As a second-round draft pick in 2021, former Coug Kyle Manzardo is making waves in the big leagues. Two seasons in and he has already made himself a cornerstone of the Cleveland Guardians.
After two years in the Tampa Bay pipeline, Cleveland snatched up the slugging first baseman, trading away starting pitcher Aaron Civale in 2024. Manzardo’s first year as a Guardian only featured him in 53 games, but he still managed to make his presence known.
Five home runs, 15 RBIs, a 0.234 average, 0.421 slugging percentage and a 0.703 OPS. That was the debut season that won Manzardo a starting spot in 2025.
Then-freshman infielder Kyle Manzardo waits for an incoming pitch, March 28, 2019.
What was more impressive was his production in October. In the 2024 post-season, Manzardo batted 0.316 with a 0.526 slugging percentage and a 0.842 OPS. It is safe to say this rookie showed up in October.
With an eyebrow-raising debut and an explosive postseason showing, it was no surprise to see Manzardo play 142 games in 2025. Some may expect the larger sample size to reveal the flaws in his game, but that was not the case.
In 2025, Manzardo batted 0.234, slugged 0.455, had a 0.768 OPS, hit 27 home runs, 110 hits and 70 RBIs. That production ranked him No. 2 on the team for home runs, RBIs, slugging and OPS, as well as No. 3 for average and hits. Beating him out in most metrics were the usual suspects: Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan.
In just two seasons, Manzardo is already neck and neck with two Hall of Fame-contending talents. In simple terms, he is in good company.
For Coug fans, this performance is not surprising. During his time on the Palouse, Manzardo separated himself from the pack. A career 0.336 average, 0.533 slugging, 0.937 OPS, 37 doubles and 16 home runs was his final bill in the Crimson and Gray. Although he only played three years as a Cougar, he improved each season, culminating in a dominant 2021 campaign.
In 2021, Manzardo slashed 0.365, 0.437 and 0.640. He led the team in average, slugging, hits, RBIs, doubles, home runs and total bases.
Junior infielder Kyle Manzardo catches a pass in an attempt to pick off a runner during the game against Seattle U on March 6 at Bailey-Brayton Field.
Manzardo was far and away the best name on Bailey-Brayton, not just at the plate, but also in the field. In 2021, he had a fielding percentage of 0.991, off only three errors. With the second-most total chances, he led the team in double plays and was No. 2 for total putouts. With that being his junior year, it made sense that Manzardo declared for the draft early.
His meteoric rise through the Cougs and his current meteoric rise through the pros should have every Coug fan on the edge of their seats. As a player who consistently improves year to year, the Guardians may have a future Hall of Famer on their hands.
Currently, his contract with Cleveland has expired, but he has yet to become a free agent. He is in the pre-arbitration phase, making his future with the Guardians blurry.
Whether he stays in Ohio or signs elsewhere, he brings a coveted bat to the table that any team in the show could benefit from.
