In his second season in the big leagues, former WSU slugger Kyle Manzardo is off to a strong start with the Cleveland Guardians.
While his batting average is low, at .194, he has been slugging well enough to earn regular playing time at first base and designated hitter. He has hit five home runs, a triple and two doubles, scoring nine runs while knocking in 13 runs batted in. With an on-base-percentage of .316 and a slugging percentage of .500, Manzardo currently has an OPS of .816. That is good for an OPS+ of 127, meaning so far, Manzardo has been 27% more valuable than the average hitter in 2025. He has also accumulated 0.4 Wins Above Replacement. Over the course of a full season, he would be on pace for around 4 WAR.
His latest home run came at the Pirates’ PNC Park on April 19. He became the first Guardian to hit a ball into the Allegheny River since 2001, an impressive feat that has only been achieved 82 times total since the park’s opening.
Teammate David Fry predicted before the season that Manzardo would play a big part in the Guardians offense.
“He’s going to be a force in the middle of our lineup, no doubt,” Fry said. “The pop that comes off his bat, I think he’s gonna be able to do some serious damage for us.”
He struggled in his initial stint with the Guardians in May 2024 and was sent back to the minor leagues. In his second opportunity, he finished strong with a good month of September and was able to come through with a two-run homerun in the ALCS. Manzardo said his strong postseason performance helped his confidence heading into the offseason and 2025.
“It reinforced the idea that I already had in my head, that I belonged there,” Manzardo said. “I went into the offseason feeling very motivated and inspired to go to work.”
Manager Stephen Vogt offered praise for Manzardo.
“I think we saw the differences in September and the postseason,” Vogt said.
He said Manzardo went in with a mentality that “there won’t be a conversation this year,” about whether or not he is a big league caliber player. So far, he is living up to that standard.
