Where Guardians' Top 30 prospects are starting season

With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Guardians' Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:

1. Daniel Espino (MLB No. 16), RHP -- Extended spring training (shoulder)
2. Gavin Williams (MLB No. 42), RHP -- Akron (Double-A)
3. George Valera (MLB No. 51), OF -- Columbus (Triple-A) -- injured list (wrist)
4. Bo Naylor (MLB No. 64), C -- Columbus (Triple-A)
5. Tanner Bibee (MLB No. 65), RHP -- Columbus (Triple-A)
6. Brayan Rocchio (MLB No. 75), SS -- Columbus (Triple-A)
7. Chase DeLauter (MLB No. 82), OF -- Extended spring training (left foot surgery)
8. Logan Allen, LHP -- Columbus (Triple-A)
9. Gabriel Arias, INF -- Cleveland (MLB)
10. Angel Martinez, SS -- Akron (Double-A)
11. Will Brennan, OF -- Cleveland (MLB)
12. Jake Fox, OF -- Lake County (High-A)
13. Justin Campbell, RHP -- Extended spring training (elbow)
14. Angel Genao, SS -- Extended spring training (meniscus)
15. Jaison Chourio, OF -- Extended spring training
16. Cody Morris, RHP -- Cleveland (MLB) -- injured list (shoulder strain)
17. Petey Halpin, OF -- Akron (Double-A)
18. Juan Brito, 2B -- Lake County (High-A)
19. Joey Cantillo, LHP -- Akron (Double-A)
20. Jhonkensy Noel, OF -- Columbus (Triple-A)
21. Parker Messick, LHP -- Lynchburg (Single-A)
22. Tanner Burns, RHP -- Akron (Double-A)
23. Xzavion Curry, RHP -- Cleveland (MLB)
24. Jose Tena, SS -- Akron (Double-A)
25. Milan Tolentino, INF -- Lake County (High-A)
26. Jacob Zibin, RHP -- Extended spring training
27. Wuilfredo Antunez, OF -- Lynchburg (Single-A)
28. Hunter Gaddis, RHP -- Cleveland (MLB)
29. Justin Boyd, OF -- Extended spring training (hamstring)
30. Doug Nikhazy, LHP -- Akron (Double-A)

Team to watch

Triple-A Columbus has three Top 100 Prospects (catcher Bo Naylor, right-hander Tanner Bibee, shortstop Brayan Rocchio) on its active roster and a fourth (outfielder George Valera) on its injured list. Left-hander Logan Allen is a former Top 100 prospect and outfielder Jhonkensy Noel ranked sixth in the Minors with 32 homers last season.

Teams on MLB.TV and MiLB.TV

Cleveland Guardians
Columbus Clippers (Triple-A)
Akron RubberDucks (Double-A)
Lynchburg Hillcats (Single-A)

Players we could see in MLB in 2023

That Columbus contingent could make its presence felt in Cleveland this season. Naylor joined his brother Josh on the Guardians last October and might have the most opportunity among the Top 100 guys in Triple-A. Right-hander Daniel Espino unquestionably has big league stuff but needs to stay healthy. Right-hander Gavin Williams, who led the Minors in opponent average (.173) and ranked third in ERA (1.96) in his 2022 pro debut, is talented enough to make the move from Double-A to the Majors.

New faces

Six members of our Guardians Top 30 have yet to play in a game for the organization, including the four players who received the largest bonuses in their 2022 Draft: outfielder Chase DeLauter, right-handers Justin Campbell and Jacob Zibin and left-hander Parker Messick. Second baseman Juan Brito (November trade with Rockies for Nolan Jones) and outfielder Justin Boyd (February deal with Reds for Will Benson) were offseason acquisitions. Only Brito and Messick are on active rosters to start the season, however.

On the shelf

Espino made just four Double-A starts in 2022 while dealing with knee tendinitis and shoulder soreness, and he's out for at least a month after getting diagnosed with a muscle strain and capsule tear in his shoulder this winter. After offseason surgery to remove a broken hamate from his right hand, Valera was bothered by a sore right wrist in spring training. DeLauter broke his left foot at James Madison last spring, reinjured it after signing for $3.75 million as the 16th overall pick and required surgery to replace a screw with a bone graft in January, sidelining him until at least midseason. Cleveland hopes to get Campbell (elbow), shortstop Angel Genao (torn meniscus in right knee) and Boyd (hamstring) back on the field during the first half of the season. Right-hander Cody Morris is on the big league 60-day injured list with a shoulder strain after dealing with shoulder issues in each of the previous two years.