With the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Guardians' Top 30 Prospects are projected to start:
- Travis Bazzana (MLB No. 9), 2B -- Akron (Double-A)
- Chase DeLauter (MLB No. 35), OF -- Columbus (Triple-A) -- injured list (core muscle surgery)
- Jaison Chourio (MLB No. 58), OF -- Lake County (High-A)
- Angel Genao (MLB No. 60), INF -- Akron (Double-A) -- injured list (shoulder)
- Ralphy Velazquez, 1B -- Lake County (High-A)
- Welbyn Francisca, SS/2B -- Lynchburg (Single-A)
- Cooper Ingle, C -- Akron (Double-A)
- C.J. Kayfus, 1B/OF -- Akron (Double-A)
- Braylon Doughty, RHP -- Lynchburg (Single-A)
- Juan Brito, INF/OF -- Columbus (Triple-A)
- Joey Cantillo, LHP -- Cleveland (MLB)
- Andrew Walters, RHP -- Extended spring training (but at Triple-A Columbus now)
- Johnathan Rodriguez, OF -- Cleveland (MLB)
- Parker Messick, LHP -- Extended spring training (but at Triple-A Columbus now)
- Joey Oakie, RHP -- Extended spring training
- Jacob Cozart, C -- Lake County (High-A)
- Chase Mobley, RHP -- Extended spring training
- Jackson Humphries, LHP -- Lake County (High-A)
- Michael Kennedy, LHP -- Lake County (High-A)
- Erik Sabrowski, LHP -- Cleveland (MLB) -- injured list (elbow inflammation)
- Gabriel Rodriguez, SS/2B -- Extended spring training
- Doug Nikhazy, LHP -- Columbus (Triple-A)
- Josh Hartle, LHP -- Lake County (High-A)
- Daniel Espino, RHP -- Columbus (Triple-A) -- injured list (shoulder surgery rehab)
- Juneiker Caceres, OF -- Extended spring training
- Alfonsin Rosario, OF -- Lake County (High-A)
- Robert Arias, OF -- Extended spring training
- Petey Halpin, OF -- Columbus (Triple-A)
- Luis Merejo, 1B/OF -- Lynchburg (Single-A)
- Austin Peterson, RHP -- Akron (Double-A)
COMPLETE GUARDIANS PROSPECT COVERAGE
- Guardians Top 30 prospects
- Prospect stats: Today | Last 10 | Last 30
- Draft pick stats
- Highlights
Team to watch
Double-A Akron will have a formidable offense with Bazzana (the 2024 No. 1 overall pick), Ingle (last year's High-A Midwest League MVP) and Kayfus (.836 OPS with the RubberDucks in the second half last year). The lineup will get stronger once infielder Genao, who finished fourth among qualified players in the Minors last year in batting (.330) and fifth in doubles (38), returns from a shoulder injury.
Players we could see in MLB in 2025
Bazzana has the hitting ability to reach Cleveland in his first full professional season. Tooled-up outfielder DeLauter already would have gotten there if not for persistent injuries. Walters posted a 0.77 ERA in 13 appearances with the Guardians last year, including the playoffs, but was slowed by shoulder stiffness early in Spring Training. Brito competed for the big league second-base job this spring.
New faces
All three high school right-handers who received seven-figure bonuses from Cleveland in the 2024 Draft will make their pro debuts this spring. Doughty (supplemental first round) will break in at Single-A Lynchburg in April, while Oakie (third) and Mobley (10th) will do so in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League next month. Outfielder Rosario (the return in the Eli Morgan trade with the Cubs in November) and left-handers Kennedy and Hartle (part of the package in the Spencer Horwitz deal with the Pirates in December) will play their first games as members of the Guardians organization.
On the shelf
Two of the highest ceilings in the system will be on the sidelines to start the year, with DeLauter out until at least May following core muscle surgery last month and right-hander Espino still recovering from his second shoulder surgery in March 2024. Genao sprained his right shoulder during drills in Spring Training and won't return until June. Left-hander Sabrowski is on the big league injured list with elbow inflammation and should get back on the mound in mid-April.