Joey Cantillo

Joey Cantillo

25-Year-Old PitcherSP
Cleveland Guardians
2025 Fantasy Outlook
A 6-foot-4 lefty from Hawaii who was first ranked as a top 400 prospect back in 2018, Cantillo posted some intriguing metrics (31.1 Whiff%, 27.0 K%, 48.1 GB%, 99th percentile extension) across 38.2 innings last season working primarily as a starter for the Guardians. He had a 4.17 FIP, 3.45 xFIP and 17.7 K-BB% in eight starts, although his surface stats were less glowing (5.11 ERA 1.35 WHIP). His elite extension and slightly above-average induced vertical break allow his 92.2 mph four-seamer to play up, while his changeup and curveball will flash plus. His run in the majors was the first time Cantillo logged a walk rate below 10 percent above rookie ball since he was at Single-A in 2019, and he doesn't have much margin for error if his fastball once again sits in the low-90s. Still, Cantillo figures to open the year in the rotation for a good team with a good defense in a pitcher-friendly park, and there were enough encouraging signs last year to buy him as a cheap breakout candidate. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
Rest of Season From Preseason
#418
ADP
$Signed a one-year contract with the Guardians in March of 2024.
Opening season in bullpen
PCleveland Guardians
March 24, 2025
Cantillo will open the season in the Guardians' bullpen, Tim Stebbins of MLB.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Cantillo lost out on the fifth spot in Cleveland's rotation but will be included on its Opening Day roster as a reliever. The left-hander made eight starts and one relief appearance last season, collecting a 4.89 ERA and 44:15 K:BB over 38.2 frames. Cantillo could still be considered for starts at some point later this season.
Read More News
Pitching Stats
Loading Pitching Stats...
2025
2024
2025 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
2024 MLB Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Scoring
FanDuel
DraftKings
Yahoo DFS
Sorare
Loading Pitching Game Log...
Minor League Game Log
calculator icon
Calculate Stats Over Time
Just click on any two dates.
Loading Minor League Pitching Game Log...
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2023
 
 
-35%
BAA vs RHP
2025
No Stats
2024
 
 
-35%
BAA vs RHP
2023
No Stats
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2023vs Left .324 42 10 5 12 2 0 3
Since 2023vs Right .209 121 34 10 23 9 0 3
2025vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024vs Left .324 42 10 5 12 2 0 3
2024vs Right .209 121 34 10 23 9 0 3
2023vs Left 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023vs Right 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2023
 
 
-46%
ERA at Home
2025
No Stats
2024
 
 
-46%
ERA at Home
2023
No Stats
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2023Home 3.38 1.29 18.2 1 2 0 11.6 2.9 0.0
Since 2023Away 6.30 1.30 20.0 1 2 0 9.0 4.1 2.7
2025Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2025Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2024Home 3.38 1.29 18.2 1 2 0 11.6 2.9 0.0
2024Away 6.30 1.30 20.0 1 2 0 9.0 4.1 2.7
2023Home 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Prospect Rankings History
Advanced Pitching Stats
Loading Advanced Pitching Stats...
Defensive Stats
Loading MLB Defensive Stats...
Stats Vs Today's Lineup
Want more matchup stats?
Loading Matchup Stats...
Our full team depth charts are reserved for RotoWire subscribers.
Subscribe Now
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Joey Cantillo See More
Spring Training Job Battles: Final AL Update
3 days ago
Catch up on the players who won jobs in the final days of camp around the American League, including Cam Smith of the Astros.
Spring Training Job Battles: American League Update
8 days ago
Several job battles have been settled around the American League, including the Royals' fifth starter job, which appears to have been won by Kris Bubic.
The Z Files: Normalizing the ATC Pitching Projections
17 days ago
Todd Zola tries to remove volume from the equation when determining the value of pitchers, and finds that the market may have over-corrected on Logan Webb.
Mound Musings: A Look at Pitching in the AL Central
22 days ago
Brad Johnson tackles the American League Central, and in Detroit ace Tarik Skubal flashed his massive upside in 2024 and will be at the top of the rotation for the Tigers.
Spring Training Job Battles: AL Central
29 days ago
Plenty of starting spots are available in the AL Central this spring, including a pair at the back of the Tigers' rotation, where Jackson Jobe seems to have a pretty clear path.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2024
2021
Cantillo isn't perfect, but he's a four-pitch lefty who can touch 98 mph with his fastball, and he threw 95 innings at Triple-A last season. Cantillo hasn't had a walk rate below 11 percent in a full-season league since he had a 7.3 percent walk rate at Low-A in 2019 when he was still a member of the Padres organization. However, the 12.9 percent walk rate he logged with automated balls and strikes at Triple-A is passable by his standards, as walk rates were elevated across the board at Triple-A last year. Cantillo has been limited by injuries (shoulder in 2022, abdomen in 2021) and the 119.1 innings he tallied in 2023 were a career high -- the only other time he eclipsed 100 innings was when he spun 111.2 innings in 2019. He has a career 2.13 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 93 innings at Double-A, and he will look to pitch up to those standards in a return to Triple-A. The Guardians will always have opportunities for pre-arbitration starting pitchers, and if Cantillo can throw enough strikes, he has the stuff to rack up strikeouts with middling ratios.
Cantillo was one of three prospects acquired by Cleveland for star right-hander Mke Clevinger at the trade deadline last season. Though he has yet to pitch above High-A, Cantillo has impressed as a minor-leaguer thus far, registering a 2.51 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 11.8 K/9 across 168.2 innings, primarily as a starter. There would be considerably more buzz about the southpaw if he threw substantial heat, but his fastball tops out in the low 90s, providing some concern about how well his stuff will play as he moves up to face more advanced hitters. As it stands, Cantillo's changeup is easily his best pitch, and it's reasonable to expect the offering to carry him to the big leagues within a few seasons. Whether Cantillo is able to ascend beyond the level of a back-end starter will likely depend on his ability to add velocity and/or master his still-developing curveball.
More Fantasy News
Works out of bullpen
PCleveland Guardians
March 21, 2025
Cantillo allowed three runs on two hits and one walk while striking out one over one inning of relief in Friday's spring game against San Francisco.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Makes third spring start
PCleveland Guardians
March 8, 2025
Cantillo allowed three hits and two walks while striking out one over three scoreless innings in Friday's spring start against the Athletics.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Chased early Saturday
PCleveland Guardians
March 2, 2025
Cantillo allowed four runs on three hits and four walks while striking out two over one inning in Saturday's spring start against the Cubs.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Pounds zone Monday
PCleveland Guardians
February 24, 2025
Cantillo allowed one hit and struck out three over two scoreless innings in Monday's spring game against Arizona.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.
Hit hard in loss
PCleveland Guardians
September 27, 2024
Cantillo (2-4) took the loss Friday against Houston, pitching 3.2 innings while allowing three runs on six hits and two walks. He struck out seven.
ANALYSIS
Subscribe now to instantly reveal our take on this news.