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. Read Past Outlooks