Predicting What Our Roster Will Be Like This Winter And How We Will Get There

 OK, we are a month into the season.  Why not talk about the future for the Guardians. Specfically, why not talk about what our roster will look like when we have to set it for the 2023 Rule 5.  I think this exercise will help us plan for the rest of the season in terms of trades and other moves we will make (who will we call up, who will we leave in the minors, etc.).  Let's start with what we have and see what is coming down the road.

WHO WE MIGHT REMOVE FROM THE 40-MAN

Players who will be traded or not re-signed: Beiber, Plesac, Rosario, Zunino, Gallagher.

Players in danger of being traded or DFA'd to make room on the roster: Battenfield, Sandlin, Tena, Fry, Brito, Herrin, Palacios

That's 12 guys who we could clearly lose without hurting the core of players going forward.  That's a lot to build on in terms of roster additions, trade additions and free agent signings.

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Other players who might wear out their welcome on this team include:

Josh Bell (opt-out)

James Karinchak 

Jhonkensy Noel (continued bad performance at AAA)

Arias 

Gonzalez

Brennan

That makes 18 guys (out of 42 on current roster, including 2 60-day DL guys) who might not be on our roster this winter when it is time to set it for the Rule 5 draft.  

Now it should be pointed out that losing ANY of those guys for nothing is not a good thing.  Any of the guys on the above list are, at least, the type of guy who would be traded for a late-season rental of a veteran.  Just because they aren't valuable to us doesn't mean they don't have value.  

WHO WE ARE LIKELY TO BE ADDING

From the list above for each guy we add we will have to remove one of them in some way. Highest ranked prospects who might be added during or after the season:

Daniel Espino (after season only)

Gavin Williams (only added to the 40-man if it is during the season)

Tanner Burns (after season only)

Really, looking at the minors right now, there are no other prospects who I think we would add.   People asked if we would add Daniel Espino after his latest surgery.  Given what happened with Santander and the fact that Espino is one of the top 20 prospects in all of baseball, I think the answer is yes, even if his development has been stunted the last two years.

So, at least at this early point in the season, I don't see us having a real problem adding up to 3 guys to the 40 man this winter and still leaving room for trades and FA signings.  Obviously we would have to lose prospects but as long as we can get equal, non-rule 5 eligible value for them, I think we are in a good place.