So, there have been lots of mock drafts that have appeared for first round picks in the 2025 draft. I thought it would be a good time to take a look at the scouting grades for each of the players I have seen linked with the Guardians. For comparison sake, I have included the scouting grades of current top, recently drafted Guardians prospects. I have only included college hitters as I feel that this will be the strength of the draft when the Guardians pick at #27. I have broken this down into two groups (IF/OF or Catcher) based on what I have seen in mock drafts. As you can see below, except for Caden Bodine, all of the top college hitters who have any chance of being available when the Guardians draft are left-handed hitters.
IF or OF
Bazzana (L): 65 Hit; 60 Power; 60 Run; 50 Fifeld; 50 Arm
DeLauter (L): 50 Hit; 60 Power; 55 Run; 50 Field; 60 Arm
CJ Kayfus (L): 55 Hit; 45 Power; 45 Run; 55 Field; 45 Arm
Andrew Fischer (L): 50 Hit; 60 Power; 40 Run; 45 Field; 55 Arm
Max Belyeu L): 55 Hit; 55 Power; 50 Run; 50 Field; 60 Arm
Mason Neville (L): 45 Hit; 60 Power; 55 Run; 50 Field; 55 Arm
Ethan Conrad (L): 55 Hit; 50 Power; 55 Run; 50 Field; 50 Arm
Cam Cannella (L): 55 Hit; 40 Power; 60 Run; 60 Field; 40 Arm
For comparison sake, here are two guys who might fall to the Guardians but have not been linked to them and who, likely, will be drafted before Cleveland picks:
Jace Laviollette (L): 45 Hit; 65 Power; 55 Run; 50 Field; 55 Arm
Devin Taylor (L): 55 Hit; 60 Power; 45 Run; 45 Field; 45 Arm
CATCHER
Cooper Ingle (L): 55 Hit; 30 Power; 50 Run; 50 Field; 45 Arm
Jacob Cozart (L): 40 Hit; 50 Power; 30 Run; 55 Field; 55 Arm
Caden Bodine (S): 60 Hit; 40 Power; 30 Run; 55 Field; 50 Arm
Luke Stevenson (L): 40 Hit; 55 Power; 30 Run; 55 Field; 60 Arm
ANALYSIS
All of the guys above seem to have talents the Guardians would need. Without peeling back the onion to look at currently favored analytics (e.g., exist velocities, in-zone contact, chase) AND if you are looking for power (as I am, first and foremost) and defense and consider what this organization needs now in the next few years, the best choice would appear to be Mason Neville who looks like he will stick in CF or Andrew Fischer, if the team thinks he can stay at 3B.
I am not into any additional contact-first guys so Cannella is not for me and Conrad is only acceptable to me if Taylor, LaViollette, Fischer and Neville are gone.
As far as the catchers, I was on Bodine for a while as the next guy up if Fischer is gone but I just don't think his scouting grades reflect his numbers. He had his worst year in 2025, his draft year, and his value comes from his framing (maybe not important if we get ABS) and his hit tool, which did not show itself that much in performance this year, although the metrics say it should have. Shoulda, coulda, woulda is not what I want to base my top pick on, however, especially when I have a similar guy (Ingle) in the organization already. Stevenson, to me, is a sucker pick as he is a catcher, which is generally the worst end of round 1 demographic, and his hit tool is questionable, making him maybe a bad risk of becoming a starting catcher. And we have Cozart whose ratings seem to be similar to those of Stevenson.
Remember, the goal here is to draft a college hitter who will mature fast enough to be a force during Ramirez and Kwan current contract period (2028 for both, although Kwan would have to accept a qualifying offer for 2028).
Obviously Taylor could eventually be a replacement for Kwan if he goes elsewhere and Fischer, if his defense can stick at 3B, would be the replacement for Ramirez, if he leaves after 2028 (I hope Ramirez stays for his entire career in Cleveland!). LaViollete had an off year this year but he gives me DeLauter vibes but without the injury history. I don't think Taylor or LaViollette is around when Cleveland picks, however.
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