The Cleveland Guardians are known for developing pitchers, helping them become the best version of themselves. They turned Gavin Williams and Parker Messick into elite competitive machines, unlocked Daniel Espino’s potential with a role change, and produced one of MLB’s finest relievers in Cade Smith, all in the last couple of years.
What about next year, though? Are there any current minor leaguer hurlers on the Guardians with a chance to help the team in 2027? The answer to that question is yes.
In this exercise, we will exclude players who have played in MLB but finished the 2026 campaign in the minors, such as Franco Aleman or Craig Yoho. Here are two potential standouts:
Justin Campbell
Injuries limited Campbell to 69 innings and 20 starts this season between Double-A and Triple-A, but he sure made them count. The 25-year-old former 37th overall draft pick in 2022 posted a 2.48 ERA between the two levels, including a 2.08 mark in 17.1 frames in Columbus.
Campbell is Cleveland’s ninth-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline. He sits in the mid-90s with his fastball, but can touch 97-98 on occasion. He generates incredible extension, too, and that, combined with his 6’5” frame, makes him tough to square up. He also throws a changeup, a curveball, and a slider.
Campbell has particular appeal for the 2027 Guardians as a multi-inning or bulk reliever. Yes, he was a nominal starter, but all of his outings ranged from 1.2 to 5.0 innings this year. You could say his contributions are measured in outs rather than frames.
With big-time stuff and a modern profile, Campbell can definitely help Cleveland next year if there’s baseball.
Rafe Schlesinger
Schlesinger, a 23-year-old left-hander who was drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of Miami, took another step forward in his development in 2026 and finished with a solid 4.14 ERA in 117.1 innings between High-A and Double-A.
With Akron, Schlesinger posted a 3.98 ERA in 72.1 frames, with 34 bases on balls and 67 punchouts. It’s important to note that the southpaw wrapped up the Double-A season with three scoreless starts, covering 16 innings and striking out 15. He seemed to be peaking at the right time.
Schlesinger’s stuff is not particularly impressive, but he has a funky delivery and elite extension that make it all play up. In other words, he is the prototypical Guardians pitching prospect.
The Guardians will likely be cautious with him and have him open the 2027 campaign in Double-A. However, he has proven he can pitch at that level, so a Triple-A promotion should happen soon after that. From there, all he needs is to string together a few solid starts and an injury or two at the MLB level.
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