The Cleveland Guardians are officially set to transition to a younger era. While Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan will continue to be the faces of the franchise, they hope that three youngsters will also leave their mark on the team.
According to the Guardians fan account Trainiax, three rookies will change their jersey numbers. That hints at a much bigger role in 2026, as expected:
“Guardians Uniform Number Changes: 1B C.J. Kayfus switches from number 63 to number 2, last worn by UTIL Tyler Freeman in 2024 (and in Spring Training 2025). OF George Valera switches from number 35 to number 7, last worn by INF Will Wilson in 2025. OF Chase DeLauter is being listed as switching from number 34 to number 14, which is retired for OF Larry Doby. It’s possible this is a typo and he instead switched to number 24, since he’s previously worn numbers in the 20s when available,” Trainiax posted on X.
C.J. Kayfus made a huge impact on offense as soon as he was called up. While most people were keeping tabs on Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana – and rightfully so – the 1B/OF continued to be the most consistent player, and while he still has to work on his plate discipline, the talent is evident.
DeLauter, on the other hand, has the potential to be one of the best players in the world in no time. He has to stay healthy, which has been the only flaw in his otherwise impressive résumé so far. That’s why his call-up was delayed, but he’s so talented that Stephen Vogt even got him to make his MLB debut in the playoffs, knowing how much of an offensive impact he could’ve made.
Last but not least, George Valera is finally living up to his potential. The talent was always there, but after struggling with injuries for so long, it seemed that he wasn’t going to get a chance in the pros.
Now, all three could play a pivotal role in this team’s success for years to come.
NEXT: Insider Urges Key Guardians Player To Step Up In 2026
