Kyle Manzardo

It was a roller coaster of a 2023 season for Manzardo, but the dust has settled and he has a chance to compete for a spot in Cleveland's Opening Day lineup. The 23-year-old first baseman/designated hitter came into the year widely considered one of the best pure hitters in the minors. He set new career exit velocity highs (112 mph), but through his first 73 games Manzardo logged an unlucky .238/.342/.442 line that was below average (95 wRC+) in the International League. He was dealing with an off-field issue related to the health of a family member, so his mind understandably may not have always been on baseball. Manzardo, who missed time in the middle of the season with a shoulder injury, was traded at the deadline from the Rays to the Guardians in exchange for Aaron Civale. It was a positive move for his fantasy value, as he pretty clearly profiles as Josh Naylor's long-term 1B/DH counterpart, whereas Tampa Bay is still crowded. Manzardo mashed after the trade (six home runs, .333 ISO, 15.2 K%) in 21 games at Triple-A and also slugged over .500 in the Arizona Fall League. As things stand, Manzardo figures to compete for the big-league roster this spring. He is traditionally much better against righties than lefties, so whenever he makes his big-league debut, it could be on the strong side of a platoon.

Known as one of the best pure college hitters in the 2021 draft, Manzardo was a nice FYPD sleeper for dynasty, but he was available for the Rays in the second round due to his defensive limitations (first base and DH only) and perceived lack of impact power. The hit tool was even better than advertised - he projects as a 70-grade hitter - and the power appears to be well ahead of where public scouts thought it would be. Manzardo logged a 33.5 Hard%, .328/.427/.619 slash line, 16.4 K%, 14.9 BB% and 22 home runs in 93 games between High-A and Double-A. He has garnered some Vinnie Pasquantino comps, but Manzardo was two years younger than Pasquantino when he laid waste to those levels of the minors, and is therefore a more well-regarded prospect at the same stage of development. The pesky Rays are rightfully not to be trusted when it comes to projecting regular playing time for young players, but Manzardo is unequivocally the best hitter to come through this system since Wander Franco, so he could be the exception to the rule. The lefty-hitting Manzardo doesn't have to be added to the 40-man roster in 2023, so he would really have to kick the door down in order to debut this season. He had an .819 OPS against same-handed pitching, so while a platoon is possible, it isn't guaranteed.