The Cleveland Guardians might be slumping at the moment, losing five of their last six games and being swept by the lowly New York Mets to open the week, but they just completed a solid deadline and are all-in for the 2026 campaign. They added five useful players to an already strong core that includes veteran star Jose Ramirez and young, promising players such as Chase DeLauter, Travis Bazzana, Angel Martinez, Parker Messick, and most recently Angel Genao. The best thing of the week is that the Guardians gave themselves five solid veterans without touching the top of their farm system.
Guys like Genao, Braylon Doughty, Khal Stephen, Cooper Ingle, Jace LaViolette, and Kody Huff remain with the team. Perhaps more importantly, so does young slugger Ralphy Velazquez, who is heating up in Triple-A and was praised by Cleveland sports personality Bruce Drennan on Friday.
“Another guy we didn’t mention was Ralphy Velazquez. Talking about Genao, but Velazquez may turn out to be the best of all these young players,” Drennan said.
"Ralphy Velasquez may turn out to be the best of all these young players." #GuardsBall
– @Bruce_Drennan https://t.co/iKQY7PoM2C pic.twitter.com/GNKvbtCpaf
— BIGPLAY Cleveland (@BIGPLAYcle) August 7, 2026
Yes, Genao is getting most of the flashes these days, and deservedly so. He looks like an offensive machine, barreling the ball often and racking up hit after hit since being promoted to the majors. However, it’s important to keep an eye on Velazquez, too.
Even if the Nathaniel Lowe acquisition represented an obstacle for Velazquez’s call-up this year, the first baseman is doing his best to force his way up. On Thursday, he hit his sixth home run in the last nine games and took his overall Triple-A line to a solid .250/.333/.449, with 10 home runs and a 103 wRC+ in 57 games and 246 plate appearances.
Velazquez has a 127 wRC+ and 17 round-trippers between Double-A and Triple-A. Over those last nine games in Columbus, he is slashing a robust .294/.333/.853 with the six dingers, a 1.186 OPS, and a 176 wRC+. He’s getting ready for a potential promotion to the majors soon, but Lowe is, like him, a left-handed first baseman, and he’s playing very well.
Velazquez is the first baseman of the future in Cleveland. He has shown a potent bat with the potential of a high batting average and a respectable power output, and that kind of upside doesn’t grow on trees. Perhaps it’s time the world starts paying more attention to the former first-round pick.
NEXT: Mets Claim Longtime Guardians Infielder Off Waivers
