The Guardians added 4 gamers to their 40-man roster earlier than tonight’s Rule 5 deadline: pitchers Franco Aleman, Nic Enright, and Doug Nikhazy and outfielder Petey Halpin. To open 40-man spots, Cleveland designated former high outfield prospect George Valera and relievers Peter Strzelecki and Connor Gillispie for project.
Probably the most notable piece of stories right here is the membership opting to half methods with Valera. The 24-year-old is simply a few years faraway from being a consensus top-50 prospect within the sport however has been affected by accidents over the previous two years. Valera underwent offseason hand surgical procedure previous to the 2023 season and in the end didn’t make his season debut till Could of that 12 months, in the end taking part in simply 11 video games previous to June 17 of that 12 months attributable to extra harm woes. Total, he hit simply .211/.343/.375 regardless of a superb 16% stroll charge final 12 months.
Issues improved in his age-23 season with the Guardians this 12 months on offense, as he hit .248/.337/.452 with 17 dwelling runs, a significant step in proper path after slugging simply ten the 12 months prior. Sadly, Valera was as soon as once more restricted by harm and performed simply 90 video games in 2024 earlier than going underneath the knife once more again in September. That surgical procedure got here with a six-to-nine month restoration timetable, which left him poised to start out 2025 on the injured checklist and sure not be obtainable as a possible massive league contributor till the second half of subsequent 12 months on the earliest.
Given the previous high prospect’s harm woes and comparatively modest manufacturing at Triple-A, the Guardians evidently determined to chop him from the 40-man roster. Now, Valera can be obtainable for any membership to assert off waivers. If he manages to clear waivers, the Guardians can have the chance to outright him to the minor leagues and retain him within the group for 2025. Importantly, Valera doesn’t have minor league choices remaining so any buying membership would both want to hold him on their energetic roster or sneak him by way of waivers themselves later within the offseason.
As for Strzelecki, the 30-year-old right-hander has appeared within the majors in every of the previous three seasons however solely arrived in Cleveland again in March. Previous to this 12 months, Strzelecki made his massive league debut for the Brewers again in 2022 and pitched fairly nicely with a 2.83 ERA and a couple of.94 FIP in 35 innings of labor. The proper-hander suffered a down 12 months in 2023, nonetheless, as he pitched to a 4.54 ERA in 35 2/3 frames for Milwaukee earlier than being swapped to the Diamondbacks on the 2023 commerce deadline in alternate for southpaw Andrew Chafin. Strzelecki made only one look in a Dbacks uniform final 12 months the place he threw 1 1/3 scoreless frames.
The righty was squeezed off of Arizona’s 40-man roster within the run-up to Opening Day this 12 months with a view to make room for the addition of Tucker Barnhart, and the Guardians pounced on the chance to convey him into the fold. He served as an up-and-down reliever for Cleveland this 12 months and pitched fairly nicely in a restricted pattern with a 2.31 ERA and three.77 FIP in 11 2/3 innings of labor, although that wasn’t sufficient to earn a extra everlasting spot in a loaded Guardians bullpen. With Strzelecki set to enter 2025 with none possibility years remaining, the Guardians opted to half methods with the right-hander, who may garner curiosity from rival golf equipment on the waiver wire now that he’s obtainable.
Gillispie, in the meantime, made his massive league debut with the Guardians simply this 12 months. He pitched to a 2.25 ERA in eight innings of labor within the majors to go together with a relatively pedestrian 4.05 ERA in 27 appearances (15 begins) at Triple-A. The 27-year-old will enter the 2025 marketing campaign with choices remaining, which may make him notably engaging to a pitching-needy membership as an optionable younger arm with the flexibility to pitch each within the rotation and out of the bullpen.
As for the quartet of prospects, every can be shielded from the Rule 5 Draft subsequent month now that they’re on the 40-man roster. Aleman, 24, turned in a dominant season in reduction on the Triple-A degree with a 1.99 ERA and a 36.6% strikeout charge in 24 appearances. The 27-year-old Enright was picked within the Rule 5 draft one earlier than by the Marlins however was finally returned to the Guardians. A two-way participant for a lot of his profession, the right-hander turned to pitching full-time in 2024 and appeared fairly good in a small pattern as he posted a 1.06 ERA in 17 innings of labor with an unbelievable 49.2% strikeout charge. Nikhazy, a 25-year-old lefty, break up 2024 between the Double- and Triple-A rotations and posted strong numbers with a 2.98 ERA and 25.4% strikeout charge in 123 2/3 innings of labor, doubtlessly placing him on the radar for giant league begins in 2025. Halpin is the lone place participant the Guardians protected, and the membership’s third-round decide within the 2020 draft and slashed .233/.314/.399 in 90 video games at Triple-A this 12 months.
