The Cleveland Guardians will be looking to gear up for the 2023 season in Spring Training down in Goodyear, Arizona with the hopes of making the playoffs again later this year. Cleveland also has a very strong farm system that is ranked within the top-10, thanks to a plethora of big arms and some intriguing position players who are either on the doorstep of the big leagues or have already had a cup of coffee in the show. Unfortunately, though, top prospect Daniel Espino just suffered an injury setback, which means he won't pitch in the Cactus League.
Below, we'll take a look at three must-watch Guardians in Spring Training.
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Bo Naylor, C
Fans might not get a lot of time to actually see Bo Naylor in Spring Training because he's planning to play for Canada at the World Baseball Classic. Nonetheless, he looks to be the future behind the dish in Cleveland after showing well in a brief stint last season. Naylor, the younger brother of Josh Naylor, is currently the fifth-ranked prospect in the Guardians system and has an exciting skill set. He hit 21 homers across Double-A and Triple-A in 22′ before a brief call-up. While Naylor does tend to strike out quite frequently, he's got pop in his bat and uses the entire field nicely. Naylor's catching abilities are what really stand out, though. The 2018 first-round pick is extremely athletic for a backstop and does a phenomenal job of framing, blocking, and receiving. He's also got a cannon for an arm, which allowed him to gun down runners at a 31% rate last year. We might not see a lot of Naylor in Goodyear, but it's worth tuning into Team Canada as a Guardians supporter to see how he fares. Expect him to likely start the campaign in Triple-A.
Gavin Williams, RHP
Here's one of Cleveland's electrifying arms that can regularly touch triple-digits. Gavin Williams truly went from a thrower to a pitcher during his days at Eastern Carolina before getting drafted in the first round by the Guardians in 2021. In the Minors, Williams has also improved his off-speed stuff, possessing a power curveball, sharp slider, and respectable change-up that sits in the mid-80s. Last year, the righty posted a 2.31 ERA in 16 Double-A starts with Akron, striking out 82 in 70 innings while issuing 26 free passes. Williams profiles to be a mid-rotation guy for the Guardians in the not-too-distant future. If he can show well in Spring Training, it'll do a lot for him potentially earning a call-up at some point in 2023.
Brayan Rocchio, INF
Rocchio is already on the 40-man roster, but he's yet to make his MLB debut. An international signing out of Venezuela in 2017, Rocchio has a sweet swing and can really pick it at both shortstop and second base. He's not a huge guy but the 22-year-old can really do it all on both sides of the ball. In 2022, he hit .257 across Double-A and Triple-A with 18 homers and 25 doubles while also stealing 14 bases. He's also a switch-hitter that uses the entire field very well. Although Rocchio doesn't have the strongest arm, he is quick with his release and actions, no matter what position he's playing. Spring Training is a clear opportunity for Rocchio to prove he can at least be a bench player for the Guardians in 2023. Whether that happens or not, it's clear the speedy youngster will be a part of Cleveland's plans for the future. His versatile skill set is too impressive to look past.
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