Cleveland Baseball Insider

This Amazing Statistic Shows Why Guardians Organization Is Elite

The Cleveland Guardians have one of the best front offices in baseball, and this one statistic epitomizes why.
Matthew Schmidt|
Nov 10, 2023; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, right, talks to the media as president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti looks on during an introductory press conference at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 10, 2023; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt, right, talks to the media as president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti looks on during an introductory press conference at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports | Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

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Cleveland Guardians

The Cleveland Guardians are an unassuming franchise. They don't play in a major market. They don't have a substantial payroll. They don't have the mystique of the New York Yankees.

And yet, they manage to find a way to contend almost every year.

So, how do the Guardians do it in spite of having limited financial resources at their disposal?

With great scouting and drafting.

Following what most considered a very impressive 2024 MLB Draft haul by Cleveland, a graphic was posting showing how efficient the Guardians have been at acquiring big-league talent in the draft relative to other teams over the last decade.

See for yourself.

Eighteen percent may seem like a small success rate, but it is good enough to place the Guardians fourth in all of baseball in draft performance.

This shouldn't come as much of a surprise, given the fact that Cleveland currently has more homegrown players on its 26-man roster than any other team in the majors.

Regardless, it's still an impressive feat that should be recognized.

The Guardians rank 27th in payroll this season. That is actually behind the Miami Marlins, who are known to be a frugal franchise. Yet, Cleveland boasts the best record in the American League coming out of the All-Star break.

Not only that, but the Guardians have made the playoffs five times over the last eight seasons and seem poisted to make it six trips in nine years.

Of course, Cleveland is still searching for an elusive World Series title.

The Guardians have not won a championship since 1948, representing the longest active drought in Major League Baseball.

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Matthew Schmidt
MATTHEW SCHMIDT

Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.

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