From Bazzana to Lindor: Ranking the top 10 Guardians draft picks since 2000

The Guardians received a gift in the form of the draft lottery and the No. 1 overall pick more than a year ago. This year, they'll close out the first round at No. 27 after a run to the American League Championship Series last October.

The 2025 MLB Draft begins July 13, when the Guardians will have five picks in the first three rounds on the first day.

Before they add to their farm system, here are the top 10 Guardians draft picks since the 2000 amateur draft. This list won't include players who were drafted by Cleveland and then re-entered the draft the next year and selected by another team, which eliminates players like Spencer Schwellenbach, Spencer Strider, Max Muncy and others.

10. Chase DeLauter, (2022 1st round, 16th overall)

We'll start with the player for which Guardians Twitter is salivating to be called up to the majors, former first-round selection Chase DeLauter. He hasn't yet broken through to the major leagues because of a series of injuries and setbacks over the last few seasons, but he's now torching Triple-A pitching and is on the verge of getting the call to the big show.

Quite a few players could have been in this No. 10 spot, like Lonnie Chisenhall, Josh Tomlin or Logan Allen. DeLauter hasn't yet been to the majors, but he's also still ascending after a rocky few years with injuries.

9. Triston McKenzie (2015, 1st round, 42nd overall)

Triston McKenzie burst onto the scene with an electric MLB debut. He then put together a fantastic 2022 season and was a popular Cy Young candidate the ensuing spring, but injuries and command issues have him mostly pitching at the club's facility in Goodyear, Ariz.

McKenzie is still on the road back to the majors as he tries to get his career on track.

8. Gavin Williams (2021, 1st round, 23rd overall)

Gavin Williams is in the middle of a nice rebound season in the Guardians rotation after a 2024 season that was altered by injury. He looks to be establishing himself as a strong middle-of-the-rotation starter now that he's healthy.

7. Tanner Bibee (2021, 5th round, 156th overall)

Tanner Bibee is one of the Guardians' best draft values in recent years, plucking a fifth rounder and inserting him as a frontline starter. He's taken over the lead of the Guardians rotation and has a combined 3.52 ERA in the majors.

6. Travis Bazzana (2024, 1st round, 1st overall)

Last year's No. 1 overall selection, Travis Bazzana has been sidelined recently with an oblique injury, but there's a good chance that if all goes well he will reach the major leagues at some point in 2026. The Guardians are hoping he can be a franchise player as the club's first ever No. 1 overall pick.

Admittedly, this ranking for Bazzana is more based on potential, but he has the tools to be a big-time contributor at the MLB level.

5. Steven Kwan (2018, 5th round, 163 overall)

The Guardians selected Steven Kwan in the fifth round in 2018, and he's now been selected to back-to-back All-Star Games. He's given the Cleveland lineup a terrific leadoff hitter and a Gold Glover in left field.

4. Cody Allen (2011, 23rd round, 698th overall)

Perhaps the single best value the Guardians have had in the draft in the last 25 years, Cody Allen was a 23rd-round flier who ended up as one of the best relievers in franchise history. He was a key player on the 2016 team that made a run to the World Series — Andrew Miller was dominant, but in fact Allen was the reliever who never allowed an earned run that October.

Allen was actually drafted by Cleveland in back-to-back years, finally signing the second time.

3. Jason Kipnis (2009, 2nd round, 63rd overall)

Jason Kipnis was a two-time All-Star and perhaps the heart and soul of the Terry Francona-led Cleveland teams, including the 2016 squad that took the Chicago Cubs to Game 7 of the World Series. "Dirtbag" remains one of the biggest fan favorites of any of the recent Cleveland teams.

2. Shane Bieber (2016, 4th round, 122nd overall)

Shane Bieber won the 2020 American League Cy Young in dominant fashion. He's now working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Across parts of seven MLB seasons, he has a combined 3.22 ERA.

1. Francisco Lindor (2011, 1st round, 8th overall)

Francisco Lindor was the first homegrown star the Guardians drafted in quite some time. He was a four-time All-Star with Cleveland and finished top-10 in MVP voting three times before being dealt to the New York Mets.

His 53.9 fWAR since 2016, his first full season in the majors, is third among position players during that time, behind only Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts (and just ahead of Jose Ramirez, in fourth).

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Who are the Cleveland Guardians best draft picks since the year 2000?