Cleveland Baseball Insider

Guardians' Director Of Player Development Hired By Cardinals

St. Louis announced on Tuesday that Cleveland's Rob Cerfolio will be joining the Cardinals organization after being with the Guardians organization since 2015.

Logan Potosky

Progressive Field in Cleveland pictured just about an hour before the eclipse started on April 8, 2024.
Progressive Field in Cleveland pictured just about an hour before the eclipse started on April 8, 2024. / Jennifer Pignolet / Akron Beacon Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Cleveland Guardians had a strong postseason run this year, making it to the American League Championship Series.

Cleveland's player development played an integral part in this season's success. 14 rookies played for the team during the regular season, and 10 of them participated in the postseason.

However, Cleveland will now seek a new director of player development for the future.

On Tuesday, the St. Louis Cardinals announced that they have hired Guardians Director of Player Development Rob Cerfolio as Assistant General Manager, Player Development & Performance.

The 32-year-old had been Cleveland's director of player development since 2022. He was previously a baseball operations and player development intern in 2015, an amateur scouting assistant from 2016 to 2018, a player development assistant from 2018 to 2019, and assistant director of player development from 2019 to 2021.

Under the direction of Cerfolio, three of Cleveland's four MiLB affiliates made the playoffs this year, and all four finished the regular season with a winning record.

A baseball stadium on a sunny day with a blue sky.
Progressive Field in Cleveland pictured just about an hour before the eclipse started on April 8, 2024. / Jennifer Pignolet / Akron Beacon Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Triple-A Columbus Clippers went 80-68, clinching the International League's second half playoff spot. Columbus then fell to the Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple-A, Kansas City Royals) in the best-of-three International League Championship Series.

The Double-A Akron RubberDucks went an Eastern League-best 80-58, clinching the Eastern League Southwest Second Half Division title. Akron then fell to the Erie Seawolves (Double-A, Detroit Tigers) 2-1 in the best-of-three Eastern League Southwest Division Championship Series.

The High-A Lake County Captains went a Midwest League-best 77-53 and clinched the Midwest League East First Half Division title. Lake County eventually won the 2024 Midwest League Championship, its second title in franchise history.

Finally, the Single-A Lynchburg Hillcats did not make the playoffs, but went 67-62 in the regular season.

Cleveland currently has five prospects in MLB Pipeline's Top 100.

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Logan Potosky
LOGAN POTOSKY

Logan Potosky is an aspiring play-by-play sports broadcaster who, to date, has called approximately 350+ hours of professional, college, and high school sporting events. He is currently the Play-by-Play Broadcaster for the Lake County Captains, the High-A Affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. He graduated from John Carroll University in May of 2023 with a degree in Communication, with a concentration in Digital Media, and a minor in Entrepreneurship.

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