The Cleveland Guardians have plenty of talent on their roster right now. Nevertheless, that doesn’t always translate into wins.
Stephen Vogt has a plethora of young players at his disposal, yet plenty of those players are unproven. That’s a bit of a concern.
With that in mind, team analyst Tim Stebbins wondered how the outfield might shape out next season.
As things stand now, only Steven Kwan is a guarantee and a lock to start at left field, with the other two spots as a bit of a question mark:
“How will the outfield shake out?” Stebbins wrote. “The Guardians have nearly a dozen outfielder options on their 40-man roster. But there’s not a lot set in stone out there, and it’s one area you could pinpoint for Cleveland to make an addition to bolster its lineup. Right now, there’s Steven Kwan in left field, whereas center and right are more open. Chase DeLauter (No. 2 prospect, No. 58 overall) will get reps at both positions in Spring Training. George Valera will be in the right-field mix, and C.J. Kayfus is another option there. Angel Martínez and Nolan Jones are also set to return from 2025.”
Notably, the fact that this team has yet to do anything to address that situation in the offseason is as worrisome as it is telling. They clearly believe the young players can hold down the fort.
That being said, they’re unproven and young players first and foremost, and banking all their hopes on them to get it done isn’t only wishful thinking but also a risky gamble.
The Guardians have everything they need to be a competitive team for years to come, but that’s only on paper. As talented and promising as those players are, they still need to prove their worth and earn their stripes first.
Hopefully, that will be the case now that they will be given a longer leash and a bigger role with the team.
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