Guardians Baseball Insider

IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board part II
IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board Part III
IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board Part IV
IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board Part V
IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board Part VI
IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board Part VII
IBI 2021 MLB Draft Board Part VIII

OF/INF Aaron Zavala
Oregon

Age: 21.1
Height: 6’0; Weight: 193
Bats: Left; Throws: Right

Notes: Teams that favor hit over power will be highly intrigued by this soon-to-be-former Oregon Duck. Zavala has more career walks than strikeouts and displays the ability to put the bat on the ball. While he lacks more than average raw power, his hit tool gets consistent plus grades. The left-handed-hitter has experience at third base, second base, and right field but profiles best in left field (or second base), where his average arm and speed will play better. Zavala has had a recent late first-round buzz, but he’s more likely a second-to-third-round draft choice when things are said and done.

Projection: 2-4

LHSP Christian MacLeod
Mississippi State

Age: 21.3
Height: 6’4; Weight: 227
Bats: Left; Throws: Left

Notes: The Mississippi State product displays a low-90’s fastball that touches 94 mph. His best secondary is a plus projecting curveball that’s in the upper-70’s. His changeup is just average but shows sinking action as it approaches the plate. MacLeod is built to log innings and could man the back of a rotation in relatively quick order, thanks in part to his above-average projecting control on the mound. The Bulldogs left-hander should be selected solidly in the third-round range.

Projection: 2-4

2B/UTL Peyton Wilson
Alabama

Age: 21.7
Height: 5’9; Weight: 180
Bats: Both; Throws: Right

Notes: The switch-hitting Wilson is a jack of trades with experience all over the diamond. He’s played various positions, including center field and catcher, in addition to playing second base. Wilson offers enough intrigue defensively that he could carve out a role for himself as a super-utility player. In addition, the soon-to-be-former Tide star displays plus speed and a solid plus arm, making him an intriguing defender. At the dish, Wilson has an average bat with average raw power potential. He should be a solid late-to-mid-third-round pick.

Projection: 2-4

LHSP Ricky Tiedemann
Golden West JC, CA

Age: 18.9
Height: 6’4; Weight: 220
Bats: Left; Throws: Left

Notes: The JUCO lefty is draft-eligible for the second straight season after going undrafted in 2020. Tiedemann’s older brother plays in the Texas Rangers organization. The California native displays a low-90’s heater running it up to 94 mph. His changeup is a plus pitch with the potential for more growth. Least in his three-pitch arsenal is an average-looking slider. He has a strong frame and is athletic on the mound, with the possibility he adds firmer velocity more consistently and develops above-average control.

Projection: 2-4

RHSP Peter Huebeck
Gilman HS, MD

Age: 19
Height: 6’3; Weight: 170
Bats: Right; Throws: Right

Notes: The Maryland native seems unlikely to make it to Wake Forest’s campus this fall thanks to elite spin rates on his pitches. He’s a north/south pitcher with a mid-90’s heater and a plus projecting curveball that he buries in the dirt. His changeup is the least of his pitches but should develop into an above-average pitch. It will likely take a healthy salary (likely overslot) to get the prep righty to ink in July, but the talented right-hander may be too good to bypass somewhere in the round 2-3 range.

Projection: 2-4.

SS Ryan Bliss
Auburn

Age: 21.6
Height: 5’9; Weight: 165
Bats: Right; Throws: Right

Notes: The right-handed-hitting Bliss will likely shift to the right side of the infield (2B) as a professional. While he shows the hands and speed for the position (SS), he lacks the arm strength to make all the throws required at higher levels. Offensively, he displays an advanced ability to put the bat on the ball; he lacks power. The soon-to-be-former Tigers infielder should be selected somewhere in the third to fourth round range.

Projection: 2-4.

OF Malakhi Knight
Maryville-Getchell HS, WA

Age: 18.8
Height: 6’3; Weight: 195
Bats: Right; Throws: Right

Notes: The UCLA commit offers various tools to entice a team as early as round two. He’s likely going to require a sizeable payday to forego his opportunity to play with the Bruins. The athletic young outfielder is a prep basketball player as well. At the dish, he will need continued work with his hit tool being just fringe-average. Knight displays the athleticism and strength to become so much more. Defensively, he’s likely an above-average runner as he matures with solid above-average arm strength. This profile should 

Projection: 2-4.

OF Braylon Bishop
Arkansas HS, AR

Age: 18.2
Height: 6’1; Weight: 196
Bats: Left; Throws: Left

Notes: Committed to the University of Arkansas, the young outfielder will likely require a sizeable bonus to sign on the dotted line. Bishop has an athletic and strong frame but will need continued work on his approach at the late. However, he has plus raw power potential paired with plus speed on the bases and in the grass, making him an intriguing outfield option. In addition, he has above-average arm strength and could handle center or right field with ease. Bishop could go over slot somewhere in the round three range.

Projection: 2-4.

RHSP Landon Marceaux
LSU

Age: 21.7
Height: 6’0; Weight: 179
Bats: Right; Throws: Right

Notes: The LSU product should develop quickly because of his advanced control and pitching ability. Marceaux displays a four-pitch-mix with an average fastball that sits low-90’s and touches 94. He has both a curveball and slider but leaned more on the slider this season, projecting to be an above-average pitch. Last but not least is a fading changeup that looks to have above-average potential. The Tigers right-hander should progress quickly through the minors because he’s a relatively finished product in terms of development.

Projection: 2-4.

RHSP Mike Vasil
Virginia

Age: 21.1
Height: 6’4; Weight: 225
Bats: Right; Throws: Right

Notes: Once a potential first-round selection, Vasil has yet to develop into what many thought he might. His fastball sits low-90’s and seldom ticks higher, but it has touched 96 mph in the past. The Massachusetts native shows a solid four-pitch-mix lead by an above-average changeup. His slider and curveball are both average pitches. A team that feels it can unlock the right-hander’s potential could grab him in round three or four.

Projection: 2-4.