. In six of his last nine games played, Martinez has reached base multiple times.
Rodny Rosario (SS, DSL Goryl): 2-for-3, 4 R, 3B, RBI, 2 BBs, DP, GIDP - The duo of Rosario and Baptista came around to score four times each for two-thirds of the team’s total runs on the day - a mark generally unheard of with as many plate appearances as the team had. The 17-year-old is back above .300 with a .307 batting average this season and he has a .916 OPS with the help of six triples and 34 walks in 39 games played.
Notable Performances
Jhonkensy Noel (1B, Columbus): 1-5, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 3 K - Noel's first round-tripper of the month brings his totals to eight total bases and four RBI in his last four games going back to last weekend.
Guy Lipscomb (RF, Akron): 2-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K - Lipscomb just keeps getting on base as his second multi-hit game in the last four days made it eight trips to the basepaths in his last three games for Guy.
Cameron Barstad (C, Akron): 1-3, 2 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SF, 1 BB, 1 K - Barstad has now reached in eleven straight games after homering for the first time since July 1.
Joe Lampe (LF, Akron): 1-4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB, 2 Outfield Assists - Lampe followed up a 6-for-18 series with four doubles last week with an all- around impressive effort in Tuesday's road trip opener.
Ryan Cesarini (RF, Lake County): 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB - Cesarini doubled his High-A RBI total with his first multi-RBI game at the level.
Jaison Chourio (CF, Lake County): 0-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 1 K - Chourio finally seems to be getting the hang of the High-A level as reaching multiple times for the fourth game out of his last five brought his August on-base percentage to .380.
Luke Hill (3B, Lynchburg): 1-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 BB, 1 CS - The player who the Guards spent the savings from Nelson and Schubart's bonuses on Al's had an impressive pro debut on Tuesday night.
Juneiker Caceres (CF, Lynchburg): 1-5, 1 2B, 1 K, 1 Outfield Assist - After posting a .665 OPS in July, Caceres has resumed normal service with an August OPS of .934, much closer to his May (.915) and June (1.073) numbers.
Keegan Zinn (RP, Lynchburg): W (1-0), 1 BB, 1 K - Zinn has improved by one run in each of his three non-complex outings, culminating in this scoreless ninth last night.
Carlos Caripa (RF, Mendoza): 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B - Caripa doubled for the third time in his four-game multi-base hit streak (hit a pair of singles in the other game).
Julio Rossi (RP, Mendoza): W (1-0), 3 IP, 2 BB, 1 K - After opening his career by allowing a trio of earned runs in a single frame twice, Rossi broke out on Monday with his longest and best pro outing by far. Hopefully, this is a preview of what to expect from him going forward.
Carlos Lopez (RP, Mendoza): S (2), 1 IP, perfect, 1 K - Lopez’s professional save record remains unblemished with two in as many opportunities.
Randy Martinez (1B - both games, Goryl): combined 2-7, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K - Martinez drove in a run in each game (double in the suspended game, groundout in the scheduled one).
Algeni Mejia (RP - Suspended Game, Goryl): 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K - Mejia, who got the “start” when the game restarted on Monday, was dominant in an outing that tied for his longest of the season and officially goes in the record books as part of a 7.2-inning shutout streak that ended last Thursday due to the game’s stats counting for July 18.
Johander Rivero (RP - Suspended Game, Goryl): 2 IP, 2 BB, 1 WP, 3 K - Speaking of shutout streaks and weird suspended game statkeeping, Rivero officially moved up the start date of his active seven-inning streak by six days with this effort.
Randy Baron (RP - Suspended Game, Goryl): W (2-0), 2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB - Baron combined the above statistical anomalies, moving up the official start date of a since-ended shutout streak.
Edelvis Perez (SP - Scheduled Game, Goryl): ND, 4.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R (earned), 2 BB, 1 HBP, 4 K, 1 HR allowed, 1 E - Perez rebounded from a pair of three-run outings (and three in his last four) by coming within an out of his first individual victory of the season on Monday.
Hector Castillo (RP - Scheduled Game, Goryl): S (1), 1.2 IP, 1 BB, 2 K - Castillo, who has allowed only one baserunner in 2,2 innings across his last two outings, earned his first official save of 2025 yesterday.
Carlos Garces (CF, DSL Mendoza): 1-for-3, RBI, 2 BBs - One of the four runs that came across to score was from a bases loaded walk from Garces to give him 18 RBIs on the season.
Erick Padilla (RP, DSL Mendoza): S (2), 1.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K - Padilla was able to induce a groundball double play to lock up his second save of the season. It is just the third time in 14 appearances that he has gotten out of the appearance scoreless.
Daniel Gentile (SP, DSL Goryl): 4.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 BBs, 3 Ks - This is the third straight appearance for Gentile where he has not allowed an earned run, and in this start he went nearly five innings without allowing a hit. The one thing that hindered him in his outing was four walks, but he spread them out over the course of his appearance and the reliever Amilcar Teran came through to preserve the zero by getting out of a bases loaded jam in the fifth.
Wuinder Torres (1B, DSL Goryl): 1-for-4, 2 RBIs, SF, DP - Torres had multiple run-scoring at-bats with a sacrifice fly in the second and line drive single in the sixth. Torres now has six RBIs in the last three games played and eight in the month of August (six games).
"I've suffered a great many tragedies in my life....most of them never happened". Mark Twain