This Guardians Prospect Deserves An Opportunity In 2024
Offense.
That's what the Cleveland Guardians need to get more of before Opening Day. This specifically needs to come from the outfield position group which was largely underwhelming in 2023.
There's always the option to turn to the trade market and bring in another bat. But sooner or later the Guardians are going to need to turn to their farm system if they don't bring in any outside help.
One prospect who deserves to get a chance in 2024 is outfielder Johnthan Rodriguez.
Akron RubberDucks left fielder Jonathan Rodriguez, right, rounds the bases after hitting a two-run homer to right-center field against the Richmond Flying Squirrels during the first inning of a Minor League Baseball game at Canal Park, Thursday, July 20, 2023, in Akron, Ohio.
© Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK
Rodriguez, 24, may not be well-known outside of Cleveland as he's the Guardians' 25th-ranked prospect, per MLB Pipeline. However, the stats don't lie and the numbers that Rodriguez has put up at the Triple-A level should have fans encouraged about what he could do at the Big League level.
Rodriguez split time between Double-A and Triple-A last season and put up similar numbers at each level. He overall finished with a slash line of .286/.368/.529 with an OPS of .897. All of this came out to be a wRC+ of 134 for all of the advanced stat fans out there.
Something that really stands out in Rodriguez's game is his power. He hit 26 doubles, four triples, 29 home runs, and drove in 88 RBI across both levels in 2023. This pop alone should have fans intrigued about what he could do for the Big League lineup.
The one valid criticism of Rodriguez's numbers is that he does strike out a lot. He had a strikeout rate of 26.7% at Double-A last season which jumped to 32.7% at the Triple-A level.
The Guardians need more offense and Rodriguez clearly deserves a chance to prove he can be the answer just as much as anyone in Cleveland's farm system.
