A couple of lefty pitchers and a Julio Franco memory.
I knew the name, a lefty from Florida State picked by Cleveland in the second round in 2022. Now, I have a clear mental picture of him after watching Messick throw three scoreless innings against Seattle in the Spring Breakout game that was televised on MLB Network Friday.
This is a super idea. Pair up two teams and have them pick their top young prospects — then play a game. Televise it. Why not do it a few times in spring training for the hardcore fans who love to follow their team’s prospects. The Guardians started Messick vs. Seattle’s prime prospects. Messick delivered three scoreless innings, fanning five. His fastball was in the 93-96 mph range. Best of all, he had a sneaky slider that dove away from right-handed hitters.Gotta love how Akron Zips handle MAC tourney pressure — Terry Pluto The 24-year-old was the ACC Pitcher of the Year in 2021. He was a second-round pick in 2022. He struck out 165 in 134 innings between Class A Lake County and Class AA Akron. He opened the season with a 3.57 ERA at Lake County andWhat about Tugboat? The Guardians play near the shores of Lake Erie — a perfect place for a lefty with the nickname of Tugboat. We’re talking about Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson, who gave up three runs in 2 1/3 innings. After a rocky start, he retired 7 of the last 9 batters he faced. Tugboat is a 6-foot-1, 270-pound lefty who is from British Columbia. He was a 10th-round pick in the 2023 draft out of Central Arizona Junior College. In 2024 , Tugboat had an 8-6 record and 1.90 ERA between Lynchburg and Lake County — both Class A teams. The most impressive part was 174 strikeouts in 119 innings. He is primarily a side-arming lefty. I expected more velocity, even though I heard he threw mostly in the low 90’s mph. That was his fastball Friday night. He has a sharp slider, although that motion can lead to a few hanging “Hit Me” breaking balls. Big pitchers like Tugboat are fun to watch. Like Messick, he has excellent control. Both averaged 2.9 walks per nine innings last season. Will Tugboat be a star? Probably not. But a lefty who throws strikes even with a below average fastball can find an MLB job in the bullpen if he doesn’t make it as a starter.I saw Angel Genao in a game at Lake County last season. He looked really thin. He’s now listed at 6-foot, 150 pounds and seems to have added some weight and muscle. That’s important because this guy is going to be a big leaguer, and some strength on that frame can help him rise quickly. Genao batted .330 with 38 doubles and 10 HR between Lynchburg and Lake County last season. He’ll turn 21 on May 19. He’s a switch-hitting shortstop who seems born to play baseball. Nearly every move is fluid and confident. In some ways, he reminds me of a very young Julio Franco — although that’s probably an unfair label to put on Genao. Franco was a rookie at 24 when Cleveland traded for him in 1983. He was listed at 6-foot, 160 pounds back then. He was a career .310 hitter in the minors, then played 23 MLB seasons. Franco’s frame filled out and he developed power later in his career. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft, Cleveland's Travis Bazzana will begin his first full pro season in 2025.I wonder if he’s pressing. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB draft, the second baseman from Oregon State was 0 for 4 with a walk in Friday’s game. He didn’t hit the ball hard. He’s seen some action in MLB spring games and is 2 for 12 with a homer and a double. He’s fanned four times. I saw him at Lake County last season, he went 1 for 4 with a single to left field. A lefty hitter, Bazzana batted .238 with three HR and 12 RBI in 122 plate appearances for Lake County in 2024. Bazzana is only 22. I talked at length with him after that game in Lake County last season. He is driven to succeed. Unlike some high draft picks, he doesn’t seem to have a sense of entitlement. He was an elite college hitter for powerhouse Oregon State in 2024. My sense is he needs to go somewhere — be it back to Lake County or Akron — and just play.If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation.and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our
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