The Cleveland Guardians continue to shape their roster as spring training progresses, making several moves as they work toward finalizing the team for the upcoming season. Like most organizations during this time of year, Cleveland is evaluating young players while gradually trimming the roster. On Sunday, the Guardians announced four roster moves.
According to reporter Mason Horodyski, the Guardians optioned two players while reassigning two others to minor league camp. These types of moves are common during spring training as teams begin narrowing their pool of players.
“The #Guardians announced the following moves Sunday: – Daniel Espino and Franco Aleman have been optioned to AAA Columbus – Ryan Webb and Alfonsin Rosario have been reassigned to Minor League camp,” Horodyski wrote.
The #Guardians announced the following moves Sunday:
– Daniel Espino and Franco Aleman have been optioned to AAA Columbus
– Ryan Webb and Alfonsin Rosario have been reassigned to Minor League camp
– Roster at 55 players
Espino went 1.0IP with 3Ks Saturday #GuardsBall x @WEWS
— Mason Horodyski (@MasonHorodyski) March 8, 2026
Right-handed pitchers Daniel Espino and Franco Aleman were optioned to Triple-A Columbus. Being optioned means both players remain on the organization’s 40-man roster but will begin the season in the minors unless they are recalled later.
Espino remains one of the more intriguing pitching prospects in the organization. The talented right-hander has shown flashes of high-end ability but has also dealt with injuries that have slowed his progress. Sending him to Columbus allows the Guardians to continue managing his development while giving him consistent opportunities to pitch.
Even with the option move, Espino showed encouraging signs during his most recent spring outing. Espino threw one inning and had three strikeouts on Saturday. Performances like that demonstrate the type of electric stuff that has long made him a highly regarded arm within the system.
Following these moves, Cleveland’s spring training roster now sits at 55 players. That number will continue to shrink as Opening Day approaches and the team finalizes its active roster.
As the Guardians move deeper into camp, more roster decisions will likely follow. Each move brings the team one step closer to determining the group that will represent Cleveland when the regular season begins.
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