The Cleveland Guardians are in the mix to have the lowest payroll in MLB in 2026 unless they start making some splashes in free agency, which looks increasingly more unlikely by the day. Instead, the team continues to opt for affordable solutions to their problems and seeks out hidden value wherever they can find it.
That quest to find talent has recently led Cleveland’s scouts to Venezuela, where many young and exciting prospects are working hard and generating plenty of attention from Major League scouts. One prospect has caught Cleveland’s eye as the team was recently named the favorites to land an intriguing right-handed pitcher. According to Guardians Prospective, Cleveland is favored to sign Edwin Fernandez out of Venezuela.
There is no word on potential terms, and nothing is official, but he becomes eligible to sign on January 15th, and the Guardians could be ready to pounce.
“Cleveland #Guardians are favorites to sign RHP prospect Edwin Fernandez out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Fernandez trains out of Alex Salazar Academy. He is not eligible to sign until the 1/15/26 International signing day,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Cleveland #Guardians are favorites to sign RHP prospect Edwin Fernandez out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Fernandez trains out of Alex Salazar Academy.
He is not eligible to sign until the 1/15/26 International signing day.#GuardsBall pic.twitter.com/1nbTPXFLSY
— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) January 8, 2026
The Guardians have been linked to Fernandez for months, and the time to close is just a week away. Cleveland has been linked to plenty of young prospects, so there is no guarantee anything gets done, but this has been one on the radar for months, and it would be nice to see Cleveland lock him up.
Cleveland has proven to be one of the more impressive teams in baseball at consistently being able to roll out a strong pitching staff. The pipeline is strong, and Fernandez would fit right in as someone who could work his way up for a few years on his way to Cleveland. After losing Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz to gambling charges last season, there are voids on this staff that need to be filled.
No one is expecting Fernandez to fill that void in 2026, but he could be a weapon in a few years and would look good in Cleveland.
NEXT: Video Shows New Guardians Pitcher Preparing For Spring Training
