Guardians Baseball Insider

Our 2021 Cleveland Guardians top 10 prospects by position continues on by moving to left handed starting pitching prospects. We broke up the right handed and left handed starting pitching prospects due to depth. The voting, as usual, is done by Justin Lada, Willie Hood and Joe Coblitz. Pitchers were ranked 1-10 by each writer, with 10 points being awarded to the top vote for each writer, nine for second, eight for third, and so on. The points are then added up to make the list you see.

Take a look at each position we’ve ranked so far:

2021 Cleveland Guardians top 10 relief pitching prospects

2021 Cleveland Guardians top 10 catching prospects

2021 Cleveland Guardians top 10 right handed pitching prospects

2021 Cleveland Guardians top 10 left handed starting pitching prospects

1 Logan Allen

Age: 23
Level: Double-A Akron
Outlook: It’s hard to have a better pro debut than Logan T. Allen. We can probably drop the ‘T’ now because by now, everyone know’s who we’re referring to and the other Logan Allen is no longer a prospect. But this Logan Allen dominated High-A with a low-mid 90s fastball, and an above average changeup and slider. His slider really came on strong in 2021, matching his changeup that was his premium pitch as a college arm. He’s probably the second or third best pitching prospect in the organization. While he’s not on the 40 man roster yet and there are others ahead of him that are, he could help the club in 2022.

2 Joey Cantillo

Age: 22
Level: Double-A Akron
Outlook: Acquired as part of the Mike Clevinger deal, the left-hander has missed the season with an abdominal injury. Cantillo sits upper-80’s-to-low-90’s and touches 94 on occasion. His best pitch is a sinking changeup that generates outs. His curveball has the potential to develop into a quality pitch if he firms it up. The young projectable left-hander could add a tick or two as he gets stronger, which should help improve the depth of his curve. Cantillo is Rule 5 draft eligible.

3 Konnor Pilkington

Age: 24
Level: Double-A Akron
Outlook: In college, Pilkington was a big time SEC performer but his stuff had backed up in the pros. He had a bit of a revival in 2021, not quite up to the stuff he had in college, but he was throwing 91-94 again and has four pitches that could be average and about average control. He’s on the 40 and should have a chance to be the clubs sixth or seventh starter for the next few seasons while he has options – a very good situation for the Guardians pitching depth as Pilkington could fight to be a fifth starter on clubs with less depth.

4 Doug Nikhazy

Age: 22
Level: 2021 Draft
Outlook: Nikhazy features a four-pitch mix producing high spin rates from a tight arm circle and high over the top release. The lefty’s curveball is the best of the bunch, projecting as a potential plus pitch it sits in the mid-70’s with top-to-bottom shape. His slider has above-average potential sitting in the mid-80’s. He rounds out his arsenal with a fading changeup and a low-90’s fastball that touches 95 mph on occasion. Nikhazy displays an advanced ability to mix up and spot his pitches.

5 Adam Scott

Age: 25
Level: Triple-A Columbus
Outlook: The Wofford University product could be a backend starter, but profiles better as a left-handed reliever. Scott possesses a three-pitch mix with a low-90’s fastball, an above-average slider fringe change up. He missed part of the season with an injury, and his control has taken a step backward this season (small sample- possible rust/injury). The 25-year-old will be Rule 5 eligible. Scott seems likely to move to the pen in the future where his prior experience would be beneficial, and his pitch selection could be better optimized.

6 Ryan Webb

Age: 22
Level: 2021 Draft
Outlook: Webb was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 MLB Draft after requiring Tommy John Surgery in May. The former Georgia Bulldogs ace is a reliever turned starter with a solid four-pitch mix. His fastball sits in the low-90’s and can touch 95-96 mph on occasion. His best secondary is his curveball, and he rounds out his repertoire with a slider and changeup. Webb will spend the next 12-18 months recovering from elbow reconstruction, but lefty offers middle-of-the-rotation upside if he can return to health and continue his development.

7 Will Dion

Age: 21
Level: Low-A Lynchburg
Outlook: Dion made just five appearances for Cleveland in 2021 after finishing out his junior year at McNeese State and being taken in the 9th round. He was excellent in those appearances, striking out 21 with five walks in 12 innings. While he’s only 5’10”, he makes the most of it with a full delivery and pinpoint control. He will probably start in Lynchburg in 2022 where he should get closer to five innings per start before further promotion.

8 Rodney Boone

Age: 21
Level: 2021 Draft
Outlook: The California native displays an overhanded delivery (like several draft classmates), adding deception. He shows average control and mitigates damage through his ability to limit base hits. Boone’s fastball is fringe-average, sItting between 86-88, running up to 90 mph. The left-hander’s best pitch is a plus projecting changeup in the upper-70’s, offering a different look than his fastball. He rounds out his repertoire with a big overhand curve in the low 70’s. Boone will have to add strength and velocity to remain a rotation option long-term.

9 Kirk McCarty

Age: 26
Level: Triple-A Columbus
Outlook: The small-framed left-hander was a 7th round selection in 2017. McCarty, 25, is athletic with a solid four-pitch mix. None of his pitches are of the put-away variety, but he can run his fastball into the mid-90’s on occasion. McCarty’s control and pitch-ability allow him to log innings. He was Rule 5 draft eligible in 2020 and will be again. The Southern Miss product’s athleticism and pitch-ability could make him a left-handed pen option in the future.

10 Raymond Burgos

Age: 23
Level: High-A Lake County
Outlook: Despite just being 23, Burgos is going into his seventh year in the Cleveland organization, drafted as a 17 year old in the 2016 draft class. The tall lefty hasn’t totally filled out his frame and has dealt with a myriad of injuries from having Tommy John when he was drafted to a stress fracture in his elbow and other forearm soreness. He was in the rotation at Lake County, finally ready for a comeback in 2021 before an injury sent him back to the ACL again. Given his age and the pitching options in the organization, Burgos might be better off as a reliever full time, which is where he was slated to end the 2021 season, though that never materialized. He still has a good four pitch mix and average control, so if he’s healthy, don’t count him out. It would be a great story for the bi-lingual Burgos to make it up the ladder still.

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