The start of spring training is less than two weeks away, and the Cleveland Guardians are making their final preparations before arriving in Arizona. That includes confirming the list of players who will be attending and perhaps competing for jobs.
Some of those top prospects are not on the 40-man roster, so they will be there as non-roster invitees. One is already in line to make the team, while the others will get valuable experience to take back to the minor leagues and build toward an eventual promotion.
The Guardians have invited five top prospects to spring training: Travis Bazzana, Ralphy Velazquez, Cooper Ingle, Jacob Cozart and Alfonsin Rosario.
“Cleveland Guardians are inviting the following top prospects as non-roster invites to MLB spring training. 2B – Travis Bazzana, 1B – Ralphy Velazquez, C – Cooper Ingle, C – Jacob Cozart, OF – Alfonsin Rosario,” Guardians Prospective posted on X.
Cleveland #Guardians are inviting the following top prospects as non-roster invites to MLB spring training.
2B – Travis Bazanna
1B – Ralphy Velazquez
C – Cooper Ingle
C – Jacob Cozart
OF – Alfonsin Rosario— Guardians Prospective (@CleGuardPro) January 30, 2026
Among those, Bazzana is thought to have an excellent chance to make his major league debut as the second baseman in Cleveland’s Opening Day lineup. The No. 1 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Bazzana has had his arrival delayed by injuries, but his impressive performance at Triple-A toward the end of last season has put him in position for a key role.
As for the others, Velazquez and Ingle look to be next in line, but their MLB debuts may be put off for another season. The Guardians have Kyle Manzardo set to play first base, and C.J. Kayfus looks to be the DH, so at-bats for Velazquez would be limited, meaning his development would be better served in the minors.
The same can be said for Ingle, who would have to overtake veterans Bo Naylor and Austin Hedges for playing time at catcher. Cozart could also be in that mix, though he has limited experience at Double-A.
Rosario would have to break into an outfield that is set to have more experienced prospects George Valera and Chase DeLauter joining veteran Steven Kwan. He has made a steady climb in his three pro seasons.
The Guardians are fortunate that they do not have many jobs up for grabs, so they can focus on preparing for the regular season rather than on in-house competition for spots.
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