What CLE Needs in 2026
1. Don't steal Jobu's rum. 2. No rubber chickens. 3. Draft sluggers.
Maybe it was just me, but this past year, there seemed to be more talk than ever before about HR-, BB-, and K-rates. Don’t get me wrong, those stats can be instructive, but are seldom determinative. I.e., they sometimes tell you one thing a slumping player might work on, but they tell you very little about why a given hitter (or team) is successful.
E.g., the all-time MLB strikeout king (among batters) is Mr. October, Reggie Jackson. Vladimir Guerrero Sr. was basically impossible to walk — he used to swing at (and hit!) pitches that bounced in front of home plate. And, of Ichiro Suzuki’s 3,089 MLB hits, 2,972 of them were not HRs. Yet all three guys were clear-cut Hall of Famers.
Relatedly, much was made in 2025 of TOR’s ultra-low K-rate (17.8%). But, KCR, MIA, ARI, HOU, and NYM were 2nd, 4th, 7th, 8th, and 9th; they all missed the playoffs. BOS, CIN, SEA, NYY, and DET ranked 21st, 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 27th. They all got in. Apparently, strikeout rates aren’t that important — at least not in isolation.
What about taking walks? Well, NYY (10.2%) and LAD (9.4%) led MLB, but non-playoff teams ATL, SFG, NYM, PIT, and ARI were 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th, and 9th on that list. HRs are a similar story. LAA, NYM, ATH, and ARI were in the top ten, yet didn’t qualify for the postseason. Yet the Padres got in despite being ranked 28th in jacks.
So, I was a bit amused to see the recent hand-wringing and pearl-clutching that CLE’s OF produced just 57 HRs in 2025. “Oh, no!” Relax, everybody; that’s the same as PHI, and four more than MIL! Still, it’s concerning that CLE ranked 29th in SLG and 27th in ISO (SLG minus AVG). CLE was also 29th in OBP & wRAA. Yikes!
Okay, let’s review Cleveland’s first-round draft picks since 2000 (E&OE):
2001: Dan Denham, RHP, Deer Valley HS
2002: Jeremy Guthrie, RHP, Stanford
2003: Michael Aubrey, 1B, Tulane
2004: Jeremy Sowers, LHP, Vanderbilt
2005: Trevor Crowe, CF, Arizona
2006: David Huff, LHP, UCLA
2007: Beau Mills, 1B, Lewis-Clark State
2008: Lonnie Chinsenhall, SS, Pitt CC
2009: Alex White, RHP, North Carolina
2010: Drew Pomeranz, LHP, Ole Miss
2011: Francisco Lindor, SS, Montverde Academy
2012: Tyler Naquin, P/OF, Texas A&M
2013: Clint (Jackson) Frazier, OF, Loganville HS
2014: Bradley Zimmer, OF, San Francisco
2015: Brady Aiken, LHP, IMG Academy
2016: Will Benson, OF, Westminster Schools
2017: Tyler Freeman, SS, Etiwanda HS
2018: Bo Naylor, C, St. Joan of Arc CSS
2019: Daniel Espino, P, Georgia Premier Academy
2020: Carson Tucker, SS, Mountain Pointe HS
Overall, not insane. Mostly durable, proven collegiate pitchers, and speedy high schoolers with great gloves. Plus, ya know, Lindor. However, it’s hard not to notice how relatively few sluggers are in the mix. Averaging one every five years simply isn’t enough. And, since CLE will never spend big, they have to draft big(ger).
Chase DeLauter, OF, James Madison (‘22), and Ralphy Velazquez, C, Huntington Beach HS (‘23), were a good start. Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State (‘24), is a keeper (though nominative determinism says he’ll someday play for the Savannah Bananas). Lastly, Jace LaViolette, OF, Texas A&M (‘25), is bigly (I had him in the Top Ten).
Normally, I end by saying what I think the team should do. But, in this case, they’re already doing it. Thanks to free agency, there aren’t true dynasties in MLB anymore, but I predict that CLE will be a perennial contender for years to come. They have always drafted well and are getting better. They are patient. They develop. They win.