P | Bats/Throws: L/L | 6' 2" 188 lbs | Age: 23
Draft: 2024 | Rd. 4, No. 113, Cleveland Guardians | Miami
MLB Pipeline Rank
Guardians: No. 26
W L ERA G GS SV IP SO WHIP
2026 1 3 6.06 8 8 0 35.2 35 1.63
Career Minors 9 15 4.27 47 40 1 191.2 221 1.43
G W-L ERA IP SO WHIP
2026 8 1-3 6.06 35.2 35 1.63
Career Minors 47 9-15 4.27 191.2 221 1.43
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Standard Minor League Pitching Statistics

SeasonTmLGLWLERAGGSSVIPHRERHRBBSOWHIP
2024 Lynchburg Hillcats CAR A 0 2 4.91 3 3 0 7.1 6 4 4 1 3 11 1.23
2025 2 Teams Minors 5 8 3.56 25 19 1 103.2 97 45 41 3 43 112 1.35
2025 Hill City Howlers CAR A 4 6 3.33 20 16 0 83.2 76 35 31 2 34 88 1.31
2025 Lake County Captains MID A+ 1 2 4.50 5 3 1 20.0 21 10 10 1 9 24 1.50
2026 2 Teams Minors 4 5 5.13 19 18 0 80.2 93 54 46 12 33 98 1.56
2026 Lake County Captains MID A+ 3 2 4.40 11 10 0 45.0 50 28 22 6 18 63 1.51
2026 Akron RubberDucks EAS AA 1 3 6.06 8 8 0 35.2 43 26 24 6 15 35 1.63
Akron RubberDucks EAS AA 1 3 6.06 8 8 0 35.2 43 26 24 6 15 35 1.63
Lake County Captains MID A+ 4 4 4.43 16 13 1 65.0 71 38 32 7 27 87 1.51
Hill City Howlers CAR A 4 8 3.46 23 19 0 91.0 82 39 35 3 37 99 1.31

Scouting Report

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Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45 

Growing up on Long Island, Schlesinger was once cut from a youth travel team. He used that slight as motivation to turn himself into the top pitcher in Suffolk County in high school, one who earned an invite to head south to pitch at Miami. He pitched out of the bullpen for his first two seasons with the Hurricanes and then threw well in relief in the Cape Cod League last summer. A move into the rotation this spring has led to uneven results, but his size, stuff and left-handedness had many teams interested in the top five rounds.

Schlesinger has seen his stuff tick up velocity-wise as a junior. After averaging 88 mph with his fastball in 2023, he’s averaged a tick over 92 mph this season, topping out at 97 mph. His slider can fluctuate anywhere from 80 mph up to the upper 80s, and it can miss bats when he stays on top of it, something that’s tougher because he comes at hitters from a lower, almost sidearm slot. He does have good feel for a changeup that he can turn over well, though he doesn’t throw the mid-80s pitch as frequently.

The funk in Schlesinger’s delivery and arm slot can be a blessing and curse. It can provide for an uncomfortable at-bat for hitters, but it’s also led to inconsistent pitch execution and command, though he’s done a better job of finding the strike zone this spring. He’ll need that changeup against right-handed hitters if he wants to have a chance to start, but teams considering him early on in the Draft know he could be pretty nasty if he needs to go back to the bullpen.


2026

Scouting grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 40

Schlesinger’s move from the University of Miami’s bullpen to the rotation his junior year caught the Guardians' eye, and they signed him for a below-slot $446,900 with their 2024 fourth-round pick. The lanky southpaw worked his way up to High-A in his first full season -- striking out 112 with a 3.56 ERA across 103 2/3 innings in two levels of A-ball -- and he’s continued to make progress in 2026 upon his return to the level.

The Stony Brook, N.Y., native creates uncomfortable angles for opponents with his sidearm delivery and impressive extension in his 6-foot-2 frame, which helps his average stuff play up. Schlesinger throws a fastball with armside run half the time and has continued to add velocity, now sitting around 93 mph and occasionally touching 96. He has developed a sweeper in addition to an 86-87 mph slider, with the former coming out about 2 mph slower but showing an extra six inches of cut. Schlesinger currently throws the traditional slider more, but his sweeper usage is ticking up and it has the potential to become his best pitch.

The big question for Schlesinger will be his ability to get right-handers out. Righties can see the ball out of his hand easily, and he throws his changeup less than 10 percent of the time. Schlesinger is throwing a firmer change with less depth this season, which should complement his new arsenal better, and it’s getting plenty of whiffs in its limited usage. While he hasn’t picked up a lot of chase in pro ball, two points in his favor for a future starting role are his high marks for picking up called strikes and controlling the run game, although he’d make a dangerous lefty reliever if he moves to the 'pen, where his stuff would certainly play up more.


Transactions

Team Date Transaction
06/12/2026 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Akron RubberDucks from Lake County Captains.
03/05/2026 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Cleveland Guardians Prospects.
08/11/2025 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Lake County Captains from Lynchburg Hillcats.
08/26/2024 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Lynchburg Hillcats.
07/27/2024 Cleveland Guardians signed LHP Rafe Schlesinger.
06/16/2024 College Workout activated LHP Rafe Schlesinger.
06/09/2024 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to College Workout.
04/03/2024 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Cotuit Kettleers.
03/13/2024 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Miami Hurricanes.
05/26/2023 College Workout activated LHP Rafe Schlesinger.
05/24/2023 College Workout activated LHP Rafe Schlesinger.
05/20/2023 LHP Rafe Schlesinger assigned to Miami Hurricanes.
05/21/2022 LHP Rafe Schlesinger and assigned to Miami Hurricanes.