Fall League Scouting Report: Cleveland Guardians’ Kyle Manzardo

The Cleveland Guardians took a bold measurement erstwhile they traded right-handed starter Aaron Civale, their champion pitcher astatine nan time, to nan Tampa Bay Rays.

Civale, 28, was pitching good aft returning from wounded pinch nan Guardians. He had a 5-2 record, and a 2.34 ERA successful 13 Cleveland starts earlier being traded to nan Rays connected July 31. The Guardians received left-handed hitting first baseman Kyle Manzardo successful return.

Guardians fans, and arsenic reported by respective media outlets, Guardians players, were very upset astatine nan waste and acquisition of their champion starting pitcher for a imaginable position player.

At nan clip of nan waste and acquisition deadline deal, nan Guardians were still successful nan American League Central Division hunt to triumph nan division.

After nan trade, Civale vanished nan play going 2-3 for nan Rays, pitching to a 5.36 ERA successful his 10 starts.

About Kyle Manzardo:

At nan clip of his waste and acquisition to nan Guardians, Manzardo, 23, was connected nan Rays Injured List pinch a barking enarthrosis astatine Triple-A Durham.

Manzardo deed .238/.342/.442/.783 pinch 19 doubles, 1 triple, 11 location runs, and 38 RBIs successful 313 sheet appearances successful Triple-A earlier nan trade. He played 73 games for Durham.

The Guardians judge Manzardo will beryllium capable to adhd overmuch needed tally accumulation to nan team’s underachieving offense.

Manzardo is 6-0, 205 pounds, which is simply a humble framework for a first baseman.

A 2nd information action of nan Rays successful nan 2021 draught retired of Washington State University, MLB.com indicated Manzardo reportedly received a signing prize of $747,500.

Major League Baseball’s suggested worth for his draught slot was $1.08 million.

Manzardo was calved successful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He played for Lake City High School, wherever his dada was nan coach of nan team.

Manzardo past went to Washington State, wherever he was hitting good earlier nan COVID pandemic unopen down shot and nan world.

Manzardo has nan favoritism of being nan first Washington State subordinate to beryllium named a First-Team All American since John Olerud accomplished that feat successful 1988.

In 3 seasons astatine Washington State, Manzardo deed .336 pinch 37 doubles, a triple, 16 location runs and 105 RBIs. He had 149 full hits, and group a Washington State grounds pinch a 43-game hitting streak.

Scouting Kyle Manzardo:

Manzardo is now playing arsenic portion of nan Guardians contingent successful nan Arizona Fall League.

This scout has observed a awesome number of Manzardo’s Fall League games.

His expertise to make accordant interaction is 1 value that sets Manzardo apart. It has been a uncommon juncture erstwhile this perceiver has seen Manzardo plaything and miss a transportation successful nan onslaught zone.

Manzardo’s sheet subject is superb.

With a bully knowledge of nan onslaught zone, Manzardo is patient, and waits for a transportation he tin drive. He doesn’t attack an at-bat looking to destruct nan baseball. Rather, his plaything is appropriately strong, without being agelong and retired of control.

Manzardo has capable loft successful his plaything to return a shot retired of immoderate park, but his line-drives to nan right/center spread shape a focal constituent of his violative game.

Manzardo does not onslaught this perceiver arsenic a hitter who will execute precocious exit velocity. Rather, he will tube nan ball, and beryllium satisfied to plaything wrong his ain comfortableness level.

One tin task much powerfulness arsenic Manzardo wholly completes his beingness maturation. He whitethorn adhd spot arsenic he continues organizational spot and conditioning programs.

Defensively, this scout has recovered Manzardo to beryllium an mean first baseman.

Manzardo is alternatively slow afoot, and he isn’t nan astir agile and lithe defender astir first base. He will make each nan expected plays, but his scope is alternatively limited.

Summary:

One tin easy spot why an statement that seeks coagulated interaction hitters would waste and acquisition for Kyle Manzardo.

Disciplined astatine nan plate, Manzardo uses beardown hands and wrists to thrust nan shot to nan right/center section gap.

Capable of utilizing nan full field, Manzardo projects to adhd powerfulness arsenic his framework continues to develop, and arsenic he takes advantage of nan Guardians organizational spot building programs.

In request of tally producing hitters, 1 tin spot why nan Guardians traded starter Aaron Civale from their pitching extent to get Manzardo from nan Rays successful July.

At nan commencement of Arizona Fall League play November 2, Manzardo is hitting .257/.345/.568/.913 pinch six doubles, a triple, 5 location runs, and 15 RBIs successful 84 sheet appearances.

Manzardo will participate successful nan Fall League’s November 4 Home Run Derby.

While Manzardo whitethorn request a last spot of tuning astatine Triple-A to commencement nan season, it will beryllium easy to task Manzardo and Josh Naylor sharing nan first base/designated hitter roles for Cleveland successful nan future.