Cleveland Baseball Insider's 2023 Guardians Top 50 Prospects, No. 50 RHP Aaron Davenport
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As the future of the organization prepares for a new year and spring training to begin, there’s no better time to bring you the Cleveland Baseball Insiders top 50 prospects for the upcoming 2023 season.
The Guardians are widely regarded as having one of the deepest and top farm systems in all of baseball. So deep, in fact, that it was very difficult to trim the list down to just 50 players I think could have an impact at the MLB level. I probably could easily have ended up listing 75 or more players.
I am implementing the Fangraphs future value grading scale which you will be able to locate under each player video. Future Value is a grade on the 20-80 scale that maps to anticipated annual WAR production during the player’s first six years of service.
My rankings are based off seeing the players live, watching video and having conversations with other evaluators and writers. While prospect lists are fun and entertaining for fans, they are not an end-all-be-all in terms of who make it eventually to the major leagues. Remember, Jose Ramirez was never a top 100 prospect nationally and Oscar Gonzalez wasn't even a top 20 prospect in the Guardians organization.
The ultimate goal here is to inform our readers and give you information on some of the young talent in the organization that they can follow and look forward to seeing in the future at the MLB level.
No. 50 Aaron Davenport - RHP
2022 Stats
Bio
Cleveland Guardians right-handed pitching prospect Aaron Davenport made his pro-debut in 2021 after being drafted in the sixth round out of the University of Hawaii. He pitched in only seven games (three in the Arizona Complex League and four with Lynchburg) totaling 16.2 innings. Over those 16.2 innings, he struck out 26 batters - good for a 14.04 strikeouts per nine innings. Batters also only hit .140 against him.
2022 Season
In 2022 Davenport was assigned to High-A Lake County out of spring training and remained with the Captains for the entire season. He made 23 starts on the year posting 4.21 ERA and 4.26 FIP over 107.0 innings pitched. Davenport struck out 118 batters on the year good for a 9.93 SO/9 inning rate while batters only hit .224 against him on the season.
The one downside to Davenport's season was the 52 walks he allowed in just 107.0 innings which averaged out to a 4.37 BB/9 inning rate. Despite allowing just 89 base hits on the year the 52 walks attributed to a 1.32 WHIP as well. With the walks he was susceptible all season to giving up some big innings and high pitch counts.
Davenport did end the season on a high note posting a 1.05 ERA over his last four starts of the season striking out 28 batters while walking just three over 25.2 innings pitched. Hopefully he can carry this momentum into the start of the 2023 year.
Arsenal
Davenport offers a four-pitch mix that features a signature mid-70's hammer curveball that is already plus or better. His fastball sits 88-92 mph and can touch 94 mph. He has an average changeup that has potential to develop more and become another above average pitch. He added a slider to his arsenal prior to the 2022 season.
2023 and Future Outlook
Davenport could start out the 2023 season possibly moving up to Double-A Akron or he could easily return back to High-A Lake County where he spent all of 2022. If he returns to Lake County it shouldn't be viewed as a step back as the Guardians farm system is extremely deep currently in upper level starting pitching.
His MLB future ceiling currently is that of a fourth or fifth starter if he continues to develop better command and control of his entire repertoire. He also needs to do better in limiting the big innings against him has plagued him at times so far early in his career.
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