Guardians Baseball Insider

Jacob Melton – OF Oregon State

Ht: 6’3; Wt: 208; Age: 21.9

Bats: Left; Throws: Left

The Oregon State native has had a breakout season. The left-handed-hitting outfielder has posted a near 16% K-rate and near 10% walk rate this season. Melton has a good hit tool with plenty of contact. Defensively he has plus speed and experience in center, right, and first base.

Projection: Round 2, picks 40-60

Jackson Cox – RHSP Toutle Lake HS, WA

Ht: 6’1; Wt: 185; Age: 18.9

Throws: Right

The right-hander sits low 90s and runs his heater up to 96 mph. He shows off a plus curveball with elite spin rates (3,000 rpm) and a developing changeup. The athletic Oregon commit repeats his delivery well and should receive a sizable bonus to forego his collegiate commitment. 

Projection: Round 2. Picks 40-60

Peyton Graham – SS/3B Oklahoma

Ht: 6’4; Wt: 185; Age: 21.5

Bats: Right; Throws: Right

While Graham has only walked 8% of the time he runs a .422 OBP as of this writing powered by 14 HBP (9 last season). Graham has an average hit tool making good contact on fastballs. He has the frame to add strength and power and already displays above-average power outcomes. The soon-to-be-former Oklahoma Sooners infielder has a strong arm capable of handling shortstop or third base. Graham has plus speed and is an intriguing profile if he can add more walks and limit his strikeouts.

Projection: Round 2, picks 40-60

Robert Moore – 2B Arkansas

Ht: 5’9; Wt: 170; Age: 20.3

Bats: Switch; Throws: Right

Moore is a third-year player and one of the youngest collegiate players available in the 2022 draft class. He’s scuffled this season at the dish, but his batting average has slowly climbed into the .230 range. A second baseman only but as the son of Royals GM Dayton Moore, he’s a highly instinctual player. Moore has a history of stepping up in big moments and providing high-caliber defense at the keystone.

Projection: Round 2, picks 50-75

Tanner Schobel – SS Virginia Tech

Ht: 5’10; Wt: 170; Age: 21.1

Bats: Right; Throws: Right

The soon-to-be-former Hokies infielder is a compilation of average tools (excluding power) all across the board. Schobel is a quality player with an advanced approach at the plate walking 12% while limiting his strikeouts to 20%. He can play shortstop and profile as a second baseman at the highest level.

Projection: Round 2, picks 50-75

Cutter Coffey – SS/RHP Liberty HS, CA

Ht: 6’2; Wt: 195; Age: 18.1

Bats: Right; Throws: Right

The athletic California native plays shortstop and pitches and could be drafted at either spot. Coffey projects well as a third baseman or second baseman with a plus arm. He’s hit north of .400 this spring in high school and has more career walks than strikeouts. The right-handed-hitting Coffey has above-average raw power with the potential for more as he matures. It’s an offense-first profile at the dish. On the bump, he sits low-90s and touches 94 mph rounding out his three pitch-mix with a changeup. The Texas commit has added strength to his frame this spring and will be one of the younger players available in the draft.

Projection: Round 2, picks 50-75

Ryan Clifford – OF Pro5 Academy, NC

Ht: 6’3; Wt: 206; Age: 19

Bats: Left; Throws: Left

The sweet-swinging North Carolina native has a whole field approach and has good zone awareness. He has the potential to show above-average power outcomes and should fit well in right field or first base in the future. Clifford lacks the speed to play away from the corner and there’s plenty of arm strength to project in right field long-term. He is a Vanderbilt commit and likely requires a healthy bonus to forego his college commitment. He should be a sophomore eligible player and possibly top 50 talent in the 2024 draft if he goes to school.

Projection: Round 2, picks 50-75

Malcolm Moore – C McClatchey HS, CA

Ht: 6’2; Wt: 219; Age: 18.9

Bats: Left; Throws: Right

The Stanford commit could be a hard sign as is typical of players committed to play with the Cardinal. Moore is an offensive-oriented player with an above-average hit tool with similar power potential. The California native has a hit-first profile and may project better as a first baseman long-term. Moore shows adequate arm strength and athleticism behind the dish for the time being. He will continue to work at catcher for the time being, but these concerns could be deterrents for clubs considering him this July. Moore should be draft-eligible as a sophomore (2024) because of his age.

Projection: Round 2, picks 50-75

Ben Joyce – RHRP Tennessee

Ht: 6’3; Wt: 225; Age: 21.7

Throws: Right

It’s rare to see a college pitcher averaging 101 mph or greater on their fastball. That’s exactly what Joyce has done however this spring. The righty recently popped a 105.5 mph heater getting the attention of the baseball world. Joyce is a transfer from Walters State CC in Tennessee where he started his collegiate career before transferring to Tennessee. While he missed all of last season with Tommy John surgery he did have a track record of high octane velocity and that’s continued and improved post-surgery. The right-handed reliever rounds out his pitch mix with a mid-80s slider and a low-90s change of pace. There’s a chance Joyce goes in the back half of round 2 or into round 3.

Projection: Round 2/Round 3, picks 75-100

Brycen Mautz – LHSP San Diego

Ht: 6’3; Wt: 190; Age: 21

Throws: Left

The left-hander will turn 21 during the draft, he is a reliever turned starter. Mautz sits low-90s with his fastball and has popped 95 mph this spring. He has a four pitch-mix featuring an average slider, a curve, and a changeup. The left-hander displays a low-three-quarters arm slot with deception. He has improved year over year and is currently sporting a 13+ K9% with a 2.2 BB9%. His lack of miles, four pitch-mix, age, arm angle, K9%, and BB9% will all intrigue model-driven clubs this summer.

Projection: Round 3, picks 75-100

Nate Savino – LHSP Virginia

Ht: 6’3; Wt: 210; Age: 20.5

Throws: Left

The soon-to-be-former Cavaliers left-hander has had a rough spring of sorts starting well but scuffling along the way. He sits upper-80s and low-90s reportedly peaking at 95 mph this spring, but that fell off as he went deeper into spring. Paired with the lack of velocity was a loss of control both of which could be red flags (injury/mechanical?) for clubs in July. The left-hander will be one of the youngest college juniors available in the draft class. He rounds out his three pitch-mix with a slider and change.

Projection: Round 3, picks 75-100

Jake Bennett – LHSP Oklahoma

Ht: 6’6; Wt: 234; Age: 21.6

Throws: Left

The left-hander has the frame to be an innings-eater, he sits low-to-mid-90s with his fastball with reports of 98 mph this spring. He has a three-pitch mix with the best of his pitches a plus mid-80s change of pace and a sweeping slider that’s just average. The Oklahoma native has posted a 9.9 SO9% with an impressive 1.7 BB9% indicative of his plus control this spring.

Projection: Round 2, picks 50-75

Clark Elliott – OF Michigan 

Ht: 6’0; Wt: 183; Age: 21.7

Bats: Left; Throws: Right

The left-handed-hitting outfielder shows an advanced approach at the plate posting a near 1-to-1 strikeout and walk rates this spring. He had a good CCBL showing last summer. Elliott’s an above-average runner or better with an arm capable of handling right field.

Projection: Projection: picks 50-7