Angel Martinez is our No. 18 prospect. Who should be No. 19?

Angel Martinez, who just celebrated his 20th birthday last Thursday, finds his way onto our top prospect list at No. 18.

A member of the 2018 international signing class, Martinez made an impressive professional debut in 2019, slashing .306/.402/.428 in the rookie league and showing off a patient approach at the plate and switch-hitting ability that made him a IFA target.

Martinez came out after the missed 2020 season and slashed .241/.319/.382 in Single-A last year, adding seven home runs in the process. He has some projectable power, though right now he’s not on track to be a big power threat in the majors — but seven home runs in 424 PA after missing an entire season seems like a good sign to me.

It’s the switch-hitting and advanced pitch recognition that make Martinez stand out at such a young age, along with smooth fielding at multiple infield positions. His strikeouts rose a bit last year (from 11.1% in the rookie league to 20.8% in Single-A), so maybe that’s part of the reason he slipped a position last year instead of rocketing up the list.

Luckily, time is on Angel’s side right now.

Jorge Burgos, OF (Age 20)
2021 (CPX): 123 PA, .353/.463/.461, 0 HR, 4 SB, 14.6 BB%, 21.1 K%, 153 wRC+
2021 (A): 100 PA, .293/.350/.446, 1 HR, 2 SB, 8.0 BB%, 19.0 K%, 116 wRC+

A 2019 international free agent signing, made an immediate impact upon his assignment to Single-A Lynchburg.

Tanner Burns, RHP (Age 23)
2021 (A+): 75.2 IP, 18 GS, 28.9 K%, 9.2 BB%, 3.57 ERA, 4.35 FIP

A second-round pick in 2019 who put up a rock-solid season at High-A in 2021 with above average strikeout totals and a reasonable walk rate. A workhorse last year.

Xzavion Curry, RHP (Age 23)
2021 (A): 25.1 IP, 5 GS, 40.4 K%, 4.3 BB%, 1.07 ERA, 2.08 FIP
2021 (A+): 67.2 IP, 13 GS, 29.6 K%, 4.4 BB%, 2.66 ERA, 3.99 FIP
2021 (AA): 4.2 IP, 1 GS, 25.0 K%, 0.0 BB%, 3.86 ERA, 6.94 FIP

A 2019 seventh-round pick who made his pro debut in 2021, Curry soared through three levels of Cleveland’s system while posting elite strikeout to walk ratios along the way.

Oscar Gonzalez, OF (Age 24)
2021 (AA): 188 PA, .330/.367/.601, 13 HR, 1 SB, 5.5 BB%, 18.1 K%, 159 wRC+
2021 (AAA): 290 PA, .269/.305/.503, 18 HR, 0 SB, 3.6 BB%, 24.9 K%, 111 wRC+

He doesn’t walk, he strikes out at a decent clip, but he mashes. Led all Cleveland position players in both hits and home runs in 2021.

Isaiah Greene, OF (Age 20)
2021 (CPX): 191 PA, .289/.421/.368, 1 HR, 5 SB, 18.3 BB%, 22.0 K%, 120 wRC+

Acquired as part of the Francisco Lindor trade last year, made his pro debut in the Guardians’ Florida complex.

Ethan Hankins, RHP (Age 21)
2020: DNP

Underwent Tommy John surgery last May and is not expected to pitch again until sometime mid-season.

Tobias Myers, RHP (Age 23)
2021 (AA): 59.2 IP, 10 GS, 34.2 K%, 4.2 BB%, 3.32 ERA, 3.08 FIP
2021 (AAA): 58.0 IP, 12 GS, 26.9 K%, 7.4 BB%, 4.50 ERA, 4.57 FIP

Acquired from Tampa Bay as a 40-man roster crunch casualty, Myers already found success at Triple-A at an age where several of Cleveland’s most advanced pitchers were in Single-A.

Doug Nikhazy, LHP (Age 22)
2021: Drafted 58th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft

Lefty with a fastball-curveball-cutter-changeup mix with a higher floor, but perhaps a lower ceiling.

Lenny Torres, RHP (Age 21)
2021 (A): 68.2 IP, 19 GS, 22.3 K%, 14.7 BB%, 6.29 ERA, 5.33 FIP

Missed the start of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery. Features a fastball and slider with a work-in-progress changeup.

Carson Tucker, SS (Age 20)
2021 (CPX): 25 PA, .150/.320/.300, 1 HR, 1 SB, 20.0 BB%, 16.0 K%, 75 wRC+

Guardians’ 2020 first-round pick.