Kyle Manzard is still waiting for his first major league hit. The Cleveland Guardians' No. 2 prospect has now appeared in two major league games, but his 18 innings were tough for the 24-year-old.
Manzardo has seven at-bats. However, he is 0-for-7 in those appearances and has already had five strikeouts.His plate presence isn't very good
No, this is not an ideal start for Manzardo's career, but let's not overreact to this. Even the best prospects and players go through slumps and struggles, and that's what Steven Vogt focuses on.
“It's hard to hit here,” Vogt said after Manzardo's debut. “He's here, he's earned it, just be yourself. Everybody's going to have a three-strikeout game, and if you don't, you haven't been here long enough. .”
May 6, 2024. Cleveland, Ohio, USA. Cleveland Guardians designated hitter Kyle Manzard, 9, walks to home plate before taking his first MLB at-bat in the bottom of the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Progressive Field. Required Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
David Richard – USA TODAY Sports
“I think over and over again, players come up and we expect them to be perfect. They make little mistakes and we ignore them and play this game. I understand that no matter how long you've been playing, you're always going to make mistakes.”
Through 109 at-bats in the minors, Manzardo posted a .303 batting average, a .375 OBP, and a 1.017 OPS, including nine home runs and 20 RBIs. It's worth noting that he also started late in Triple-A in early April.
Manzard would do that well, but he's too good a hitter for that to happen. We have to be patient and ultimately he will be a big contributor to this Guardians offense.
