Guardians add to pitching depth on Day 2 of MLB Draft

July 15th, 2024

The Guardians got their big hitter added into their system on Sunday by selecting Travis Bazzana with the first overall pick. But now, it’s clear that Cleveland is honing in on replenishing its pitching depth.

Top 15 Draft picks:
1. Bazzana | 2. Burns | 3. Condon | 4. Kurtz | 5. Smith | 6. Caglianone | 7. Wetherholt | 8. Moore | 9. Griffin | 10. King | 11. Rainer | 12. Montgomery | 13. Tibbs | 14. Smith | 15. Cijntje

Day 2 of the MLB Draft consisted of Rounds 3-10 on Monday afternoon. For an organization that’s been known for its never-ending pitching depth, the Guardians have seemed to run low on arms -- especially starting pitchers -- over the past year. But that may not be the case for much longer, as Cleveland took eight pitchers with all eight of their picks on Monday.

“Coming into the day, we had the mindset to be opportunistic on whatever the best players are available and their fit into the organization,” Guardians vice president of scouting Paul Gillispie said. “I think it just happened to be a pitching-heavy day today.”

Here’s a look at everyone the Guardians selected on Day 2 of the Draft.

Round 3 (No. 83 overall)
Joey Oakie, RHP, Ankeny Centennial High School (Iowa)
Notable skill: His slider. He’s only 18-years-old but Oakie already has a plus-pitch in his slider. It sits in the mid-80s with a two-plane depth as well as horizontal movement. MLB Pipeline predicts that it could become a legitimate plus-plus weapon as he develops.
Fun fact: Oakie is the highest Iowa high school pitcher to be drafted since Mitch Keller (64th overall to Pittsburgh) out of Xavier High School in 2014. He’s also Cleveland’s first selection of an Iowa prep player since Quinn Murphy (10th round) in 1994.
Quotable: “Really good size. Really good athleticism. Has a fastball up to 98 and a wipeout slider to go with it. Really good two-pitch mix now. But also think about the youth. … He’s always been going into baseball season, coming off of basketball season. Think once he can focus on baseball only.” --Gillispie

Round 4 (No. 113 overall)
Rafe Schlesinger, LHP, University of Miami
Notable skill: His fastball. Schlesinger gained velocity in his heater this past year, as it jumped from averaging 88 mph in 2023 to a tick over 92 mph in ‘24. He’s touched 97 mph with the fastball and with the touch of Cleveland’s pitching development team, it could turn into quite the weapon, especially if he moves to the bullpen.
Fun fact: When Schlesinger was younger, he was cut from a youth travel team. He ended up using that as motivation to turn himself into a top pitcher in high school, which he did, as he received an invite to head south to pitch at Miami.
Quotable: “I could see Rafe as a very strong left-handed reliever with an uncomfortable release angle that is very tough on left-handed hitters.” -- Miami coach J.D. Arteaga, to the South Florida Sun Sentinel

Round 5 (No. 146 overall)
Aidan Major, RHP, University of West Virginia
Notable skill: The heater. When he’s healthy, Major’s fastball can hit 96 mph and the offering helped him set up his three breaking pitches that led to a 10.5 strikeout per nine innings ratio in 2024. The concern though, is his health, considering he needed surgery on his throwing elbow.
Fun fact: In high school, Major threw four no-hit innings and combined with one other hurler to throw a combined no-hitter that sent his team, Central Mountain High School, into the quarterfinals of the PIAA Class 5A baseball playoffs.
Quotable: “Even when I was starting as a freshman, I mean, it wasn’t uncharacteristic to see me go out and I might go five innings, but I would go five innings with five walks. Command has always kind of been an issue for me. Even last year, I had times where I would get a little wild and spray the ball. That’s kind of been this biggest step forward this year.” --Major said of his improvement in his command to WBOY.com earlier this year.

Round 6 (No. 175 overall)
Caden Favors, LHP, Wichita State University
Notable skill: Command. The Guardians love hurlers who can pound the zone and Favors does that as well as anyone. He struck out 107 batters in his senior season while issuing only 20 walks (his strikeout-to-walk ratio led the American Athletic Conference). Plus, he’s an innings-eater, tossing 106 2/3 frames this season, seventh-most in the country.
Fun fact: Favors was the first Wichita State pitcher to have at least 100 strikeouts in a single season since 2011 (Charlie Lowell).
Quotable: “The intangibles of his demeanor when he gets on the mound, competing at a high level and being consistent with that is something that separates himself from other pitchers.” --Wichita State pitching coach Anthony Claggett told The Sunflower earlier this year

Round 7 (No. 205 overall)
Cameron Sullivan, RHP, Mount Vernon High School (Ind.)
Notable Skill: His fastball. Imagine facing a pitcher in high school who can touch 97 mph. Last summer, he sat around 88-92 mph but he has since focused on getting stronger and it’s paid off. His heater operates at 92-95 mph and tops out at 97. If he can learn to command the pitch better, he can certainly solidify himself as a starter moving forward.
Fun fact: Sullivan told Baseball Prospect Journal that he owes a lot of credit for his recent development to his pitching coach, Anthony Gomez, who is currently the bullpen coach for the Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo.
Quotable: “Big time arm speed. Big time spin capacity. He is a kid that we think has a lot of foundational elements to build upon. He can really create spin. One of the things we’re looking for with him when we get him in the organization is trying to make sure that we’re fine-tuning things, solidifying his delivery and helping him with the shapes he creates to make those a little bit sharper.” --Gillispie

Round 8 (No. 235 overall)
Donovan Zsak, LHP, Rutgers University
Notable skill: The heater. See a theme yet? The Guardians have their eyes on some guys with pretty powerful fastballs this year. Zsak mostly worked as a bullpen arm for Rutgers and his typical 93 mph four-seamer could be dialed up as high as 99 mph when he needed it.
Fun fact: Maybe this one is a little less “fun,” but it’s a fact that not many newly-drafted pitchers can say. Zsak is only a redshirt freshman with Rutgers and has already had two Tommy John surgeries on his throwing elbow. He learned he had a UCL tear in his sophomore year of high school, couldn’t pitch during his junior year and after his senior season, he learned that the ligament tore again. That caused him to miss his true freshman season, prompting him to red-shirt.
Quotable: “Knowing his history and knowing there’s some pathology there, but at the same time, I think when you talk about his size, his arm strength, his ability to dominate a baseball, there’s a certain point where you want to partner with that player and do everything you can to make sure that he can stay healthy and stay on the field. We know his history, but we feel really good about his talent and also the person.” --Gillispie

Round 9 (No. 265 overall)
Sean Matson, RHP, Harvard University
Notable skill: His changeup. We need a break from some fastballs, right? Although experts say his fastball is just as effective as his changeup, the offspeed pitch that sits in the mid-70s, has unique shape and spin and is nearly 15 mph slower than his heater.
Fun fact: Matson comes from an athletic family. His father, Brian, played baseball at Delaware from 1990-92. His mother, Jill, played softball at Yale from 1988-92. His sister, Erin, won four national titles with North Carolina field hockey (2018-22) before winning the NCAA title in ‘23 in her first year as North Carolina’s head coach.
Quotable: “He has deceptive delivery, deep mix of pitches. Will have the ability to start or relieve. … He does a lot of things well. Sort of a well-rounded pitcher with excellent strike-throwing ability. When you have that as a building block, that’s a really good place to start.” --Gillispie

Round 10 (No. 295 overall)
Chase Mobley, RHP, Durant High School (Fla.)
Notable skill: The fastball. We have one more fastball to talk about. This is a 6-foot-6 high schooler who can touch 100 mph. He’s a decent strike-thrower, but MLB Pipeline experts say he’s more control over command. However, if he’s already showing glimpses of the powerful pitcher he can become as he grows, he has a chance to flourish as he moves through his professional career.
Fun fact: Last year, Mobley was one of 60 players in the country to be selected to participate in the annual Dick’s Sporting Goods All-American Classic, a showcase by Perfect Game at Chase Field.
Quotable: “Just a big, athletic guy. His fastball has been up to 100. Creates unique angles. Has a unique arm action. But another intense competitor. Great kid. Great makeup. Has undergone some adversity and shown a really good ability to weather that.” --Gillispie