Ranking and grading all of the Cleveland Guardians rookies in 2022 so far

Seven rookies have debuted for the Cleveland Guardians so far in 2022 and we’re ranking them.

The Cleveland Guardians are looking for the right pieces to help get their ball club, which is 20-24 through 44 games, back on track. To do so, the Guards are looking at possible trades, the waiver wire, and of course the minor leagues. The key to prolonged success in any sport is the ability to develop your own players.

More so in baseball than anywhere else, arguably. Especially with ball clubs like Cleveland, where the fan support isn’t the best. Clubs like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees can just keep buying their talents, but the Guards have to craft them, mold them and bring them up.

So it’s not surprising that the club has already called up seven rookies this year alone. Now, a player’s service time is the key factor for who is and isn’t a rookie, but we’re ignoring that right now. If they played in 2021, no matter how many games, we’re not looking at them right now. This is just for the players who debuted in the Majors for 2022.

I may have missed one or two guys, so if I did, let me know in the comments. That said, let’s look at the team’s rookies.

Ranking and Grading the Cleveland Guardians rookies so far

7. C Bryan Lavastida – 6 Games, 15 PA

".083/.267/.083 OPS .3501 hit, 3 walks"

Clearly called up too soon, Bryan Lavastida struggled out of the gate. He failed to produce in any meaningful way and considering how low the bar is for the Guardians at catcher, that’s saying something. Hopefully, some more time in the minors will help.

Grade: F

6. RP Kirk McCarty – 1 Game

"12.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 4 hits, 4 runs, 4 earned runs, 2 home runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts"

Kirk McCarty wasn’t expected to be a big contributor this year and was really just here to help give guys a rest. That doesn’t mean his lone game was a very positive memory for anyone who saw it.

Grade: F

5. RP Tanner Tully – 1 Game

"4.50 ERA, 2.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 run, 1 earned run, 1 home run, 1 walk"

As with Kirk McCarty, Tanner Tully wasn’t called up for a long spell, just one game so far, but he didn’t exactly impress.

Grade: C-

4. OF Oscar Gonzalez – 4 Games, 14 PA

".438/.438/.563 OPS 1.000No RBIs,  1 run"

Just called up recently, Oscar Gonzales has looked good, and has gotten on base in every single one of the games he’s played in so far. That’s a good start, but needs a bigger sample size for a higher grade.

Grade: C+

3. LHP Konnor Pilkington – 5 Games, 2 Starts

"3.75 ERA, 12.0 IP, 12 hits, 5 runs, 5earned runs, 8 walks, 15 strikeouts"

A bit up and down, Konnor Pilkington has obvious potential but trying to adjust from a reliever to a starter mid-season isn’t easy.

Grade C+

2. OF Richie Palacios – 14 Games, 45 PA

"302/.333/.349, OPS .6823 RBI, 2 runs, 2 BB"

Certainly needs a larger sample size but so far Richie Palacios may just be a regular, everyday, outfielder at this rate for the Cleveland Guardians.

Grade: B

1. OF Steven Kwan – 36 Games, 146 PA

".244/.349/.350, OSP .69913 RBIs, 21 runs, 9 XH, 18 BB"

While he’s slumping a bit when it comes to his swing, Steven Kwan is still getting on base at a fairly good clip. Only Jose Ramirez has a better on-base percentage than Kwan does.

Grade: B+