Guardians days 2 and 3 draft picks

Sports@News-Herald.com

A look at the Guardians’ picks on days 2 and 3 of the MLB Draft:

OF/1B CJ Kayfus

Pick: Round 3, Pick 93

Height: 6-foot

Weight: 192

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

Position: OF/1B

College: Miami

Year: Fourth-year junior

Stats (2023): .348/.464/.581, 14 2B, 13 HR, 46 BB/44K

Kayfus is a left-handed hitter and thrower who mostly played first for Miami in 2023 and has played some outfield previously, but Cleveland announced him as an outfielder. He hit for average and drew walks in the Cape Cod League in 2022 and improved his power output some in his junior year at Miami.

C Cooper Ingle

Pick: Round 4, Pick 125

Height: 5-foot-10

Weight: 190

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

Position: C

College: Clemson

Year: Fourth-year junior

Stats (2023): .328/.417/.461, 16 2B, 6 HR, 39 BB/29 K

Ingle was primarily a catcher at Clemson but did spend some time in left field and a little in right field. He’s a high-contact, good-approach type hitter with belowaverage power but is a good athlete with solid receiving skills. He was announced as a catcher. He showed good contact and approach skills in the Cape Cod League in 2022, and will likely spend most time at catcher as a pro but might see some time in the outfield to enhance his versatility, but he might only have the arm for left.

INF Christian Knapczyk

Pick: Round 5, Pick 161

Height: 5-9

Weight: 165

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

Position: SS

College: Louisville

Year: Fourth-year junior

Stats (2023): .331/.455/.408, 8 2B, 1 HR, 19-25 SB/CS, 21 BB/19K Knapczyk started at short on Day 1 as a freshman at Louisville and has posted strong batting averages each year, then walked more than he struck out his last two seasons there. He played on the Cape Cod League at age 19 in 2021 and hit for a high average and got on base there. He’s an aggressive hitter that makes contact at high rates, runs well, and has little power, and will work to stay at short in the pros with sold skills there, but might profile better at second or as a utility infielder type.

OF Tommy Hawke

Pick: Round 6, Pick 188

Height: 5-8

Weight: 155

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

Position: OF

College: Wake Forest

Year: Draft-eligible sophomore

Stats (2023): .351/.459/.506, 19 2B, 7 HR, 14-15 SB, 51K/51BB

Hawke has a high-motor, and high speed as an outfielder that can draw walks, run the bases and patrols centerfield solidly. He is a slasher type player that looks to disrupt the game at the top of the lineup. Power won’t be part of his game, but he can yank a ball down the right field line on occasion. He was the Demon Deacons table setter for their run to the College World Series in 2023 and will look to emulate that at the pro level, and might settle in as a speed, defense, contact fourth outfielder as his floor.

INF Alex Mooney

Pick: Round 7, Pick 218

Height: 6-1

Weight: 195

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Position: SS

College: Duke

Year: Draft-eligible sophomore

Stats (2023): .315/.434/.504, 20 2B, 8 HR, 21-26 SB, 43K/36BB

Mooney was draft eligible in 2020 but went undrafted due to a possibly strong commitment to Duke, where he improved his stock in 2023 as a draft eligible sophomore cutting down on his strikeouts and showing more pop in his bat. Mooney is a gamer type infielder that does a little bit of everything well, though overall his power may be below average. He could handle short but may be better at second in the pros. He’s an energetic, high motor and character type player that might play above tool grades.

OF Jonah Advincula

Pick: Round 8, Pick 248

Height: 6-1

Weight: 197

Bats: Left

Throws: Right

Position: OF

College: Washington State

Year: Fourth-year junior

Stats (2023): .350/.455/.565, 20 2B, 5 HR, 24-26 SB, 28BB/19K

Advincula transferred to Washington State from Division III University of Redlands for his redshirt-COVID junior year, was his freshman season was 2020. Advincula is a speedy, left handed hitting centerfielder that had good success in his only season playing in the PAC-12, walked more than he struck out and made plenty of contact. He’s another speed, contact, defense type profile for the Guardians that projects as a fourth outfielder.

RHP Jay Driver

Pick: Round 9, Pick 278

Height: 6-3

Weight: 195

Throws: Right

Position: P

College: Harvard

Year: Fourth-year junior

Stats (2023): 67.1 IP, 69K/29BB, 4.41 ERA The Crimson pitcher can throw a fastball up to 97 mph in relief, but settles at 91-93, touching 95 as a starter, and stuck out 39 hitters in 232/3 innings on the Cape Cod League circuit in 2023 for Hyannis. He struck out over 10 batters per nine innings in two years at Harvard, but was a starter for the first time in 2023. His fastball, curveball combo might work better as a reliever as his velocity plays up with his funky low slot delivery.

LHP Matt Wilkinson

Pick: Round 10, Pick 308

Height: 6-1

Weight: 170

Throws: Left

Position: P

College: Central Arizona College

Year: Second-year JUCO

Stats (2023): 84IP, 136K/19BB, 1.07 ERA A native of British Columbia in Canada, Wilkinson is a big bodied lefty that works in the high 80s, low-90s and has missed bats both years at the JUCO level. He throws from a higher three-quarter type arm slot and has a good breaking ball with good pitchability. He was committed to Arizona State after his two years at Central Arizona College. He threw nine innings on the Cape Cod League circuit this summer so far, striking out 10 batters and walking one over two appearances

C Johnny Tincher

Age: 21

Pick: Round 11, Pick 338

Height: 5-8

Weight: 170

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Position: C

College: University of Washington

Year: Redshirt Junior

Stats (2023): .310/.387/.514, 14 2B, 10 HR, 42K/16BB

Tincher is a small-framed catcher that makes a good amount of contact with an aggressive approach, has some underrated athleticism, and brings unquantifiable metrics to the catcher position with his leadership qualities and gritty determination. He is also bi-lingual. Tincher did earn PAC-12 All-Defensive Team honors as well in 2022.

RHP Keegan Zinn Age: Pick: Height: Weight:

18

Round 12, Pick 368

6-3

165

Throws: Right

P

Lake Minneola HS (Fla.) 241/3 IP, 54 K/28 BB,

Position: School: Stats (Senior Year):

40.23 ERA, 9 G

A Liberty University commit, Zinn stuck out 110 hitters across 58 innings with 57 walks in his two varsity seasons in high school. He throws high-80s, low-90s with some projection in his body, can hit into the mid-90s with a slider and curveball. Multi-sport athlete in high school and also played third base in high school. Threw four games in the Valley Baseball League this summer.

LHP Jacob Bresnahan

Age: 18

Pick: Round 12, Pick 368

Height: 6-4

Weight: 195

Throws: Left

Position: P

School: Sumner High School (Wash.)

Stats (Senior Year): 95 K/19 BB, 62 IP, 0.88 ERA

Bresnahan is committed to the University of Oregon and has grown from 6-0 the last few years up to 6-4 by his senior year, and has taken his fastball from the high-80s into the low-90s and holding that velocity, and has added power to his breaking ball. He also has a low-80s changeup with promising tumble. He’s an arm that can throw strikes and has grown into his body some, with projection remaining. A two-way player in high school that hit .393, but will focus on pitching in the pros. He’s currently pitching in the West Coast League.

RHP Zane Morehouse

Age: 23

Pick: Round 14, Pick 428

Height: 6-4

Weight: 200

Throws: Right

Position: P

School: University of Texas

Stats (2023): 60 K/29 BB in 57 IP, 5.21 ERA, 7 SV

While Morehouse did make a few starts for Texas, he came out of the bullpen 28 times in 2023 and saved seven games. Morehouse is on the older side draft wise, but throws up to 97 and did pitch on the Cape Cod League circuit in 2022, striking out 23 hitters in 24 innings, and previously came from a junior college before landing at Texas. Also has a mid80s slider. Projects mostly as a reliever who needs to improve control.

RHP Kyle Scott

Age: 21

Pick: Round 15, Pick 458

Height: 6-1

Weight: 220

Throws: Right

Position: P

School: Lackawanna College (Pa.)

Stats (2023): 109 K/39 BB, 722/3 IP, 3.59 ERA

A native of Maryland, batters hit just .182 against Scott in 2023 during his sophomore season when he pitched the Falcons to the NJCAA Division II World Series. He has a low-90s fastball that touches 96.

Age: 19

Pick: Round 16, Pick 488

Height: 6-4

Weight: 230

Throws: Right

Position: P

School: Georgia Home School Education Association

Stats (2023): 15K, 5 IP

Heuer opted for home school in Georgia and worked on his family’s 200-acre rang. He is a big-bodied right-handed pitcher that threw on showcase circuits, tossing his five innings for the Future Star Series and struck out all 15 hitters. The Greensboro native is committed to Texas Tech and touches 97 with his fastball, with a short arm action along with a slider and changeup.

OF Barrett Riebock

Age: 20

Pick: Round 17, Pick 518

Height: 6-2

Weight: 190

Bats: Left

Throws: Left

Position: OF

College: Paris Junior College (Texas)

Year: Redshirt Junior

Stats (2023): .403, 5 HR, 42 SB

A native of Rockwall, Texas, Riebock is a speedy outfielder that swiped 42 bags in final year at Paris JC and hit .438 with 58 steals his first year at Paris JC. He was a 2022 ABCA/Rawlings NJCAA Divison I Gold Glove winner and is committed to play at the University of Oklahoma. He can play all three outfield spots, get on base and runs well.

RHP Matt Jachec

Age: 21

Pick: Round 18, Pick 548

Height: 6-0

Weight: 205

Throws: Right

Position: P

School: Indiana State University

Stats (2023): 16 GS, 1041/3 IP, 104 K/17 BB, 7-4, 4.05 ERA

A right-hander from Illinois, Jachec is a strike thrower that pitched four years for the Sycamores and led the Missouri Valley Conference in wins and was second in ERA and innings pitched in 2022. He earned All-Missouri Valley Conference first-team honors in 2022 and 2023. He’s a small right-hander that is in the high80s, low-90s with his fastball right now and has a low-80s breaking ball and can make for a tough at bat for hitters due to his wide arm angle.

RHP Josh Harlow

Age: 22

Pick: Round 19, Pick 578

Height: 6-3

Weight: 205

Throws: Right

Position: P

School: Mercer University

Stats (2023): 291/3 IP, 35 K/8 BB, 2.15

IP, 4-1

Harlow missed a good chunk of the 2023 season after getting struck by a line drive in March, but did return at the end of the year to pitch again. He earned Southern Conference Pitcher of the Week honors early in the year and struck out 107 batters against 30 walks in two years at Mercer. Harlow throws in the low-90s with solid command.

LHP Ryan Marohn

Age: 18

Pick: Round 20, Pick 608

Height: 6-2

Weight: 185

Throws: Left

Position: P

School: Freedom High School (Va.)

Stats (2023): 77 K/11 BB, 12 GS, 0.35 ERA Committed to play at North Carolina State, the Viriginia native struck out 103 batters and walked just 14 in 652/3 innings in his high school career. He can run his fastball up to around 93-94 from the left side and also has a slider and a change right now, and gets high marks for his character and as a teammate.