Re: Minor Matters
Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2025 9:52 am
Cleveland Guardians Prospect Report 8/20/25
Travis Bazzana picks things up in Columbus [sort of], John Means turns in another strong rehab outing in Lake County
Rehab
John Means (SP, Lake County): 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 4 Ks - Means looked solid in his second rehab appearance with the Captains where he went nearly four innings at 51 pitches and 34 strikes. Means topped out at 92 mph on the fastball and did a good job of working around traffic from the leadoff man in both the first and third innings to keep the zero on the scoreboard. The southpaw fanned the final three batters he faced and four in total during his start.
Highlights
Travis Bazzana (DH, Columbus): 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K - Bazzana only had one hit on Wednesday night but made a lot of solid contact. He came within inches of a likely two-run hit in the third that ended up being a spectacular inning-ending unassisted double play by Omaha SS Isan Diaz and flew out to the warning track at the deepest part of center field in the seventh, barely missing a two-run homer. Oh, and, unsurprisingly, he drew a walk in the first. Speaking of Travis’ passivity, based on what I saw, a lot of it is simply him not getting a lot of good pitches. Triple-A hurlers know he's good and don't want to get beat by him. [See below in my next post]
Jake Fox (CF, Akron): 2-for-4, 2 RBIs - The 22-year-old had the only hit with runners in scoring position with his two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning (1-for-4 as a team). Fox now has a hit in four consecutive games and multiple hits in three of those four contests. Along with that, he has reached base multiple times in all four of his most recent games. The outfielder has raised his average significantly over the last three weeks with a .387 mark (12-for-31) in the month of August with a 1.053 OPS.
Bennett Thompson (C, Lake County): 3-for-4, R, 2 2Bs - Thompson put together a three-hit day and had a pair of doubles in the victory to give him 18 two-base hits on the year. The University of Oregon alum now has hits in each of his first five games played with the Captains this season. Thompson’s double to lead off the bottom of the seventh helped spark a three-run inning, the only runs scored in the game for either side.
Ryan Cesarini (RF, Lake County): 1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBIs - Cesarini was the hero with an opposite field three-run homerun in the seventh that broke up the Fort Wayne shutout and secured the win for Lake County. He recently lost his nine-game hitting streak but looks to rebuild after a critical swing of the bat on Wednesday.
Jacob Zibin (SP, Lynchburg): 5.0 IP, 5 H, R, 2 BBs, 3 Ks - The 20-year-old utilized his pitch to contact skills to cruise through five innings in just 61 pitches (37 strikes), but five hits and one run made things sketchy at times. He was able to rely on his defense to get outs with a double play, an outfield assist and a man caught stealing to help increase his efficiency. He has one earned run on his ledger in his last three appearances. [I've been real pleased at his development over the season; after 2 years rehab he started slowly, has been stretched out; this was his first 5 inning start--the run came in his 5th inning. He was a 10th round pick at age 17 signed for 2nd round money, a big lefty with high ceiling before the injury.]
Kahlil Watson (CF, Columbus): 1-for-3, R, 2B, 2 BBs, 2 Ks - Watson led the way for the Clip Show with a trio of trips to the basepaths, coming within a couple of bases of an evening consisting entirely of the Three True Outcomes, but instead settling for a 105.3 MPH double.
Jhonkensy Noel (RF-1B, Columbus): 1-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Ks - Noel extended his RBI streak to four games with a three-run blast (111.4 MPH exit velo, 422 feet) capped off the Clippers’ five run fifth and gave them the lead.
Dom Nunez (starting 1B, Columbus): 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI - Nunez got the fifth-inning offensive outburst started with a solo homer (98.1 MPH, 361 feet) before being pulled from the game after the sixth inning.
Matt Krook (RP, Columbus): H (3), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K - Krook sandwiched his seventh-inning strikeout with a pair of spectacular defensive plays to hurl a perfect frame.
Alonzo Richardson (RP, Akron): 4.0 IP, 5 H, R, 2 BBs, 3 Ks, BK - The RubberDucks made a call to Lake County to bring up the right-hander Richardson after utilizing five pitchers in the series opener and placing Dylan DeLucia on the injured list. The 22-year-old tied his season-high with four complete innings of work and provided much needed long relief for a taxed bullpen.
Conner Whittaker (RP, Lake County): W (1-0), 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 2 Ks, PO - Whittaker was efficient for the Captains with just over four innings of work where he preserved the shutout and required just 58 pitches (36 strikes). The 22-year-old struggled in his first High-A appearance but has rebounded nicely here.
Xavier Martinez (RP, Lake County): S (2), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K - Martinez now has a save in back-to-back opportunities after he closed the ninth for Lake County in Wednesday’s win. The right-hander had to face the heart of the Fort Wayne order and did not allow a two-out walk to get away from him in the save.
Aaron Walton (DH, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, BB, SB - The designated hitter Walton reached base on three of his four plate appearances on Wednesday and now has multiple hits in three of the five games he has participated in with the Hillcats.
Luke Hill (3B, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, RBI, SB, CS - The 2025 fourth round pick from Ole Miss drove in the lone run of the game for the Hillcats in the top of the second after his teammate Cannon Peebles led off the frame with a triple. Hill has reached base in five straight games for Lynchburg.
Travis Bazzana picks things up in Columbus [sort of], John Means turns in another strong rehab outing in Lake County
Rehab
John Means (SP, Lake County): 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, BB, 4 Ks - Means looked solid in his second rehab appearance with the Captains where he went nearly four innings at 51 pitches and 34 strikes. Means topped out at 92 mph on the fastball and did a good job of working around traffic from the leadoff man in both the first and third innings to keep the zero on the scoreboard. The southpaw fanned the final three batters he faced and four in total during his start.
Highlights
Travis Bazzana (DH, Columbus): 1-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB, K - Bazzana only had one hit on Wednesday night but made a lot of solid contact. He came within inches of a likely two-run hit in the third that ended up being a spectacular inning-ending unassisted double play by Omaha SS Isan Diaz and flew out to the warning track at the deepest part of center field in the seventh, barely missing a two-run homer. Oh, and, unsurprisingly, he drew a walk in the first. Speaking of Travis’ passivity, based on what I saw, a lot of it is simply him not getting a lot of good pitches. Triple-A hurlers know he's good and don't want to get beat by him. [See below in my next post]
Jake Fox (CF, Akron): 2-for-4, 2 RBIs - The 22-year-old had the only hit with runners in scoring position with his two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning (1-for-4 as a team). Fox now has a hit in four consecutive games and multiple hits in three of those four contests. Along with that, he has reached base multiple times in all four of his most recent games. The outfielder has raised his average significantly over the last three weeks with a .387 mark (12-for-31) in the month of August with a 1.053 OPS.
Bennett Thompson (C, Lake County): 3-for-4, R, 2 2Bs - Thompson put together a three-hit day and had a pair of doubles in the victory to give him 18 two-base hits on the year. The University of Oregon alum now has hits in each of his first five games played with the Captains this season. Thompson’s double to lead off the bottom of the seventh helped spark a three-run inning, the only runs scored in the game for either side.
Ryan Cesarini (RF, Lake County): 1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBIs - Cesarini was the hero with an opposite field three-run homerun in the seventh that broke up the Fort Wayne shutout and secured the win for Lake County. He recently lost his nine-game hitting streak but looks to rebuild after a critical swing of the bat on Wednesday.
Jacob Zibin (SP, Lynchburg): 5.0 IP, 5 H, R, 2 BBs, 3 Ks - The 20-year-old utilized his pitch to contact skills to cruise through five innings in just 61 pitches (37 strikes), but five hits and one run made things sketchy at times. He was able to rely on his defense to get outs with a double play, an outfield assist and a man caught stealing to help increase his efficiency. He has one earned run on his ledger in his last three appearances. [I've been real pleased at his development over the season; after 2 years rehab he started slowly, has been stretched out; this was his first 5 inning start--the run came in his 5th inning. He was a 10th round pick at age 17 signed for 2nd round money, a big lefty with high ceiling before the injury.]
Kahlil Watson (CF, Columbus): 1-for-3, R, 2B, 2 BBs, 2 Ks - Watson led the way for the Clip Show with a trio of trips to the basepaths, coming within a couple of bases of an evening consisting entirely of the Three True Outcomes, but instead settling for a 105.3 MPH double.
Jhonkensy Noel (RF-1B, Columbus): 1-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Ks - Noel extended his RBI streak to four games with a three-run blast (111.4 MPH exit velo, 422 feet) capped off the Clippers’ five run fifth and gave them the lead.
Dom Nunez (starting 1B, Columbus): 1-for-3, R, HR, RBI - Nunez got the fifth-inning offensive outburst started with a solo homer (98.1 MPH, 361 feet) before being pulled from the game after the sixth inning.
Matt Krook (RP, Columbus): H (3), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BBs, K - Krook sandwiched his seventh-inning strikeout with a pair of spectacular defensive plays to hurl a perfect frame.
Alonzo Richardson (RP, Akron): 4.0 IP, 5 H, R, 2 BBs, 3 Ks, BK - The RubberDucks made a call to Lake County to bring up the right-hander Richardson after utilizing five pitchers in the series opener and placing Dylan DeLucia on the injured list. The 22-year-old tied his season-high with four complete innings of work and provided much needed long relief for a taxed bullpen.
Conner Whittaker (RP, Lake County): W (1-0), 4.1 IP, 3 H, 0 R, BB, 2 Ks, PO - Whittaker was efficient for the Captains with just over four innings of work where he preserved the shutout and required just 58 pitches (36 strikes). The 22-year-old struggled in his first High-A appearance but has rebounded nicely here.
Xavier Martinez (RP, Lake County): S (2), 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, K - Martinez now has a save in back-to-back opportunities after he closed the ninth for Lake County in Wednesday’s win. The right-hander had to face the heart of the Fort Wayne order and did not allow a two-out walk to get away from him in the save.
Aaron Walton (DH, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, BB, SB - The designated hitter Walton reached base on three of his four plate appearances on Wednesday and now has multiple hits in three of the five games he has participated in with the Hillcats.
Luke Hill (3B, Lynchburg): 2-for-3, RBI, SB, CS - The 2025 fourth round pick from Ole Miss drove in the lone run of the game for the Hillcats in the top of the second after his teammate Cannon Peebles led off the frame with a triple. Hill has reached base in five straight games for Lynchburg.