Here are Guardians' Draft picks from Day 2

The Guardians opened the 2025 MLB Draft on Sunday by honing in on powerful hitters with big frames over the course of their first five selections. That included first-round pick Jace LaViolette, an outfielder whom Cleveland landed with the No. 27 Draft pick out of Texas A&M.

Cleveland continued its run on adding bats early on Day 2 of the Draft on Monday. All said, their class features close to an even split of hitters (10) and pitchers (12), though that was more a product of Cleveland taking the best players on its board rather than a specific strategy.

“Every round, every time you pick, you don't know exactly who's going to be on the board,” Guardians senior vice president of scouting Paul Gillispie said on Monday. “I think we probably felt that a little bit more this year, maybe, than in past years. … With all the information that you have and the tools at your disposal, you just try to make the best selection for the organization.”

Here is a rundown of whom the Guardians selected on Monday.

Luke Hill, INF
Round 4 (No. 132 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Ole Miss
Calling Card: Hill fits the mold of other infielders whom the Guardians have employed in recent memory. He has a good command of the strike zone and makes consistent contact, and has defensive versatility. The 21-year-old slashed .336/.459/.488 with eight homers, 18 stolen bases, 46 walks and just 43 strikeouts in 2025 with Ole Miss, while splitting his time between second and third base.
Quote: “He makes a lot of contact. He got into some power this year, stole some bases as well. It’s a pretty well-rounded game, well-rounded profile. … He had a really nice year and he just has a really well-rounded offensive profile, highlighted and driven by his ability to make consistent contact.” -- Gillispie

More on the Guardians' 2025 Draft:

• Guardians boost OF power, grab LaViolette with No. 27 overall pick
• Guardians Draft Tracker
• What to watch on Day 2

Riley Nelson, 1B
Round 5 (No. 162 overall)
Bats/throws: L/R
School: Vanderbilt
Calling Card: Nelson’s hit tool stands out. While he hit just eight homers for the Commodores in 2025, he slashed .344/.450/.526 slash line with 47 RBIs and 34 walks compared to just 36 strikeouts over 60 games. The 21-year-old transferred to Vanderbilt for the ‘25 season, after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons with Western Texas College and Yavapai College.
Quote: “He’s led his team in hitting everywhere he’s gone. It’s a little bit of a different profile for a first baseman; it’s a little bit more of a hit over power profile.” -- MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis

Nelson Keljo, LHP
Round 6 (No. 192 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Oregon State
Calling Card: Keljo’s fastball has good deception and life, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. It sits around 93 mph and touches 97-98 mph. He opened 2025 as Oregon State’s Friday night starter before moving into a relief role, and all said, he recorded a 4.01 ERA with 63 strikeouts and 33 walks in 58 1/3 innings over 17 games (including 11 starts). At 6-foot-4 and with an arsenal that also features a mid-80s mph changeup and a slider, he has the traits of a potential starter, and also could develop into an intriguing reliever. The Guardians are viewing him as a starter right now.
Quote: “There’s really good deception, especially in shorter stints. … The changeup has taken a very nice step forward. So maybe he’s a fastball-changeup kind of reliever when all is said and done. He goes right after hitters.” -- MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo

Will McCausland, RHP
Round 7 (No. 222 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Ole Miss
Calling Card: McCausland features a low to mid-90s mph fastball that has been up to 95 mph. With it, he recorded 55 strikeouts compared to just 11 walks in 41 2/3 innings for Ole Miss in 2025, to go along with a 4.32 ERA, after transferring from Saint Joe’s. Gillispie noted the Guardians are thinking about him as a starter, based upon his arsenal, delivery, arm action and the movement quality on his pitches.

Anthony Martinez, 1B
Round 8 (No. 252 overall)
Bats/throws: L/R
School: UC Irvine
Calling Card: Martinez has a stellar hit tool and makes contact consistently with few strikeouts. He slashed .316/.387/.451 with five homers, 14 walks and 24 strikeouts over 52 games this past season.
Quote: “This kind of left-handed hitter fits what the Guardians like to do a lot with hitters. If they can tease a little bit more loft out of that swing, there’s some strength and raw pop to get to. He clearly has a really good approach at the plate.” -- Mayo

Ryan Prager, LHP
Round 9 (No. 282 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Texas A&M
Calling Card: Prager returned to college after the Angels selected him in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft. His fastball sits at 89-91 mph and has great ride, and it touches 93 mph. He recorded a 2.95 ERA in 97 2/3 innings over 19 starts in 2024, for an Aggies team that advanced to the College World Series finals. Prager had a 4.21 ERA in 83 1/3 innings over 15 starts in ‘25. The Guardians’ view is he has a high-percentage chance to remain a starter long term, Gillispie said.
Quote: “His stuff was down [in 2025], but at his best, he’s a pitchability lefty with a very good changeup who can command multiple pitches.” -- Callis

Harrison Bodendorf, LHP
Round 10 (No. 312 overall)
Bats/throws: R/L
School: Oklahoma State
Calling Card: Bodendorf has a unique delivery that creates deception on the mound, making it challenging to pick up the ball out of his hand. He wracked up 102 strikeouts with 28 walks in 92 2/3 innings over 17 games (including 16 starts) in 2025. The southpaw pitched for Hawaii from 2023-24.
Quote: “The fastball sits around 90 [mph], although it’s deceptive. [He has a] good slow release, and it does have some carry. It’s more fastball deception plus changeup, and he’ll mix in a breaking ball to keep you off-balance.” -- Callis

Tyler Howard, catcher
Round 11 (No. 342 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: University of Portland (Oregon)
Calling Card: Howard had a knack for getting on base. He hit .360 and had a .474 on-base percentage for the Pilots as a junior this past season, and he drew 43 walks with just 36 strikeouts. He had more of a contact than power hit tool in college; Howard hit six homers over 92 games. The Guardians are confident in his ability to stick behind the plate.
Quote: “Our staff is pretty excited about his defensive chops but also his ability to control the strike zone and make a lot of contact.” -- Gillispie

Ryan DeSanto, pitcher
Round 12 (No. 372 overall)
Bats/throws: L/L
School: Penn State
Calling Card: DeSanto’s fastball averaged around 88 mph in 2025, but it featured big spin rates that helped it generate a 24-percent whiff rate, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. He also features an upper-70s mph slider and a changeup. DeSanto posted a 3.96 ERA with 72 strikeouts and 30 walks in 72 2/3 innings over 15 starts in ‘25.

Aaron Savary, pitcher
Round 13 (No. 402 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Iowa
Calling Card: Savary struck out 82 compared to 33 walks in 80 1/3 innings over 15 starts with the Hawkeyes in 2025. The right-hander was Iowa’s 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year during his preps career.

Anthony Silva, shortstop
Round 14 (No. 432 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: TCU
Calling Card: Silva is known as a plus defender at shortstop and he also played second and third base in 2024 in the Cape Cod League. He demonstrated a good hit tool at TCU. He slashed .283/.350/.425 over 59 games as a junior in 2025.
Quote: “[He’s] just a really intriguing player who’s had a really strong career, and we're excited to bring him into the organization.” -- Gillispie

Evan Chrest, pitcher
Round 15 (No. 462 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Florida State
Calling Card: Chrest only made four starts for FSU in 2025, after he transferred from Jacksonville, due to injury. His fastball has reportedly been clocked around 91-93 mph, and he also features a cutter and changeup. He posted a 2.70 ERA with 11 strikeouts and five walks over 16 2/3 innings this past season.
Quote: “Similar to some of the guys that have had injury histories in the past, we want to make sure we get him into the organization [first and foremost]. We're going to get everybody to Arizona here as soon as possible, partner with them, making sure everything feels good, everything's in place. Make sure the attention to detail is there with the injuries that they've had.” -- Gillispie

Luke Fernandez, pitcher
Round 16 (No. 492 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Wallace State CC (Alabama)
Calling Card: Fernandez’s strikeout numbers jump off the page. He struck out 227 batters in 165 2/3 innings over 28 games (26 starts) over two seasons with Wallace State Community College. He was named the 2025 NJCAA Division I Baseball Pitcher of the Year after he recorded a 1.34 ERA and 127 punchouts in 80 2/3 innings over 13 starts.
Quote: "Luke Fernandez is the most complete pitcher I've ever coached. In my opinion, he's the most dominant pitcher the Alabama JUCO system has ever had. Congratulations to Luke on winning this most deserving award.” -- Wallace State head baseball coach Randy Putman

Cannon Peebles, catcher
Round 17 (No. 522 overall)
Bats/throws: S/R
School: Tennessee
Calling Card: Peebles slashed .253/.335/.483 with 11 homers and 41 RBIs over 52 games as a junior this past season. He had a noticeable spike in power from 2024, when he hit just two homers in 54 games on Tennessee's College World Series championship team. Like Howard, the Guardians think he has a good chance to stick behind the plate.
Quote: “[He’s] a guy who's been around for a while, had some success, national championship. He has some of those leadership qualities that you look for in a catcher.” -- Gillispie

Zane Petty, pitcher
Round 18 (No. 552 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Texas Tech
Calling Card: An 13th-round pick by the Brewers in the 2022 Draft, Petty honored his college commitment. As a junior this past season, the right-hander recorded a 5.92 ERA in 62 1/3 innings over 14 games (12 starts).

Derek Munoz, pitcher
Round 19 (No. 582 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Miami Christian School (Florida)
Calling Card: One of the younger players in the 2025 Draft class, Munoz will not turn 18 until Sept. 21. He already has a big frame, being listed at 6-foot-2, 196 pounds, and wields a fastball that sits in the low-90s and is up to 96 mph. The Guardians are intrigued by his heater and the vertical attack angle he can create.
Quote: “[In the later rounds], you're doing everything you can to shake as many bushes as you can, turn over as many rocks as you can, to find value for the organization. Kudos to our scouts who were able to identify him and help the organization get to know him, so that we feel comfortable bringing him in.” -- Gillispie

Vaughn Neckar, pitcher
Round 20 (No. 612 overall)
Bats/throws: R/R
School: Vista Murrieta High School (California)
Calling Card: Another preps arm with a big frame, Neckar is listed at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds. He reportedly features a fastball that sits 93-95 mph, and a slider, curveball and changeup. Neckar is committed to Oklahoma.
Quote: “We've got to see how things play out here over the next several days. We're going to be in contact with him. Of course, we've had communication with him, and we just need to see how things play out.” -- Gillispie